Samaritan drug ad upsets Las Vegas officials

Samaritan wanted to use the slogan “what happens in Vegas does not always stay in Vegas,” a play on the city’s popular “what happens here, stays here” tag line, to highlight the dangers of HIV and AIDS. However, officials at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) are opposed to the idea as they claim it will promote an image of the city as a place where visitors are likely to become ill if they engage in sexual activities.

Samaritan has argued that the message would, in fact, cast the city in a positive light, underscoring its relatively unknown biotech industry and thus ensuring the city’s links with important scientific work are promoted within the biomedical press, where the ad would appear.

The LVCVA is reported to have instructed its lawyers to gather further information about the ad, and is likely to make a decision on whether to pursue further action the company in August.