IN YOUR EYES: SHOULD ATHLETES ENDORSE MEDICAL TREATMENTS?

          The issue of athletes endorsing medical procedures, in
     particular LASIK eye surgery, was examined by CNN/SI's Sonja
     Steptoe on "Page One."  LASIK surgeon Dr. Alan Kozarski
     feels "to have [athletes] endorse something as if it's going
     to be the same result that everyone else is going to get may
     be misleading."  Jets WR Wayne Chrebet, who has endorsed
     LASIK surgery, said, "I wouldn't have endorsed the clinic if
     I didn't get it done myself.  If I just kind of put my name
     on it and didn't get it done, I'd be a hypocrite.  But, I
     got the procedure done and then decided, 'OK, this is a good
     thing.'"  But CNN/SI's Sonja Steptoe stated the "sports star
     endorsement trend troubles some doctors who consider the ads
     ethically troubling and possibly medically dangerous."  UCLA
     Dir of Laser Refractive Center Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, on
     athletes endorsing LASIK surgery: "If they're giving their
     testimonial to the surgeon that actually did their surgery,
     then I can see that there's a good rationale for that.  But,
     we're actually in an age where we're having professional
     athletes endorse national laser center chains."  CNN/SI's
     Internet poll asked, "Do you think athletes should do paid
     endorsements for medical procedures?"  Of the 2,539
     respondents, 37% said yes and 63% said no (CNN/SI, 7/8).