Pharmaceutical companies on the lookout for 'scruffy' Michael Moore

Pharmaceutical companies in the US are telling their employees to be on the lookout for Michael Moore, the controversial film-maker.

Moore's targets have included General Motors (Roger & Me), the gun lobby (the Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine) and President George W. Bush (Fahrenheit 9/11).

Moore has now set his sights on the health-care industry, including insurance companies, the Food and Drug Administration and drug companies.

"We ran a story in our on-line newspaper saying Moore is embarking on a documentary and if you see a scruffy guy in a baseball cap, you'll know who it is," said Stephen Lederer, a spokesman for Pfizer Global Research and Development.

Wyeth, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline have already sent out Moore alerts, telling employees that questions from the media or film-makers should be handled by corporate communications.