I really may be out on a limb here, but advertising has to go.
I thought I had it up to my chiungmaefuns with little purple pills. See there is this penchant now in advertising to show you pill. They don’t tell you what it does but you really have to go demand it from your doctor.
There was a time that pill companies only spoke to doctors. Primarily because only doctors were sufficiently trained to know what effects medications have. There was a time that drug companies were not allowed to advertise. But this of course was deemed an obstruction of their freedom of speech.
So… today you get the following exchange. Because people saw a commercial…
Doc… I need you to prescribe me Myrnacrimoz
Alan, you don’t need Myrnacrimoz
Doc, I watched it on TV, they told me I need the pink pill
Alan…
Yeah Doc?
Alan, How was your discharge during your last cycle?
My last cycle?
Alan. You don’t need Myrnacrimoz.
Now… this as much as it ruffles my feathers is not what gets my goat.
No… tonight, I saw a commercial for “Revolution”… A bunch of cats demonstrating for “Revolution for Cats” the medicine that keeps them well. All cats (and their owners) should talk to their vet today about Revolution.
Now check me… it’s bad enough that the TV is telling people to demand drugs from their doctors that have not even had a malady tied to them; but now, I’m being told to tell my vet when I need for my cat because they are demonstrating?
Gnnnargh!
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Amen, amen, amen. The drug ads are getting out of control – not to mention skirting the edge of legality. It’s not just people talking to their doctors, either – some people think that they’ve seen an ad on TV for a drug, so it’ll solve all the problems someone else will have. Depressed? Take Zoloft! Migraine? Take Imipramine or Topamax! After all, the drugs are advertised on TV, so they must solve the problems of anyone with that particular problem.
Drug companies skirt and even cross the boundaries of legality all the time, because laws pertaining to drug companies are usually not enforced. Sad thing.
I don’t know if you saw it in my journal, but the Austin Lounge Lizards have partnered with Consumer’s Union to do a video on just this subject.
I totally agree.
I think my favorite are the ads for pills that keep you “alert and in charge” during the day. I guess pharm sales don’t increase when doctors reccomend a good night’s sleep.
Hilarious!
I think the biggest problem is that they will advertise a drug and not tell you what it does or what it’s for. The reason? I hear that if they mention certain information about the drug, such as what good things it does… they are also required by law to list the bad things. That’s right, the horrid disgusting side-effects. They want to avoid saying anything bad about the drug, even though it’s true…
I find it all very funny!
Yet another reason I don’t watch TV. EVER.
I really may be out on a limb here, but advertising has to go.
Right on!
They don’t tell you what it does but you really have to go demand it from your doctor.
If they don’t tell you want it does, they don’t have to list the adverse effects.
So… today you get the following exchange.
This happens a LOT. GRRRR “I want to come in and talk to the doctor to see if I can take Xdrug”. “Do you have arthritis, Mrs So-and-so? Joint pain? Alriiight, then”. We really did get calls for joint pain when they had the football thru the tire-on-a-tree erectile dysfunction drug commercials ::rolling eyes::
I’m being told to tell my vet when I need for my cat because they are demonstrating?
We’re careful what we let Stimpy watch so he hasn’t seen the commercial ;).
the wellbrutrin ad says all you have to do is read about wellbutrin online, and ask your doctor about it, and you will feel better. It’s the ad for the un-pill — no dosing necessary, just read and talk about it! I think it is really an ad made by doctor’s offices just to get an extra office visit out of your insurance company. That way, they don’t have to depend on scrip-numbers to earn their junket, just add many more office visits to TALK about wellbutrin.
By the way — Revolution is flea crap for kitties’ necks, and compared to any other crap my kitties have ever gotten — it rocks socks! The rest of the crap on the market might as well be sugar water. My dad has photos of my cat laying down on the lawn in his backyard in July and August (flea season), and never one flea. Of course, my cat is also not allowed out of dad’s eyeshot when outdoors…
I miss so much by avoiding television…
First of all, it’s too bad I’m not Alan’s doctor, because I would have given him the prescription with the caveat that his insurance wouldn’t cover it. But then I’m evil (and would lose my licenee *g*).
Secondly, you should definately write to the cat drug company and tell them you demand your goat back! Might want to write the other ones, too, and demand grooming for your ruffled feathers.
I’m completely with you on this one. These pharmecutical companies are out of control, and have no business pimping their meds on TV.
I have to admit there’s a certain amount of comedic value in those adverts, especially when they talk about getting your life back and at the end of it the have a laundry list of side effects delivered at almost auctioneer speed.
You know stuff like ‘warning: may cause anal leakage in some patients’ for a pill that’s supposed to treat anxiety. How is your can you no longer have an anxiety disorder if that’s a side effect?
Or “Get rid of your arthritis pain with…….warning: may cause your liver to explode. If you start having heart palpitations, see your doctor.”
Absolutely right on!
Especially when so many of the side effects seem (to me) to really outweigh the original malady. . .
Your story proves nothing except that the SYSTEM WORKS. The patient asked for a drug that he didn’t need, and the doctor refused to give it to them. Thats the whole point.
The reason the drug commercials work is because they are advertising treatements for conditions that were untreatable untill very recently. The nature of these ailments is that they go untreated and undiagnosed because patients are unware that a treatment exists.
If you want to get pissed off about something, get pissed off at the INSURANCE COMPANIES that are spending millions making sure that their press releases about how the new drugs are “boutique treatments” get printed because they don’t want to pay for them.
Depression is an epidemic in this country. It is a life threatening illness with untold social costs (crime, lost productivity, irrational behavior, auto accidents) and it is ALMOST NEVER TREATED…if those commercials can save even one life, they are OK with me.
But I would have to say that if a person’s doctor is worth a damn and knows his patients medical history, when a new drug is intorduced that may help or cure a persons ailments.. they should be the ones contacting the patients to let them know of thier available options.
Most people don’t have doctors. Most people (in this country) don’t have insurance. Most people don’t seek medical attention until there is something really wrong.
The medical establishment today believes that treatment with drugs is ‘scientific’ versus treatment with nutrients, psychology or detoxification as ‘not scientific’ despite the thousands of scientific studies that support the nutraceutical movement.
However.. I’d like to invent a drug that makes Andrei respond to my IM’s…
hehe
I’ve been missing IMs?
I didn’t realize that. Granted, my mobile has not been delivering the AIM I was hoping it would. But I should be on most times.
Re: I’ve been missing IMs?
hm… it seemed to have stopped working for some reason.. i remember you used to be able to get them.. but perhaps you were on your computer then and not on your mobile phone?