Prescription drug commercials

[KillerMuffin]

Is anyone else bothered by these? I really hate seeing them on TV or in magazines. I simply don't think that non-medical professionals should have this sort of advertising directed at them.

It's good to be informed about prescription drugs and the choices you have for various conditions people have, but to sit throughan Allegra commercial where someone with allergies goes from being a shut-in hermit to having the whole allergen world at her feet is just revolting to me. People, particularly young and old people, tend to believe what they see on TV.

They see how wonderful these drugs are and there's not a lot of lip service to the side-effects and who or who should not be taking them.

Of course, you can't just run down to Walgreens and pick some up. You have to go visit the Doctor for it. Make an appointment and tell him/her that you want some drug you saw on TV. That's the idea behind the advertising.

This is wrong. People should see their doctors because they're in need of a visit, not because the guy in the Paxil commercial was happier after taking it.

Of course, I think we're an over-medicated society anymore. If there's a problem there's a pill for it. May not fix the problem, probably has enough side effects to make the problem worse, but hey, have some drugs and move on.

The ban on medical advertising needs to get slapped right back into place. There are plenty of ways for people to find out about prescription drugs that are more informative and objective.

 

[lovetoread]

What always scares me is the long list of side effects.

 

[brokenbrainwave]

Yes I agree, but let me ask a question that has bugged me for years. What the HELL does BASF do exactly? You know the company, they dont make the products you buy, they make the products you buy better. If they dont make the products, then why have TV ad's? This is as insane as the USPS commercials.

Sorry KM, you gave me an out to bitch. Carry on

 

[Purrde Flower]

Speaking of side effects.. Have you seen Joe Somebody? With Tim Allen in it? One of the comercials the company he works for produced.. it shows it.. it has a very very long side effect list.. last one is death.

 

[huskie]

I thought they advertised mainly for the tax write off?? Your gona take what the DR proscribes. Not what ever you want.... right??

 

[Temptress_1960]

The funniest has to be the guy who happily walks through his office. His co-workers are asking him what's different... New haircut? New shoes? New tie?

He gets to his desk, and the voice over says, "he finally asked his doctor about Viagra."

Must be they were all noticing his dick.

ROFLMAO

 

[penguindance]

 

[claude_moveml]

Advertsing prescription drugs to the general public is banned over here in the UK. It's bad enough seeing ads for headache pills, ads just push the price of the product up. Branded ibuprofen is about 3 times as expensive as generic, and it's the exact same chemical in both.

Edited to preempt Grammar Buddy

 

[celiaKitten]

What bothers me is that it provides more fuel for self-diagnosis. My mother does this .. and her doctor just goes along with it normally.

Or, they fuel a *popular* illness for the hypochondriacs among us.

 

[teddybear4play]

I despise them for all those reasons and more.

TB4p

 

[sunstruck]

Personally I think it's digusting. Perscription drugs are becoming a way of life. The other day a friend told me their doctor perscribed them Prozac to HELP THEM SLEEP! Happy mind won't keep you up at night. That is fucking wrong.

Whoever said it lends to self medicating and diagnosis is dead on. You can pretty much go into most doctor's offices with names of weight loss or mood drugs and get a perscription. Hell even if you've never had symptoms before, they list them right in the commercials. Might as well be over the bloody counter.


That said some of the commercials crack me up. The little zoloft bubble guy, the happy kiaking herpes people. The best side effect listed was for a fat or carb blocker, "May cause increased bowel movements, and urgency to have them and an inability to control them".

"Look hon! I can fit into my wedding dress aga-*digusting wet fart sound* Oh dear".

 

[Calamity Jane]

"Look hon! I can fit into my wedding dress aga-*digusting wet fart sound* Oh dear".

LMFAO

My 6 year old told me the other day that I should talk to my doctor about Celebrex so my knee wouldn't hurt so much.

I think it's gone a little far when a kindergartner is pushing me to buy meds.

 

[ExLimey]

I like the herpes medication commercial where they always so it's so hard to take the other leading brand because you have to take five pills a day. I guess because with them you can take three pills a day it leaves more time for being a total hosebag.

 

[Spinaroonie]

Dr.s hate them too. Makes people ask about them incessantly.

The one I hate most is Prilosec- The purple pill. Why are they hyping it so much? Cos the patent they own on Nexium is about to expire. So they wanna get all their current junkies up on this new pill so that they won't buy the generics.

I may have switched those names around. I don't care.

 

[Lancecastor]

 

[Rubyfruit]

There are plenty of ways for people to find out about prescription drugs that are more informative and objective.

Like how? From their doctors? Nope. Doctors are just as influenced by their drug company salesman as we are by the commercials.

Better living through chemistry!

 

[paganangel]

maybe your intention wasn't to start a discussion about a ban, but...

just in case...aren't all these arguments very similar to any other censorship arguments? i'm just edgy about that. remember kids...good with the bad. does that include advertising? you bet. it also includes us bitching about it on this site.

"ANAL LEAKAGE!? that's not a side effect...THAT'S AN EFFECT!" - robin williams

 

[KillerMuffin]

Re: Re: Prescription drug commercials

Like how? From their doctors? Nope. Doctors are just as influenced by their drug company salesman as we are by the commercials.

Better living through chemistry!

One would hope that people were literate and able to borrow a book from the library or use the 'Net at the library. There are tons of places one can get information on pills. This isn't rocket science, you know. It took me all of thirty minutes to assemble a list of pills that I could take for my condition including their side-effects and contraindications.

 

[Rubyfruit]

Muffy, I research every drug that I or my children take, but I don't think we're in the majority, especially when you consider low income, ESL and other groups that might not have the means or know-how to do it.

I would venture to guess that many people rely on their doctor's recommendation solely when prescribed a drug.

 

[paganangel]

Muffy, I research every drug that I or my children take, but I don't think we're in the majority, especially when you consider low income, ESL and other groups that might not have the means or know-how to do it.

I would venture to guess that many people rely on their doctor's recommendation solely when prescribed a drug.

and they should be able to.

 

[alexandraaah]

I hate when they say, "Only your doctor can diagnose depression."

Oh, really?

Bullshit.

 

[Ishmael]

We're in a 'drug' society Killer. They want to get their product out to the public just like anyother company. Considering the cost of brining a new drug to the market today, how can you blame them?

Ishmael

 

[WaxNWane]

A few days ago I had to get a prescription for an antibiotic. You know the routine, see a doctor, get a referral and a prescription for penicillin. First prescription I've had to fill for myself in years.

Standing at the corner Walgreens I got to watch seven (yes, seven) pharmacists manically trying to keep up with the prescription orders. And then I counted off 2 grocery stores (with pharmacies), a Wal-Mart (with pharmacy), and an Eckerds pharmacy all within a block of where I was.

I'm stopping now. It's creeping me out again.

 

[patient1]

What if there were such side effect disclaimers mandated for political ads?

John McCain - one of the Keating 5. Took donations in exchange for busting the regulators balls on behalf of a devious Savings & Loan operator, & left the tax payers holding the bag...

George W. Bush - director of the failed Silverado S&L that left the taxpayers holding the bag.

Al Gore - Bag man for the deal that transferred illegal Chineese campaign money in return for a missle technology transfer.

 

[cookiejar]

The scariest part of these commercials are the irresponsible doctors who let their patients diagnose themselves. A decent doctor just doesn't pull out his prescription pad.....I'm bi-polar and was lucky enough to have a doctor who wasn't afraid to ask for a second opinion before just medicating.
If you really want to get scared read those little inserts that come in your medication.....if one person has an adverse reaction it has to be added. I've seen lists run to well over 50 side effects...
Another problem with these commercials is they alienate a lot of people. I was actually taking my pills one day and a friend said , "I see the commercials got to you , you don't need that junk", .....I hate it when people assume I'm a pill popper or worse a hypochondriac. I live with side effects because sometimes the alternative is worse.

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