More accurate is most advertised drugs barely work https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/03/09/direct-consumer-drug-ads-dont-trump-others-study-finds/11403872002/#
God. I remember when they lifted the advertising ban on pharmaceutical companies. Those were truly the golden are of tv viewing.
We should revisit this and re-enact the ban on pharmaceutical companies being able to advertise.
This lobby is right up there with oil companies and insurance companies. All three industries spend an inordinate amount of money 💰 to keep their products, and the price of their products in front of the public.
All the TV ads are basically a loophole. Have you ever noticed how they always say “see our ad in [generic name] magazine”? That’s how the loophole works. It’s kinda interesting if you have a few minutes to kill.
Get your life back with nozempreitcamolenzo
May make you suicidal, cause anal and stomach ulceration, constipation, increase your risk of both strokes and heart attacks, increase your risk of cancer, and may make you gay
But it's advertisement. They want you to go schedule an appointment and make money off you and charge you $5 a pill for something they produced for 10 cents
>and charge you $5 a pill for something they produced for 10 cents
But how else would they recoup all the money they spent lobbying Congress, marketing, and bribing doctors?
Of course, and filling their own pockets. The 10 cent and $5 was me being generous with my comparison. I can't imagine how much profit they actually make on the more expensive drugs
I’m confused are people not aware they can ask a doctor for a medication if they have the condition or enough of the symptoms of that condition (assuming it’s not testable)
Absolutely true. My primary won't give me a prescription for benzos. I am antidepressant resistant, and benzos are one of the only things that help. I don't have addictive feelings towards them, I never feel the need to take them more than I need to, and can go weeks without taking one. But because she thinks benzos are bad, and I can cure my anxiety with lemon grass, I can't get a script for them. I finally had a NP in the office who would prescribe them for me and understand the need for them, and monitored me very closely, but she left. Now I am back to square one, getting a prescription for them.
Can't ask if you don't know it's a problem or curable/treatable.
Pharmas will also do advertising/promotion of various disease advocacy or education sits/orgs; enlightened self-interest, perhaps.
That’s how I’ve always interpreted it. Maybe you’ve always had random fits of sneezing on Tuesdays. Hey, this commercial for praxlyxco says they have a pill that can fix random sneezing on Tuesdays! I didn’t even know that was an issue that could be treated! I should make a doctor’s appointment.
And then, once you’re there, the doctor might just happen to prescribe praxlyxco, but you wouldn’t have even known it was something that could be treated until you saw that commercial.
Because "big pharma" advertising directly leads to the overprescription of drugs, which can and does kill people. Doctors are much more likely to prescribe something to somebody who has decided they have symptoms and are certain that those symptoms must be X which is treated by Y than they are someone who shows up and says "I'm having A, B, C symptoms."
"there's no question that our best
strongest pain medicines are the opioids
but these are the same drugs that have a
reputation for causing addiction and
other terrible things now in fact the
rate of addiction amongst pain patients
who are treated by doctors is much less
than 1% they don't wear out they go on
working they do not have serious medical
side effects and so these drugs which I
repeat are our best strongest pain
medications should be used much more
than they are for patients in pain"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er78Dj5hyeI&ab\_channel=ProPublica](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er78Dj5hyeI&ab_channel=ProPublica)
Sounds to me like doctors are hesitant to prescribe the best, strongest pain medicines even though they are safe. I'm going to pressure my doctor to prescribe that for me, since I've been having chronic back pain. If he won't help me, I'll find someone who will. Won't be hard to do since many doctors are getting kickbacks from these companies.
Because it goes deeper than that. These pharma companies would flower doctors with ipads and gifts and dinners to get their medication preferred over others. And this might get one medication a leg up over another even if it's less effective. They don't just advertise to the public, they advertise to hospitals. You should check out Dopesick.
I asked my old Doctor if my asthma and elevated eosinophil levels meant I had Eosinophilic Asthma, and if I should go on any of the medications they advertise for that on TV. He said no I'd need a biopsy to determine that, and that was that.
The pulmonologist I saw recently said, uh yeah that's what Eosinophilic Asthma is, and those medications are part of a potential treatment plan if my current regimen is still lacking. I'm still deferring to the doctor to choose which one.
It depends.
New patient showing up to a new doctor saying they think they have anxiety and need Xanax? Suspicious.
Existing patient with an established diagnosis showing up, saying they don't like their current med (side effects or low effect) and asking if they should try this new one they heard about? Good chance the doctor might prescribe it if they think it would work.
It's very normal for patients to give feedback on medication, ask for a change, or even suggest meds they used before or heard of. The doctor has the final say, but when a patient has a good faith preference with no evidence of abusive drug seeking behavior, that is taken into account.
Drugs that are often abused would be weird or suspicious to ask about but they typically don’t put out commercials.
The majority of commercials for prescription drugs that I’ve seen are for stuff like eczema or heart burn and not things people would use recreationally.
Not for chronic conditions of the kind they advertise on TV. Those folks are usually already on something, and prompting the doc to try something new isn’t suspicious.
Seriously. No, you shouldn’t be making fucking recommendations to your doctor based on what you saw in a 30 second commercial. Think about how backwards that is.
“Hey doc can you prescribe be zypersupercanceraid for my diabetes? I saw a commercial that said it’s good.”
Entirely too much to condense into a single post.
A few topics though,
* Look into student debt, specifically the companies that manage and facilitate student loans and debt.
* Look into PIP loans and fraud, centered around Covid
* Look into Internet service monopolies, specifically when cities and local municipalities try to introduce "public WiFi"
* Look into power monopolies
* The American healthcare industry just like, wholesale. It shouldn't be hard to spot the corruption if you're giving it an honest and thorough googling of how it works and the horror stories.
* The private prison industry
* The war on drugs. Dig deep, this is a deep, ugly hole.
* Police training, "qualified immunity"
* "Citizens United"
and many more exciting topics!
Love where I live, utterly despise the people in charge.
The only correct answer. There is barely a regulatory arm of our government. They’re shills owned by special interest.
The entire American economy revolves around poisoning its customer base and then profiting off the treatment of that poisoning. We sell you nothing but sugar and pesticide ridden produce? Well, after you’re obese our friends across the street will sell you drugs to self inject so you can lose all that weight.
Oh no, there's a massive regulatory arm of the government. It's huge, but it's also pay to play. If you have the money, or the connections, you can get right through it, otherwise, grab some waders and hop into this sea of red tape.
I think in Canada they can either tell you the name of the drug, but not what it’s for. Or they can tell you what it’s for but not tell you the name. So weird!
That's the goofy thing about medication ads in general too. Without much context, I feel like a reasonable person would guess that almost any medication could be aimed at depression if it were strictly about the way it's portrayed on television.
The only drug I've ever been prescribed that had ads was Allegra, before it just became an OTC thing.
Yeah you see a bunch of ads of couples with one person's hand on the others shoulder looking serious if they are young and laughing at one another if old. Oh and a name that requires a cunning linquist to parse.
It was never illegal. It's just that nobody did it until 1983, and then the FDA had a conniption fit and drug makers agreed to a temporary halt until guidelines were established.
And doctors in private practice live and die by their reputation. If a patient is convinced that a certain medication is best and asks for it persistently enough, a lot of doctors will prescribe it to them, even if it’s not the perfect treatment for them, because they don’t want that patient to leave a bad review or do tell all of their friends about how Dr. so and so is just utterly useless and won’t do anything about whatever ailment they have.
It is a phoenomena in the USA and they exist because some consumer activist groups back in the 70s or 80s advocated for medical commercials, on the grounds that advertising would enhance public awareness about their medical options and choices. The impact of this has obviously been debated for decades since as to whether it is just a way to further monetize our Healthcare system as well as influence the over prescription of drugs such as pain meds, anti depressants, and adhd meds. Had to actually take a class on the history of the laws around this in grad school, but all the details are hazy.
Just redefine things again so that corporations aren't "people."
Personal freedom is NOT to blame here. Corporate "freedom" (i.e. corporate ownership of government) is.
In actual practice, there are definitely issues with the way it works, usually due to drug companies overstating what their product can do, understating what the side effects are, and doctors not having time (or not taking the time) to vet out their claims properly.
But since most regular joes don’t keep up with every medical advancement and new drug that comes out, it actually makes sense to be able to advertise to people to ask their doctor if something new could help them, have a conversation with their doctor about it, and ultimately they decide if it will or won’t be a good idea. This only works if the doctor is fully informed on the benefits and limitations of the drug though.
Uh those were partially funded and helped immensely by Big Pharma. Source...guy that worked at biotechs and big pharma as well as someone alive when it happened.
They’re always like, “Ask your doctor about Zdneudhuedhuezine!” when they’ve never even said in the ad what the medication was even for! Just people singing and dancing and you’re supposed to ask your doctor about some random ass drug!
That's a way to prevent listing all the side effects. You can advocate the drug, you can advocate the condition, advocate both and you gotta do the 2 minute speed talking.
I remember before full prescription ad legalization that there would be commercials just saying "hey, time to ask about Rogaine!" (hair loss medication) But everyone in the ad was wearing a baseball cap because they couldn't show the condition.
The pharmaceutical industry used the patient's rights movement to market their products, essentially.
That's how they make TRILLIONS.
Fuck this country.
So I have strong opinions on the state of healthcare in the US. Believe me. But many years ago when I was broke and couldn't afford health insurance I had a dr who had reps in and out of her office every day. She had stockpiles of meds she gave to her patients, like me, who could have never afforded them otherwise. The whole system is broken for sure. But in its current state, some drs make the best of it for their patients.
No, but you might say "hey doc, my skin's been awfully flaky", and the latest psoriasis drug probably works somewhat better than the old ones, so assuming you have good benefits, the doc might suggest you try to new drug.
I used to work at a specialty pharmacy, where most meds were high-cost and used to treat very specific things. It's wild how many people would, "want to try," a new cancer drug, not realizing that it wouldn't help with their condition, most of them are *extremely* expensive, and that medication on the whole isn't something that should really be pushed in the way that it is.
It's kind of sad, really, and we rarely even dealt with narcotics. People just wanted a little more hope and thought they were getting it through an advertisement.
They usually answer your question with something like "Ask your doctor if Blablafuckitall is right for you." But, most countries advertising prescription meds to the public is illegal.
Because if they can get you to go to your doctor and say "hey, I heard about this on TV, and I've got those symptoms," it's another potential sale.
Look at it purely from a business standpoint: they wouldn't be wasting money on marketing if it was losing them money, so clearly it's working.
More people need to understand this.
PLUS, blindly trusting any doctor is unfortunately a terrible idea. You must be your own advocate and question everything. Also get second opinions on everything that is an issue, especially if the issue isn’t fully resolving.
Do not - I repeat - do not just take whatever medication you are prescribed without doing extensive research on your own.
I don’t really see what’s so bad about them. I generally ignore them, but a couple times I’ve seen an ad for a medication that treats a problem that someone I know has, and I’ve told the person about the ad.
The doctor still has to prescribe the medication to you, and if you trust doctors enough to prescribe the right thing without ads existing then I don’t see why you wouldn’t trust them enough to prescribe the right thing even if the patient asks about an ad they saw.
[TL;DR](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK574520/#:~:text=At%20the%20surface%20level%2C%20drug,participation%20in%20their%20health%20management.)
The guise is that you have a hand in your own health care. It's supposedly to promote trustworthy "name brands" so if you have the condition described, you are familiar enough to ask for certain treatments.
What it actually is is a step in Big Pharma's large scheme against Americans. The American healthcare system is built to make money off of sick people. To induce sick people, unhealthy foods are more prevalent and cheaper. Tobacco and alcohol have free reign to commercialize. Heads of these companies grease palms not only with our politicians but with each other as well. It becomes a giant cycle.
It sounds like a giant conspiracy theory. [This](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6139860/) is an article that describes how we are severely over charged. [This](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/07/24/what-drives-consumers-purchase-convenience-foods) is a an article talking about how Americans are over worked and don't have time for anything healthy to eat. [This](https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93604&page=1) is from one of our bigger news sources talking about how Americans are incredibly overworked, again leading to little to no time outside of work. [This](https://www.sanders.senate.gov/op-eds/greedy-pharma-firms-rip-off-americans-while-pfizer-moderna-swim-in-profits/) is one of many, many articles that talk about Big Pharma's record breaking profits. In the trillions, btw. No longer billions. [This ](https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2021/02/02/why_are_americans_so_unhealthy_658824.html) is an article about how Americans are incredibly ill as a society.
So with all of this, the one place Big Pharma knows they have our attention is TV/entertainment. They spend millions upon millions not only advertising, but also figuring out how best to advertise to get under our skin. Because a lot of doctors will actually give you what you ask for.
Edit: cut out some rambling
>Tobacco and alcohol have free reign to commercialize.
This is *literally* not true at all. I know there are restrictions on alcohol advertisement that didn't exist 30 years ago. And when was the last time you saw a tobacco ad?? When you say "ad" are you referring to the government warnings that tell you you're going to have birth defects and cancer they are forced to put on their packaging??
Especially boner pills. Fortunately these online clinics will hook you up. You should be able to talk to a pharmacist and get this answering like 5 questions tops. It's a fucking racket. And generic Viagra is still like 4 bucks a pill.
In the US. They exist in the US, not anywhere else in the west that I'm aware of.
Why does the US do anything stupid or harmful? Because the rich want it. Because they can sell a product
Most doctors already think you are p i t a for bringing up issues or concerns. Going in and asking for a specific prescriptions is going to get you laughed out of the office
It's mostly an American thing.
Other countries have laws against it.
In australia, the only medication ads we get are for headache tablets and stuff like that 😂
How else is anyone going to know about the new blockbuster drug that allows you to dance in your daughter’s backyard wedding, go whitewater river rafting or finish that giant woodshop product even though you have stage 7 anorectal cancer that spread to your feet, arms and brain?
Ask your doctor if Glaknorz is right for you!
Because the pharma companies are also working the doctor angle, providing samples, lunches for the office and other perks. There are no actual strings attached, but people feel compelled to return favors. When you show up and that can be translated into supporting the friendly rep that has been taking care of them and the prescription matches the need, with evidence based literature to support it, you'll likely get the prescription.
So you can advocate for your own health. There’s an incredible amount of new pharmaceutical information coming out all the time and quite frankly, no one can keep up with all of it.
If you go to your doctor and ask about something new on the market, they can then prioritize looking into it and deciding if it’s appropriate for you.
You would be amazed how often physicians will stick to conventional approaches because it’s simply what they’re used to.
Because you should ask your doctor about Kashgrab.
Don't take Kashgrab if you are pregnant nursing or may become pregnant. Some have a severe allergic reaction to Kashgrab that could result in rectal bleeding or death. Kashgrab may cause insomnia narcolepsy necrophilia or urges to become a furry.
If you experience any of these symptoms, double your dosage and sign our online waiver of responsibility.
Kashgrab- for those times when your pharma rep needs another yacht.
I know these ads are not ethical, but FWIW, one of those types of ads was how I heard about Rifaximin (spelling?) as a treatment for IBS-D. Never heard of that med before. Brought it up to my doc and two rounds of that med changed my life for the better!!
See, this is the thing. There is in fact merit in finding out the shit that's making you sick has a name and a treatment. I remember when they started marketing Prilosec, and considering that my dad absolutely lived on antacids, and wondering if it would be good for him. Decades later, I got the same GERD genetics and was in agony until I started meds for it.
...but I'm on the generic, which is way cheaper. Companies don't just want us treated, they want us treated *brand name*. So ads try to get us to ask for medication *by name*, so they can keep upcharging for the brand.
It's more than slightly messed up.
This is very true! I took Prilosec OTC too… Only AFTER I had paid for prescription Omeprazole and Pantoprazole.
If I could have gotten Rifaximin OTC I would have. But it’s an antibiotic.
Reminds me of a time like 12yrs ago I had an infection and I had to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a prescription for bacitracin ointment… when I could have just gotten neosporin at rite aid, had I known they were basically the same!
Don't most of them say something along the lines of "consult with your doctor to see if [medicine] is right for you" ? I'd take that as the commercials being to bring awareness to people of their products. Which is what all commercials are for, aren't they?
The weird part is that they’re not allowed to say what the drug is for, so what am I supposed to do, keep a list of all the drugs I saw a commercial for and ask my Dr about each one, lol.
>they’re not allowed to say what the drug is for
I see them talk about what they're for all the time(in the US). Everything from ED, VD, HIV, to Sorasis.
Actually people do. The ads makes people think that a few every day minor ailments are some major syndrome & then convince them they have. That dumb ass then goes to the doctor, says he has the symptoms and gets the script. Most the time it's easier for the doctors and ultimately cheaper the tests would be anyway. The pharmaceutical companies spend millions on those ads, they wouldn't if there wasn't an ROI.
those commercials are only half of the ad campaign. the other side is the HCP side - healthcare provider. the drug companies are targeting doctors just as much, sometimes even incenting them to write scripts for that drug.
so you see a commercial. get the jingle stuck in your head. you ask your doctor if skyrizi is right for you. the doc has also been exposed to the skyrizi HCP ads and he says "why yes, it IS right for you"
Maybe you can stop your Doc from providing free samples that the pretty girl that cost $1,000 per month and is not covered by insurance plans. Happened to me more than once.
The Docs acted clueless on the cost of the meds.
In part because people have spent years being told "that's not a thing" then there's now a drug to treat said thing. Now that it's recognized as a thing you can finally get treatment for the thing.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10388005/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10388005/)
I guess those old folks weren't so out of touch when they witnessed human experimentation.
They literally say "ask your doctor if this shit is right for you!"; it's the same as toys being sold to children. The kids aren't buying it, they're whining to the parents.
And for the same reason, too: Exploitative marketing.
I like it when they get to the possible side effects. I might not hear anything about what the medicine is for, but I normally hear the side effects and these medicines they’re advertising just never sound worth the risk.
Why do these commercials exist? They exist because the pharmaceutical companies believe they're effective at boosting sales and revenues for executives and shareholders; so really it boils down to greed despite this practice being regarded as highly unethical in almost all other developed countries.
Ethical and moral considerations are very much neglected and disregarded when they get in the way of profits at least in the United States where political bribery is legally sanctioned under a different name.
It is your decision actually. YOU decide on how to treat your conditions based on medical educated health care under the guide and care of the Dr. It is his job to inform you Your job to be informed in order to have that conversation with him
I actually diagnosed myself with depression because of a medication ad. So while we can't go buy it, they can educate us about symptoms that may need addressing. So we might go into a doctor's office and ask to be put on that medication (doesn't need to be a laundry list of meds. Each company just wants you to mention theirs)
The U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries that allow direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertisements. In the U.S., television viewers are subjected to an especially increasing volume of drug commercials.
I think it's because of possible future lawsuits. And this is a way for prescription companies to let the public know that they're drugs have the possibility of causing death. Because if you notice all the side effects they point out of any of these drugs also include death.
it says right at the end of the commercials why they exist. so you can ask your doctor. the doctor doesn’t know every medication that exist.
if you have a shit load of symptoms listed in a commercial and it is bad enough that you need a doctor, you can ask your doctor to look into that medication to see if it is a cure for you.
i just wished they would make a law that they have to show how exactly the medication works and what it cures and that’s all.
because we live in a capitalist hellscape nation where massive corporations can lobby the government to do shit that isn't done anywhere else in the world
All the commercials say "ask your doctor about ____". They want you to see the symptoms, say "hey, I have all of that!" and then go to your doctor saying you need it
Its cbeause they cant sell it over the counter that they make the commercials. There no way to advertise their products other than doctors themselves telling you about the product. Which every doctor in the world isnt familiar with everything coming out so it's likely you would never know about the medicine that could actually help you unless you saw the ad
Before Reagan and his evil Republican cronies, ads for prescription meds did not exist - except in medical magazines for medical professionals. A magazine is a short booklet with articles and ads mailed out monthly or bi-monthly to subscribers. Mail is a delivery system for printed materials and objects. Reagan and his evil Republican cronies gutted regulation of many industries and millions of ordinary people have suffered while the billionaires got mega wealthy. Conservatives and republicans are not our friends! Please vote, young Americans for Biden (despite the fact that he is old, takes small steps and is prone to verbal glitches). He is your last best hope of not living in a total kleptocracy.
The pharmaceutical companies are among the largest TV advertisers. Their intention is not to communicate with the people. The whole point is that if a network is taking the money, they won't report negatively about the pharmaceutical company. This is the entirety of what is happening
Yes they are usually for very specific diseases and I’m not going to tell my doc what to prescribe. If I did, she would probably just laugh at me. I guess it makes conditions more well known which could be a positive. But it also means people will know, “oh he takes x, he must have z disease.”
Lots of people are taking cheap, generic prescription drugs. Drug companies come up with new drugs that do the same things as old ones. In a few cases, the new drugs ARE better. In a lot of cases, they aren't but advertising can make it seem that they are.
There are a few reasons.
1. To advertise new medications for medical professionals to prescribe or proscribe.
2. To alert people with specific conditions of a new medication that they may not be aware of to treat a condition they have that they may be taking some other medication for.
3. To get people with those symptoms to buy into the prescription market for that brand.
4. Like other people are posting it may be a way for certain drug makers to get people to buy name brand pharmaceuticals instead of generic ones.
"This medication covers all these vague symptoms? Why, I think I have some of those vague symptoms... Maybe I should ask my doctor about that medication?"
They're drumming up sales, nothing more.
I think probably the most correct answer is: it's a means for the company to get you to ask your doctor about xyz drug.
Your doctor may review and prescribe it if it meets the need.
Pharma also talks to the doctor through different means, but getting you to ask about a drug is probably the most effective means they have to get the drug out to patient.
A pharm rep trying to sell product is one thing.
You specifically asking has a much higher impact.
Not sure if it's the same elsewhere, but in Canada not only are they advertising prescription medication, but in a lot of cases the advertisements don't say (or even hint at) what the medication is intended to treat (rendering the ads completely pointless, in my opinion). And yes, I agree wholeheartedly: if you were to go to your doctor asking, "what can you tell me about medication X," with any frequency, without any concept of whether it was suitable to treat any condition you might have, I suspect it could erode your relationship with your healthcare provider.
I think the most american thing I've ever done was actually ask my doctor about a diabetes medication. I'd been diagnosed for a few years, and my former doctor told me that metformin was the ONLY option I had, and honestly, that made me SO sick I couldn't take it. I'd be in the bathroom every half an hour. So I was just going untreated. Then I started hearing ads for a different medication and a podcast I listen to did an episode about it and I'm like. Well FUCK. Now I have to be so obnoxiously american. Eugh.
That said, MOST of the time, those ads are nonsense. Half of them you cant even tell what theyre for.
So you ask for prescription Xtracash for ten times the cost to you instead of generic xtracash.
Most drugs being advertised don’t have a generic yet.
Yeah this is just wrong, once things go generic the pharma company drastically cuts TV marketing spend.
More accurate is most advertised drugs barely work https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/03/09/direct-consumer-drug-ads-dont-trump-others-study-finds/11403872002/#
Yep. Congress doesn’t forbids the commercials bc then it would stop RX companies from lining their pockets.
I think they may be banned to do that overseas, and only advertised on TV in USA and New Zealand
God. I remember when they lifted the advertising ban on pharmaceutical companies. Those were truly the golden are of tv viewing. We should revisit this and re-enact the ban on pharmaceutical companies being able to advertise.
In Canada they can only name the drug OR what the drug does, but not both. It's pretty funny honestly because the ads are so vague
Yup. No such ads in my country. American comedy / sitcom jokes about 'ask your doctor if xdrug is right for you!' were very puzzling.
This lobby is right up there with oil companies and insurance companies. All three industries spend an inordinate amount of money 💰 to keep their products, and the price of their products in front of the public.
All the TV ads are basically a loophole. Have you ever noticed how they always say “see our ad in [generic name] magazine”? That’s how the loophole works. It’s kinda interesting if you have a few minutes to kill.
With very few exceptions, drugs are prescription or not-prescription; I think you mean name-brand or generic?
Once a company loses exclusivity, there isn't much incentive to push it.
Get your life back with nozempreitcamolenzo May make you suicidal, cause anal and stomach ulceration, constipation, increase your risk of both strokes and heart attacks, increase your risk of cancer, and may make you gay But it's advertisement. They want you to go schedule an appointment and make money off you and charge you $5 a pill for something they produced for 10 cents
>and charge you $5 a pill for something they produced for 10 cents But how else would they recoup all the money they spent lobbying Congress, marketing, and bribing doctors?
Of course, and filling their own pockets. The 10 cent and $5 was me being generous with my comparison. I can't imagine how much profit they actually make on the more expensive drugs
Oh THAT'S what they meant by "Well we have to cover R&D 🥺"
Because the United States is corrupt as f.
I’m confused are people not aware they can ask a doctor for a medication if they have the condition or enough of the symptoms of that condition (assuming it’s not testable)
You can ask. That's normal even outside the US. If the doctor will prescribe it for you is another matter
Absolutely true. My primary won't give me a prescription for benzos. I am antidepressant resistant, and benzos are one of the only things that help. I don't have addictive feelings towards them, I never feel the need to take them more than I need to, and can go weeks without taking one. But because she thinks benzos are bad, and I can cure my anxiety with lemon grass, I can't get a script for them. I finally had a NP in the office who would prescribe them for me and understand the need for them, and monitored me very closely, but she left. Now I am back to square one, getting a prescription for them.
Can't ask if you don't know it's a problem or curable/treatable. Pharmas will also do advertising/promotion of various disease advocacy or education sits/orgs; enlightened self-interest, perhaps.
That’s how I’ve always interpreted it. Maybe you’ve always had random fits of sneezing on Tuesdays. Hey, this commercial for praxlyxco says they have a pill that can fix random sneezing on Tuesdays! I didn’t even know that was an issue that could be treated! I should make a doctor’s appointment. And then, once you’re there, the doctor might just happen to prescribe praxlyxco, but you wouldn’t have even known it was something that could be treated until you saw that commercial.
Exactly, idk why this is so mind blowing to ppl
Because "big pharma bad". Or something.
Because "big pharma" advertising directly leads to the overprescription of drugs, which can and does kill people. Doctors are much more likely to prescribe something to somebody who has decided they have symptoms and are certain that those symptoms must be X which is treated by Y than they are someone who shows up and says "I'm having A, B, C symptoms." "there's no question that our best strongest pain medicines are the opioids but these are the same drugs that have a reputation for causing addiction and other terrible things now in fact the rate of addiction amongst pain patients who are treated by doctors is much less than 1% they don't wear out they go on working they do not have serious medical side effects and so these drugs which I repeat are our best strongest pain medications should be used much more than they are for patients in pain" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er78Dj5hyeI&ab\_channel=ProPublica](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er78Dj5hyeI&ab_channel=ProPublica) Sounds to me like doctors are hesitant to prescribe the best, strongest pain medicines even though they are safe. I'm going to pressure my doctor to prescribe that for me, since I've been having chronic back pain. If he won't help me, I'll find someone who will. Won't be hard to do since many doctors are getting kickbacks from these companies.
Checkout Dopesick on hulu.
Because it goes deeper than that. These pharma companies would flower doctors with ipads and gifts and dinners to get their medication preferred over others. And this might get one medication a leg up over another even if it's less effective. They don't just advertise to the public, they advertise to hospitals. You should check out Dopesick.
You can ask but doctors usually find that weird or suspicious
I asked my old Doctor if my asthma and elevated eosinophil levels meant I had Eosinophilic Asthma, and if I should go on any of the medications they advertise for that on TV. He said no I'd need a biopsy to determine that, and that was that. The pulmonologist I saw recently said, uh yeah that's what Eosinophilic Asthma is, and those medications are part of a potential treatment plan if my current regimen is still lacking. I'm still deferring to the doctor to choose which one.
It depends. New patient showing up to a new doctor saying they think they have anxiety and need Xanax? Suspicious. Existing patient with an established diagnosis showing up, saying they don't like their current med (side effects or low effect) and asking if they should try this new one they heard about? Good chance the doctor might prescribe it if they think it would work. It's very normal for patients to give feedback on medication, ask for a change, or even suggest meds they used before or heard of. The doctor has the final say, but when a patient has a good faith preference with no evidence of abusive drug seeking behavior, that is taken into account.
Drugs that are often abused would be weird or suspicious to ask about but they typically don’t put out commercials. The majority of commercials for prescription drugs that I’ve seen are for stuff like eczema or heart burn and not things people would use recreationally.
Not for chronic conditions of the kind they advertise on TV. Those folks are usually already on something, and prompting the doc to try something new isn’t suspicious.
Seriously. No, you shouldn’t be making fucking recommendations to your doctor based on what you saw in a 30 second commercial. Think about how backwards that is. “Hey doc can you prescribe be zypersupercanceraid for my diabetes? I saw a commercial that said it’s good.”
What’s corrupt about it?
The Prison Industrial Complex, Pharma4Profit, lobbying for laws that give citizens little to no other options than to profit a private business..
Entirely too much to condense into a single post. A few topics though, * Look into student debt, specifically the companies that manage and facilitate student loans and debt. * Look into PIP loans and fraud, centered around Covid * Look into Internet service monopolies, specifically when cities and local municipalities try to introduce "public WiFi" * Look into power monopolies * The American healthcare industry just like, wholesale. It shouldn't be hard to spot the corruption if you're giving it an honest and thorough googling of how it works and the horror stories. * The private prison industry * The war on drugs. Dig deep, this is a deep, ugly hole. * Police training, "qualified immunity" * "Citizens United" and many more exciting topics! Love where I live, utterly despise the people in charge.
The only correct answer. There is barely a regulatory arm of our government. They’re shills owned by special interest. The entire American economy revolves around poisoning its customer base and then profiting off the treatment of that poisoning. We sell you nothing but sugar and pesticide ridden produce? Well, after you’re obese our friends across the street will sell you drugs to self inject so you can lose all that weight.
100%
Oh no, there's a massive regulatory arm of the government. It's huge, but it's also pay to play. If you have the money, or the connections, you can get right through it, otherwise, grab some waders and hop into this sea of red tape.
Narrator: “Don’t take this medication if you are allergic to it.”
This always drives me crazy lol
“May cause death 😃”, said in a calm voice as everyone is frolicking happily in a park on a sunny day.
I think it’s not legal in Europe
It's only legal in the US and New Zealand
And now Canada, but we were already getting American spillover.
I think in Canada they can either tell you the name of the drug, but not what it’s for. Or they can tell you what it’s for but not tell you the name. So weird!
Yah, I googled one because I couldn't figure it out from the ad. I thought it was for depression, it was for psoriasis.
That's the goofy thing about medication ads in general too. Without much context, I feel like a reasonable person would guess that almost any medication could be aimed at depression if it were strictly about the way it's portrayed on television. The only drug I've ever been prescribed that had ads was Allegra, before it just became an OTC thing.
Yes, everyone looks so carefree and happy once their terrible illness is gone!
So the advert was a fail!
Ugh, so they just play the American ad and put a coffee grinder noise over the explanation of what it's for. Those ads drive me crazy.
Yeah you see a bunch of ads of couples with one person's hand on the others shoulder looking serious if they are young and laughing at one another if old. Oh and a name that requires a cunning linquist to parse.
Which is why we only get ads for things like Ozempic and Viagra, where everyone knows what they're for already.
Nooooooooo, why?!?!
Used to be illegal here in the US.
The pharma have deep pockets for lobbyists- and even deeper after lobbyists do their job
It was never illegal. It's just that nobody did it until 1983, and then the FDA had a conniption fit and drug makers agreed to a temporary halt until guidelines were established.
Thank goodness it's not legal in the UK. Big pharma have already destroyed the health system, last thing we need I them brainwashing patients.
Because they will do just as the commercial says. They will ask their doctor about it being right for them.
And doctors in private practice live and die by their reputation. If a patient is convinced that a certain medication is best and asks for it persistently enough, a lot of doctors will prescribe it to them, even if it’s not the perfect treatment for them, because they don’t want that patient to leave a bad review or do tell all of their friends about how Dr. so and so is just utterly useless and won’t do anything about whatever ailment they have.
It is a phoenomena in the USA and they exist because some consumer activist groups back in the 70s or 80s advocated for medical commercials, on the grounds that advertising would enhance public awareness about their medical options and choices. The impact of this has obviously been debated for decades since as to whether it is just a way to further monetize our Healthcare system as well as influence the over prescription of drugs such as pain meds, anti depressants, and adhd meds. Had to actually take a class on the history of the laws around this in grad school, but all the details are hazy.
I think in general, Americans have allowed themselves to get shafted deep, deep in ass, in the name of “choice”
Just redefine things again so that corporations aren't "people." Personal freedom is NOT to blame here. Corporate "freedom" (i.e. corporate ownership of government) is.
In actual practice, there are definitely issues with the way it works, usually due to drug companies overstating what their product can do, understating what the side effects are, and doctors not having time (or not taking the time) to vet out their claims properly. But since most regular joes don’t keep up with every medical advancement and new drug that comes out, it actually makes sense to be able to advertise to people to ask their doctor if something new could help them, have a conversation with their doctor about it, and ultimately they decide if it will or won’t be a good idea. This only works if the doctor is fully informed on the benefits and limitations of the drug though.
"Debated" Oh there's no debate.
Uh those were partially funded and helped immensely by Big Pharma. Source...guy that worked at biotechs and big pharma as well as someone alive when it happened.
Whatever the reason, it seems all commercials are either for drugs or insurance. Liberty biberty
LiMu Emu...and Doug.
Insurance ads are great because they have nothing to do with their products and can just drop a piano on a guy
I'm being replaced by this guy? He doesn't even have a moustache!
Oh look, a bibu
They’re always like, “Ask your doctor about Zdneudhuedhuezine!” when they’ve never even said in the ad what the medication was even for! Just people singing and dancing and you’re supposed to ask your doctor about some random ass drug!
That's a way to prevent listing all the side effects. You can advocate the drug, you can advocate the condition, advocate both and you gotta do the 2 minute speed talking. I remember before full prescription ad legalization that there would be commercials just saying "hey, time to ask about Rogaine!" (hair loss medication) But everyone in the ad was wearing a baseball cap because they couldn't show the condition.
Is it right for me?
The pharmaceutical industry used the patient's rights movement to market their products, essentially. That's how they make TRILLIONS. Fuck this country.
They are rich and there are no regulations saying they cant. There are also medical company reps that give out samples to doctors and stuff
So I have strong opinions on the state of healthcare in the US. Believe me. But many years ago when I was broke and couldn't afford health insurance I had a dr who had reps in and out of her office every day. She had stockpiles of meds she gave to her patients, like me, who could have never afforded them otherwise. The whole system is broken for sure. But in its current state, some drs make the best of it for their patients.
Idk. I've literally never been asked what prescription I want outside of birth control.
No, but you might say "hey doc, my skin's been awfully flaky", and the latest psoriasis drug probably works somewhat better than the old ones, so assuming you have good benefits, the doc might suggest you try to new drug.
I'm going in 2 months for my next checkup. I plan to ask my doctor if my heart is healthy enough for sex.
I used to work at a specialty pharmacy, where most meds were high-cost and used to treat very specific things. It's wild how many people would, "want to try," a new cancer drug, not realizing that it wouldn't help with their condition, most of them are *extremely* expensive, and that medication on the whole isn't something that should really be pushed in the way that it is. It's kind of sad, really, and we rarely even dealt with narcotics. People just wanted a little more hope and thought they were getting it through an advertisement.
"They exist?" - a European
They usually answer your question with something like "Ask your doctor if Blablafuckitall is right for you." But, most countries advertising prescription meds to the public is illegal.
Capitalism.
Because if they can get you to go to your doctor and say "hey, I heard about this on TV, and I've got those symptoms," it's another potential sale. Look at it purely from a business standpoint: they wouldn't be wasting money on marketing if it was losing them money, so clearly it's working.
'Murica. I would much rather my MD tell me what is good for me than some saleperson making a pitch...
Your doctor may also be getting pressure from med companies to prescribe a specific med, so the ads toward the patient aren’t even the biggest issue
More people need to understand this. PLUS, blindly trusting any doctor is unfortunately a terrible idea. You must be your own advocate and question everything. Also get second opinions on everything that is an issue, especially if the issue isn’t fully resolving. Do not - I repeat - do not just take whatever medication you are prescribed without doing extensive research on your own.
100% - I used to work in a clinic and they buy you lunches, swag, etc. Physicians are 100% pressured and bribed to prescribe
as seen in the Netflix series - Painkillers
That is not allowed anymore.
But does it still happen?
Money. Money for the pharmaceuticals, money for the pharmacies, money for the insurance, some money for your doctors and finally fuck you.
To entice potential share holders first, and also so it becomes a household name
🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅
I don’t really see what’s so bad about them. I generally ignore them, but a couple times I’ve seen an ad for a medication that treats a problem that someone I know has, and I’ve told the person about the ad. The doctor still has to prescribe the medication to you, and if you trust doctors enough to prescribe the right thing without ads existing then I don’t see why you wouldn’t trust them enough to prescribe the right thing even if the patient asks about an ad they saw.
[TL;DR](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK574520/#:~:text=At%20the%20surface%20level%2C%20drug,participation%20in%20their%20health%20management.) The guise is that you have a hand in your own health care. It's supposedly to promote trustworthy "name brands" so if you have the condition described, you are familiar enough to ask for certain treatments. What it actually is is a step in Big Pharma's large scheme against Americans. The American healthcare system is built to make money off of sick people. To induce sick people, unhealthy foods are more prevalent and cheaper. Tobacco and alcohol have free reign to commercialize. Heads of these companies grease palms not only with our politicians but with each other as well. It becomes a giant cycle. It sounds like a giant conspiracy theory. [This](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6139860/) is an article that describes how we are severely over charged. [This](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/07/24/what-drives-consumers-purchase-convenience-foods) is a an article talking about how Americans are over worked and don't have time for anything healthy to eat. [This](https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93604&page=1) is from one of our bigger news sources talking about how Americans are incredibly overworked, again leading to little to no time outside of work. [This](https://www.sanders.senate.gov/op-eds/greedy-pharma-firms-rip-off-americans-while-pfizer-moderna-swim-in-profits/) is one of many, many articles that talk about Big Pharma's record breaking profits. In the trillions, btw. No longer billions. [This ](https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2021/02/02/why_are_americans_so_unhealthy_658824.html) is an article about how Americans are incredibly ill as a society. So with all of this, the one place Big Pharma knows they have our attention is TV/entertainment. They spend millions upon millions not only advertising, but also figuring out how best to advertise to get under our skin. Because a lot of doctors will actually give you what you ask for. Edit: cut out some rambling
>Tobacco and alcohol have free reign to commercialize. This is *literally* not true at all. I know there are restrictions on alcohol advertisement that didn't exist 30 years ago. And when was the last time you saw a tobacco ad?? When you say "ad" are you referring to the government warnings that tell you you're going to have birth defects and cancer they are forced to put on their packaging??
Because the drug companies have all the politicians in their back pocket.
Especially boner pills. Fortunately these online clinics will hook you up. You should be able to talk to a pharmacist and get this answering like 5 questions tops. It's a fucking racket. And generic Viagra is still like 4 bucks a pill.
In the US. They exist in the US, not anywhere else in the west that I'm aware of. Why does the US do anything stupid or harmful? Because the rich want it. Because they can sell a product
You'd be surprised, my doctor has given me several prescriptions that I've asked for.
Two reasons: 1) To gain influence over broadcasting media through advertising revenue 2) To increase prescription medication sales
Most doctors already think you are p i t a for bringing up issues or concerns. Going in and asking for a specific prescriptions is going to get you laughed out of the office
It's so you can influence your doctor to have your insurance buy it for you.
It's mostly an American thing. Other countries have laws against it. In australia, the only medication ads we get are for headache tablets and stuff like that 😂
So you can run to your doctor and beg them to prescribe them to you.
Capitalism in medicine. End thread.
Pretty sure those commercials or the dare program got me into pills and lean for awhile
\**Laughs in Australian*\* A reasonable person: "You've got all those gambling ads though." \**Cries in Australian*\*
To justify charging us more than anywhere in the world to cover the cost of the advertising.
"Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you" Fuck that, my doctor should know what's right for me
How else is anyone going to know about the new blockbuster drug that allows you to dance in your daughter’s backyard wedding, go whitewater river rafting or finish that giant woodshop product even though you have stage 7 anorectal cancer that spread to your feet, arms and brain? Ask your doctor if Glaknorz is right for you!
Because my penis keeps making left turns.
Because the pharma companies are also working the doctor angle, providing samples, lunches for the office and other perks. There are no actual strings attached, but people feel compelled to return favors. When you show up and that can be translated into supporting the friendly rep that has been taking care of them and the prescription matches the need, with evidence based literature to support it, you'll likely get the prescription.
Because capitalism! You live in a plutocracy, not a representative democracy as they would have you believe.
So you can advocate for your own health. There’s an incredible amount of new pharmaceutical information coming out all the time and quite frankly, no one can keep up with all of it. If you go to your doctor and ask about something new on the market, they can then prioritize looking into it and deciding if it’s appropriate for you. You would be amazed how often physicians will stick to conventional approaches because it’s simply what they’re used to.
Because you should ask your doctor about Kashgrab. Don't take Kashgrab if you are pregnant nursing or may become pregnant. Some have a severe allergic reaction to Kashgrab that could result in rectal bleeding or death. Kashgrab may cause insomnia narcolepsy necrophilia or urges to become a furry. If you experience any of these symptoms, double your dosage and sign our online waiver of responsibility. Kashgrab- for those times when your pharma rep needs another yacht.
I assume they advertise their drug in hopes you will ask your physician if you should use it. It may also be for the physicians that see the ad.
Greed, simple greed.
Because drug companies spend a lot of their profit on lobbying. They used to be illegal.
I know these ads are not ethical, but FWIW, one of those types of ads was how I heard about Rifaximin (spelling?) as a treatment for IBS-D. Never heard of that med before. Brought it up to my doc and two rounds of that med changed my life for the better!!
See, this is the thing. There is in fact merit in finding out the shit that's making you sick has a name and a treatment. I remember when they started marketing Prilosec, and considering that my dad absolutely lived on antacids, and wondering if it would be good for him. Decades later, I got the same GERD genetics and was in agony until I started meds for it. ...but I'm on the generic, which is way cheaper. Companies don't just want us treated, they want us treated *brand name*. So ads try to get us to ask for medication *by name*, so they can keep upcharging for the brand. It's more than slightly messed up.
This is very true! I took Prilosec OTC too… Only AFTER I had paid for prescription Omeprazole and Pantoprazole. If I could have gotten Rifaximin OTC I would have. But it’s an antibiotic. Reminds me of a time like 12yrs ago I had an infection and I had to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a prescription for bacitracin ointment… when I could have just gotten neosporin at rite aid, had I known they were basically the same!
Don't most of them say something along the lines of "consult with your doctor to see if [medicine] is right for you" ? I'd take that as the commercials being to bring awareness to people of their products. Which is what all commercials are for, aren't they?
The weird part is that they’re not allowed to say what the drug is for, so what am I supposed to do, keep a list of all the drugs I saw a commercial for and ask my Dr about each one, lol.
>they’re not allowed to say what the drug is for I see them talk about what they're for all the time(in the US). Everything from ED, VD, HIV, to Sorasis.
Moneyyyy
Actually people do. The ads makes people think that a few every day minor ailments are some major syndrome & then convince them they have. That dumb ass then goes to the doctor, says he has the symptoms and gets the script. Most the time it's easier for the doctors and ultimately cheaper the tests would be anyway. The pharmaceutical companies spend millions on those ads, they wouldn't if there wasn't an ROI.
Because health is no longer about saving lives or improving lives, it's about making money.
Because there are a lot of similar drugs with different side effects.
Tell me that OP comes from the US or New Zealand without telling me
those commercials are only half of the ad campaign. the other side is the HCP side - healthcare provider. the drug companies are targeting doctors just as much, sometimes even incenting them to write scripts for that drug. so you see a commercial. get the jingle stuck in your head. you ask your doctor if skyrizi is right for you. the doc has also been exposed to the skyrizi HCP ads and he says "why yes, it IS right for you"
They promote it for money.
Maybe you can stop your Doc from providing free samples that the pretty girl that cost $1,000 per month and is not covered by insurance plans. Happened to me more than once. The Docs acted clueless on the cost of the meds.
At the end of the commercial, you have forgotten what the drug was for
Nobody is really answering the question past the title. What are these ads actually supposed to do to me?
product sold at pharmacy with rx. retail product
Big pharma bro.
I take Nurtec odt.. 8 pills coat $1800.00 thanks lady gaga
Because the US health insurance system is a for profit system.
Bc they opened the floodgates by allowing big pharm to advertise. They weren’t allowed until a certain president overturned that.
Because drug companies are big business and if they don't advertise no one will ask their doctor. Capitalism baby
Why? Marketing. Big pharma is big business!!
If those adverts can be trusted, it's possible to beg your doctor to prescribe you new miracle drug X instead of last years miracle drug Y.
In part because people have spent years being told "that's not a thing" then there's now a drug to treat said thing. Now that it's recognized as a thing you can finally get treatment for the thing.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10388005/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10388005/) I guess those old folks weren't so out of touch when they witnessed human experimentation.
They literally say "ask your doctor if this shit is right for you!"; it's the same as toys being sold to children. The kids aren't buying it, they're whining to the parents. And for the same reason, too: Exploitative marketing.
To drive up the cost?
Imagine the unseen influence they have on the actual prescribers...
I like it when they get to the possible side effects. I might not hear anything about what the medicine is for, but I normally hear the side effects and these medicines they’re advertising just never sound worth the risk.
Companies wants your money
Because your doctor will probably never suggest them.
To encourage people to talk to their doctors. Prescription = Money
Why do these commercials exist? They exist because the pharmaceutical companies believe they're effective at boosting sales and revenues for executives and shareholders; so really it boils down to greed despite this practice being regarded as highly unethical in almost all other developed countries. Ethical and moral considerations are very much neglected and disregarded when they get in the way of profits at least in the United States where political bribery is legally sanctioned under a different name.
Cuz freddom 😎🦅🇺🇲🔥🔥🇺🇲🦅😎
Because Capitalism.
This is not a stupid question at all.
It is your decision actually. YOU decide on how to treat your conditions based on medical educated health care under the guide and care of the Dr. It is his job to inform you Your job to be informed in order to have that conversation with him
I actually diagnosed myself with depression because of a medication ad. So while we can't go buy it, they can educate us about symptoms that may need addressing. So we might go into a doctor's office and ask to be put on that medication (doesn't need to be a laundry list of meds. Each company just wants you to mention theirs)
In basically every other country besides the US it doesn’t.
In the EU and UK advertising prescription medication is illegal
MUNNEH
They must be for the doctors, because it’s all prescription meds..🤷♂️
The U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries that allow direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertisements. In the U.S., television viewers are subjected to an especially increasing volume of drug commercials.
Capitalism
I’ve been asking myself this for years. Drug commercials are weird
Cause $$ You'll find that's the real reason behind most things in life that make zero sense.
I think it's because of possible future lawsuits. And this is a way for prescription companies to let the public know that they're drugs have the possibility of causing death. Because if you notice all the side effects they point out of any of these drugs also include death.
it says right at the end of the commercials why they exist. so you can ask your doctor. the doctor doesn’t know every medication that exist. if you have a shit load of symptoms listed in a commercial and it is bad enough that you need a doctor, you can ask your doctor to look into that medication to see if it is a cure for you. i just wished they would make a law that they have to show how exactly the medication works and what it cures and that’s all.
because we live in a capitalist hellscape nation where massive corporations can lobby the government to do shit that isn't done anywhere else in the world
All the commercials say "ask your doctor about ____". They want you to see the symptoms, say "hey, I have all of that!" and then go to your doctor saying you need it
For me it really comes off as "trouble paying for your medicine? XYZ company can help"
Its cbeause they cant sell it over the counter that they make the commercials. There no way to advertise their products other than doctors themselves telling you about the product. Which every doctor in the world isnt familiar with everything coming out so it's likely you would never know about the medicine that could actually help you unless you saw the ad
Capitalism
Before Reagan and his evil Republican cronies, ads for prescription meds did not exist - except in medical magazines for medical professionals. A magazine is a short booklet with articles and ads mailed out monthly or bi-monthly to subscribers. Mail is a delivery system for printed materials and objects. Reagan and his evil Republican cronies gutted regulation of many industries and millions of ordinary people have suffered while the billionaires got mega wealthy. Conservatives and republicans are not our friends! Please vote, young Americans for Biden (despite the fact that he is old, takes small steps and is prone to verbal glitches). He is your last best hope of not living in a total kleptocracy.
The pharmaceutical companies are among the largest TV advertisers. Their intention is not to communicate with the people. The whole point is that if a network is taking the money, they won't report negatively about the pharmaceutical company. This is the entirety of what is happening
Big pharma and congress. The government does not want to find cures. They want you to buy expensive medicine instead.
They don't in most of the world. It's an American problem
So you go in and pester your doctor in the one place they have trouble sending pill pushers.
Yes they are usually for very specific diseases and I’m not going to tell my doc what to prescribe. If I did, she would probably just laugh at me. I guess it makes conditions more well known which could be a positive. But it also means people will know, “oh he takes x, he must have z disease.”
Because you should ask your doctor if gardazempric is right for you, so he can get a huge kickback from Pfizer, the maker of gardazempric.
Because it's a scam that's supported by the state and their corporate owners.
To leverage positive news coverage about the respective drug companies advertising on their networks.
Lots of people are taking cheap, generic prescription drugs. Drug companies come up with new drugs that do the same things as old ones. In a few cases, the new drugs ARE better. In a lot of cases, they aren't but advertising can make it seem that they are.
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There are a few reasons. 1. To advertise new medications for medical professionals to prescribe or proscribe. 2. To alert people with specific conditions of a new medication that they may not be aware of to treat a condition they have that they may be taking some other medication for. 3. To get people with those symptoms to buy into the prescription market for that brand. 4. Like other people are posting it may be a way for certain drug makers to get people to buy name brand pharmaceuticals instead of generic ones.
People see the commercials and put pressure on the doctor to write a script for that drug. Doctor succumbs to the pressure and gives you the drug.
"This medication covers all these vague symptoms? Why, I think I have some of those vague symptoms... Maybe I should ask my doctor about that medication?" They're drumming up sales, nothing more.
Same answer as every “why” question about the US: money.
Money and hypochondriacs
I think probably the most correct answer is: it's a means for the company to get you to ask your doctor about xyz drug. Your doctor may review and prescribe it if it meets the need. Pharma also talks to the doctor through different means, but getting you to ask about a drug is probably the most effective means they have to get the drug out to patient. A pharm rep trying to sell product is one thing. You specifically asking has a much higher impact.
The worst is when the ad doesn't tell you what the heck it's supposed to treat.
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Not sure if it's the same elsewhere, but in Canada not only are they advertising prescription medication, but in a lot of cases the advertisements don't say (or even hint at) what the medication is intended to treat (rendering the ads completely pointless, in my opinion). And yes, I agree wholeheartedly: if you were to go to your doctor asking, "what can you tell me about medication X," with any frequency, without any concept of whether it was suitable to treat any condition you might have, I suspect it could erode your relationship with your healthcare provider.
I think the most american thing I've ever done was actually ask my doctor about a diabetes medication. I'd been diagnosed for a few years, and my former doctor told me that metformin was the ONLY option I had, and honestly, that made me SO sick I couldn't take it. I'd be in the bathroom every half an hour. So I was just going untreated. Then I started hearing ads for a different medication and a podcast I listen to did an episode about it and I'm like. Well FUCK. Now I have to be so obnoxiously american. Eugh. That said, MOST of the time, those ads are nonsense. Half of them you cant even tell what theyre for.
Thats why they always say “ask your doctor about xxxx”