Drug Commercials

Discussion in 'Health & Wellness' started by Ken Anderson, Jun 10, 2018.

  1. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    Not wanting to hijack the Humira Commercials thread with something having to do with other drug commercials, I am starting this thread because, while the Humira commercials didn't register with me, the only thing I like about drug commercials is making fun of them from time to time.

    Commercials for allergy medications show people in a field of wildflowers, sniffing weeds, and I am thinking that if I have an allergy that is bad enough that I have to be medicated for it, should I be sniffing a field of wildflowers? With or without the medication, should I be doing that? Isn't that a bit like placing your hand on a hot burner because you've taken enough pain relievers to dull the pain sensations?

    Pretty much every drug commercial shows happy, healthy people, having the times of their lives, and I guess we're supposed to wish that we were taking that medication too, because windsurfing looks like fun, or we'd like to be young enough to climb mountains.

    Then there are the commercials for drugs that are intended to cure rather minor inconveniences, such as acne, that end with warnings that it has been known to cause kidney failure, liver failure, and sudden death. Really? Is acne such a dire problem that you're going to risk all that?

    I have asked doctors about drug ads before and they pretty much all hate them because they are pressured by patients to prescribe the medications that advertise on television, and if they don't do it, the patient will keep doctor shopping until they find someone who will.
     
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  2. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    And so many of the people depicted on the other drug commercials supposedly show people with "moderate to severe" whatever disease. Believe me, I have seen people with "moderate to severe" diseases of that kind, and they don't look like that even under treatment. The various treatments make them less miserable, but rarely happy.
     
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  3. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Ken Anderson
    Ploy of psychological suggestion used by the bean-counters who control the funds spent on advertising. Exact same scene inside gambling casinos, every player is laughing and happily excited. Reality: go look in a cassino.....most folks are pretty much scowling most of the time.
    Frank
     
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