advertise medicines and state 'possible' side effects that seem worst than the conditions themselves? I understand if one is considering these options are to check with their physician but I couldn't see myself even wanting to consider meds like this knowing of the possible side effects. What are your thoughts?
There is one that I hear on television that is intended to treat acne, I think, and the warning blurb at the end of the commercial talks about the risk of kidney failure and a bunch of other stuff, including sudden death, that may occur as a side effect of the medication.
I think people should use common sense and realize that just because the Doctor gives you a prescription does not mean you have to take it. If you are aware that there maybe adverse side effects for medication then you can choose. If you are not aware and the doctors here take this and you depend on the doctor to give you the correct information you may find yourself in trouble. I think the commericals gives a person the ability to make an informed decision.
In some countries it's a legal requirement for pharmaceutical companies to include a list off possible side effects, but they also do it to avoid being sued. If they are forewarned, patients can't sue the manufacturer for developing a condition as a result of taking the medication. I also think it's a good thing if it puts people off taking any medication that they might not need. I'm a big believer in natural remedies and I have never taken any prescription drugs and I don't buy want to buy over-the-counter medication without being aware of the possible consequences.
I think it's good they warn people, even if most people tend to ignore the side effects. Maybe they won't take unnecessary medicine so flippantly I, myself, don't take over the counter medicine as I don't believe in taking unnecessary medicine - I think it can cause more harm than good, and I can just deal with pain instead of taking painkillers and other over the counter medicine. Though I don't read the side effects on the medicine the doctor gives me. It's usually best to take it eitherway and reading the side effects just makes me worry when the possibility of getting them is low. Focusing on them might even make you more likely to get them, due to the power of belief. If you keep thinking about getting terrible side-effects, I think you'll be more likely to get them.
I've noticed that conditions we used to take with a grain of salt, are now considered medication-worthy. For instance, acne, short eyelashes, decreased sex drive, and the like, are marketed as abnormal, when in fact, they are sometimes normal phases of life. In my opinion, it's not worth it to die, rather than having acne, no matter how unattractive and embarrassing it is, and there's no way I would take a medication that could possibly change my eye color. There's one particular ad that comes to mind, of a man over 70, professing how he would never stop taking testosterone increasing medication, regardless of whether it killed him. I don't remember the exact wording, but that is basically what he says. It may have been an infomercial, not a short ad, but I found myself thinking back to my grandparents and parents, and being thankful that I wasn't raised by someone like him.
@Diane Lane I hear you and agree! The bottom line is it is a commercial that is intended to sell something. In this case a magical concoction that will take away the ills that you are experiencing, hopefully without killing you. I know that the times have changed and that we have done so much with technology and modern medicine. I find though, as I am growing older I am getting more and more so I do not like or want to use some of these new found "things" I use this reasoning to myself- people have survived for hundreds of years without some of this stuff. There is much truth that people did not life as long, and suffered from some things you do not have to suffer from anymore. I tend to be more holistic and natural in my approach to life. There are no magic pills that will make it all perfect. Maybe I have gone senile but seriously some of the stuff that is on the market you could not pay me to eat or want to take. I recall in the 60's my dad ranting about frozen TV dinners, back then I thought dad was nuts, today I get it.
Oh yes, I love these commercials, there your are listening to the advantages of a new drug on the market. Then the commerical takes a dark turn and suddenly you are hearing all about the side effects. Some of which are pretty serious, and have you wondering if you want to go anywhere near that drug in the future. I know the FDA requires that this be done when advertising a drug and some would say that a good portion of these side effects don't happen. But I have seen these drug commercials lead to anohter commerical the one where you have someone talking about how the side effects caused serious issues for individuals and how those who took the drug can now take legal action.
The drug companies want to make as much money as possible so they go straight to the consumer and tell the consumer to tell his doctor that he needs this. All FDA approved drugs all have one side effect that is death. The pharmaceutical industry is a for money industry the problem is the consumer dose not know that and they think they are here to help. They have became so big that government is afraid of them and the science that speak out are killed or discredited.
Have you seen the ones on Xarelto? The blood thinner for Afib. I take it and have for some time. If I listened to all the warnings, I would be a nervous wreck.
I take Xarelto for my heart, too, Dave. I had a-fib for many years, and it caused congestive heart failure. By last summer, my heart was down to 23%EF; so they did an operation on the heart which totally stopped the a-fib. The heart has also improved, and is now at between 40-45% EF, which is much better. They are keeping me on the blood thinner for a few more months, but the doctor said that he will take me off of it, if there are no symptoms of a-fib, after one year from the procedure. I had a lot of fears of having the procedure done; but it has helped a lot, and was well worth having done. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/12/huntsville_hospital_first_in_s.html As far as the comercials, it does seem like many of them make the side effects sound worse than the medicine is. In some cases that may be true. But when you consider they have to include every symptom that any one had (actually related or not) then it is easy to see why the commercials are so scary.
The thing is, all medications have these horrible possible side effects, even things like cough syrup and aspirin. I think we, especially in the US, think that taking medications is safe, as long as the doctor has prescribed it. And for most of us, they are. The side effects that they tell you about in the those commercials are so rare, but they are legally obligated to tell you about them. I think the law says that if you say what condition the medication treats you have to disclose the side effects. It is an eye-opener though, and I think it's a good thing - it makes people aware that popping a pill for every little complaint may not be a good thing.