Vent: Prescription drug ads

[KristaTX]

I see the good and the bad about it. I do think there should probably be some spending or time limits per product at least.

The odd thing to me is that drug companies can seemingly advertise all they want on TV, which I'm costs thousands to millions depending on the time period. They can come into our office (and tell us all about their products), take us to nice dinners (and tell us about their products), and bring us lunch (and discuss their products again). But they are no longer allowed to distribute notepads, health-related informational posters, ink pens, or other simple things with the product name on it to doctors offices or even at medical conventions. That seemed like a minor and relatively inexpensive form of advertising, and I don't think most doctors were necessarily hugely swayed to prescribe a medication because of the pen they were holding in their hand. I guess someone determined that it had a subliminal effect. Commercials don't do that, do they?

 

[lsyorke]

Who are we to tell the drug companies what THEIR money should be better spent on. It their money. Obviously they feel that they get a bang for their buck by advertising.
Secondly, while patients shouldn't be telling their doctor what to order, asking about a specific drug; say one for depression, anxiety, GIRD, and yes, even ED, opens a dialog between the patient and physician. Perhaps the patient isn't comfortable saying, "I feel anxious, I feel depressed" but may feel more comfortable saying, "I saw an ad for this particular drug, and I think that it might help me, what do you think".
ED commercials should be after the "family hour", if there is one anymore. Personally, I don't want to see the government get involved in ONE MORE THING. I will put up with the inconvenience of drug ads instead.

Hmmm, no I believe that would be OUR money that is paying for the ad. The rule of thumb in this house....if there's a commercial for it, you don't need it.

 

[Octoberbride03]

It's becoming pretty disturbing lately, how many ads are on constantly advertising for prescription medications....the kind consumers CAN'T buy anyway without a doctor's recommendation.

How many times do I have to listen to the possible side effects of these things? nausea, dizziness, breast swelling eek, diarrhea, liver damage, possible death, notify your doctor immediately if.......and you hear this all the time...

Thoughts?

I always love Jeff Foxworthy's take on these commercials and the rundown of the possible side effects. "No thanks, I'll just die"

That about sums it up for me.

 

[anniemae]

We were discussing this a bit on the irritating commercials thread.

There is an ad for a sleeping pill, I think it's Lunesta and one of the side effects is, "sleep walking or driving with no memory of the event."

I almost fell off the couch when I heard that. How can this drug be legal if this is even a slight possibility?

I agree that the side effects are worse than the problem they are treating.

 

[MrsPete]

I forget how the conversation started, but my doctor said that he is getting LOADS OF PEOPLE coming in asking specifically for Drug X . . . because they saw it on TV and have convinced themselves that they need it. He says it's a very bad thing because sometimes that particular drug isn't "right" for that person's needs, but some people become CONVINCED that it's their only option. He's a little slow to prescribe anything, which is something I like about him.

 

[Octoberbride03]

We were discussing this a bit on the irritating commercials thread.

There is an ad for a sleeping pill, I think it's Lunesta and one of the side effects is, "sleep walking or driving with no memory of the event."

I almost fell off the couch when I heard that. How can this drug be legal if this is even a slight possibility?

I agree that the side effects are worse than the problem they are treating.

Not to be political but I know exactly where that came from. 1 of the Kennedys got arrested for DUI a couple yrs back and his defense was that he'd been taking the sleeping meds and had no idea he went for a spin He added it to a nightcap if memory serves.

 

[lsyorke]

Not to be political but I know exactly where that came from. 1 of the Kennedys got arrested for DUI a couple yrs back and his defense was that he'd been taking the sleeping meds and had no idea he went for a spin He added it to a nightcap if memory serves.

There are MANY reports of this happening even when alcohol wasn't involved. We see it in the hospital all the time.

 

[Sparx]

Honestly? I find myself laughing at them.. When you listen to the possible side effects (and I know for most people they won't suffer from "all" of them), 9 times out of 10 the side effects are worse than the original problem!

Then you have the anti-depressant ads.. Don't quite feel like dancing around the room with a lamp shade on your head since starting your current anti-depressant? Well - let's add 2 or 3 more!!! That should do the trick..

But some of the absolute worst are the ones for dry eyes; wrinkles around your eyes; acne; routine hair loss; teeth whitening; etc.. Do the risks of those drugs (some which clearly state the side effects may be permanent - even after you discontinue the medication) make the "possible" benefits worth it?

No matter what your problem is, there is a "magic" pill for it now..

Maybe they could take some of those advertising dollars and use them for people who can't afford traditional, necessary drugs..

many patients need more than one antidepressant, because depression is caused by numerous neurotransmitters.

 

[C.Ann]

I forget how the conversation started, but my doctor said that he is getting LOADS OF PEOPLE coming in asking specifically for Drug X . . . because they saw it on TV and have convinced themselves that they need it. He says it's a very bad thing because sometimes that particular drug isn't "right" for that person's needs, but some people become CONVINCED that it's their only option. He's a little slow to prescribe anything, which is something I like about him.

This was extremely irritating to the doctor that I used to work for.. She would get SO angry because the patient would actually sit there and argue with her and say, "But the commercial on tv says - blah, blah, blah.."

 

[DarthKTrava]

I wish they'd stop advertising prescription drugs on TV. Might help bring the costs of the drug down if you take out that advertising budget.

 

[C.Ann]

I wish they'd stop advertising prescription drugs on TV. Might help bring the costs of the drug down if you take out that advertising budget.

What I find interesting is that we have banned tobacco advertising because we don't want our youth to pick up this bad habit - while at the same time we're preaching "Just Say No" to drugs and 9 out of 10 commercials on tv are FOR drugs..

 

[lsyorke]

This was extremely irritating to the doctor that I used to work for.. She would get SO angry because the patient would actually sit there and argue with her and say, "But the commercial on tv says - blah, blah, blah.."

There was a study done on this and the overprescribing that resulted from the commercials.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/h...4/as-tv-drug-ads-increase-so-do-concerns.html

http://www.worstpills.org/public/page.cfm?op_id=3

 

[Caropooh]

My new favorite is Aciphex. Did ANYONE say this word out loud before they put it on the market?

Do you know how many times I had to say that in my head before I got it?

Four Hours???? The heck with calling a Doctor, I believe a call to the National Enquirer would be more like it.

A couple weeks ago on "Private Practice" there was a guy who took 'a few' of these on his wedding day. It was pretty funny!

 

[novajeanjellybean]

I also have to giggle at the commercial for the drug the makes your eyelashes fuller. It changes your eye color And it may be permanent? Really....... All to have fuller lashes LOL I can just get some better mascara

 

[FireDancer]

I'm also anti-drug unless absolutely necessary so it seems excessive that they're pushing the idea of "anything can be remedied with a prescription medication".

This is how I feel. I view drugs as the last resort if you can't fix what is wrong with a lifestyle change. Most drugs don't fix anything anyways, they merely hide the side effects.

Very few countries allow direct marketing to the consumer, especially on TV. Unless things changed over the last two years it was the U.S. and New Zealand. While I would be in favor of changing this but in reality it doesn't really bother me. I don't buy shirts or cars based on a commercial so I won't be buying my drugs based on them and they sure are pretty funny.

My favorite is Valtrex because it says to consult your doctor if you have a weak immune system due to HIV. I'm pretty sure my herpes would be the least of my problems if I also had HIV. It's like concentrating on your hang mail while shooting blood out of your carotid artery.

 

[C.Ann]

I also have to giggle at the commercial for the drug the makes your eyelashes fuller. It changes your eye color And it may be permanent? Really....... All to have fuller lashes LOL I can just get some better mascara

Is that the one that also mentions permanent darkening of the skin under the eyes??
Yeah - I'd go for that - for "fuller eyelashes"..

 

[Geoff_M]

There was a study done on this and the overprescribing that resulted from the commercials.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/h...4/as-tv-drug-ads-increase-so-do-concerns.html

http://www.worstpills.org/public/page.cfm?op_id=3

I'm not 100% comfortable with all aspects of DTC advertising either, however there are a few things worth pointing out...

First, studies have shown that somewhere around 30-40% of people that "talk to thier doctor" are doing so about a problem for the first time. The spots, though they may be annoying, do appear to serve a legitimate educational purpose.

Secondly, by definition if the doctors do in fact prescibe a medication for a condition for the first time... It will increase drug costs, but if the ptoent can truely benefit from the drug then I don't see a problem.

Also, in recent years drug companies have responded to concerns from doctors and no longer advertise to consumers when a drug is launched. Now they wait at least six months so doctors can learn more about a drug before patients start asking about it. This should cut down on the problem of doctors giving out scrips blindly.