General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDrug commercials; You'd think if I had fubegartelitus
as a result of taking zongazifrelartin for my nonifactus perfaluticacious, and was not allergic to greepalonin, my doctor would know about this drug well before I heard of it.
Walleye
(45,312 posts)RockRaven
(19,694 posts)Gee thanks for looking out for me like that, I might have made a horrible mistake if you hadn't mentioned it.
SCantiGOP
(14,749 posts)The ads are written by the company lawyers, not their medical staff.
One of my doctors years ago said he had a patient who asked if he should xxx because he had stomach bloating and other symptoms. The doctor told him he should only take it while he was having his period.
NJCher
(43,421 posts)who work either for the pharmaceutical company or an ad agency that specializes in writing pharma or medical ads.
Once written, the ad is reviewed and scrutinized by legal advertising specialists who are not necessarily lawyers. In fact, my experience is they aren't lawyers, but they are people with advanced degrees and they do get paid very well. This person adds references from the medical literature that documents that the ad does what the copywriter claims it does. Those studies are quoted in case the FDA wants to check them.
Faux pas
(16,510 posts)agingdem
(8,946 posts)a few years ago I scanned a health magazine lousy with drug adds...and I noticed that most of those drugs had been pulled off pharmacy shelves for being unsafe...
A_Woman_from_MI
(195 posts)I was keeping a list of drugs to ask my doctor about, as directed by the teevee but you have raised some new concerns for me. Like, what are the possible side affects of zongazifrelartin?
edhopper
(37,484 posts)about drugs that have a theme song.
bucolic_frolic
(55,684 posts)You're sitting on a potential mint!
Polly Hennessey
(8,930 posts)I wish I could remember the name of the drug.
state of stupid
(180 posts)not make it to major side effects. The prescription went in the trash.
lastlib
(28,527 posts)If I asked my doctor if it was right for me, he could lose his license in this state for assisting suicide!
- - -
How STUPID do the drug companies think we are?? (rhetorical question, doesn' need to be answered....)
My thought--I'm not taking any drug that doesn't have an English-equivalent name! If I say the name of a drug, and it sounds like I'm speaking with a mouthful of rocks, I sure as hell ain't taking it!
Goonch
(5,496 posts)
flvegan
(66,473 posts)Have to justify the insane price of meds somehow.
malaise
(297,628 posts)cksmithy
(511 posts)She had MS, living alone, tried all medications that would help to improve her life. This was back in 2005, she was living on a pension and was little bit late on her yearly MRI. When she finally got her mri, the doctor said she had inoperable glia blastoma brain cancer that was related to the new medication she had been taking. He told her she had 6 weeks to 6 months to live and to get her will, etc. in order. Well, she literally died 6 weeks later to the day. Earlier, she was going to try one new drug and the doctor called to tell her not to take it because of the deadly side effects. She didn't take it, that was about 9 months before her mri and brain cancer diagnosis.
Every time I hear those ads with the side effects announced so fast, you can't understand what they are saying, I always think of my poor sister. It wasn't Ms that killed her it was the side effects from her treatment.
edhopper
(37,484 posts)Many drugs now lower the immune system, leading to Deaths. Glen Frey died because of arthritis medication.
cksmithy
(511 posts)Maybe it was the dose she was taking. The doctor told her cancer was (at the time) a direct result of her med.s
Thank you for your response.
NNadir
(38,436 posts)...to check side effects.
Many list some that are potentially deadly, which doesn't preclude me from using them since all medications subject to risk/benefit analysis. I expect as a result of tge trial, the risk will be low, but not zero.
At my age I'm in polypharmacy mode and I try to be aware of drug-drug interactions. However I am trained to be aware of these.
I am sorry of course that your sister was one who came down on the wrong side of risk. Despite your loss and regrettably very real pain, I do hope the drug has benefited others.
I believe the FDA has a website where those who experience a side effect can report it, if that moron RFK hasnt shut it down. This helps to understand risks of drugs after approval, and on some occasions a drug can be pulled off the market.
Please accept my condolences in any case. That is really awful. I'm so sorry.
cksmithy
(511 posts)and siblings really didn't pay serious attention to her or try to help her. She was actually relieved when she got a terminal diagnosis because she couldn't even imagine her life dealing with MS all on her own. I still only had dial up internet at the time. Couldn't get a lot of medical information, except from doctors. We talked everyday, but I was not able to be with her when she passed. The flight was canceled, we took the next flight available.
Thank you for your condolences. She was only 59 years old.
NNadir
(38,436 posts)...50 years ago and still, if I think of it, I can still be in the room watching her die.
I'm sorry you couldn't make it to her side.
cksmithy
(511 posts)than me, but she was more of a mother to me than our own mother.
Thank you for the response.
Ilsa
(64,514 posts)a raw deal. I'm so sorry for your loss, our world's loss.
LeftInTX
(34,798 posts)FakeNoose
(42,198 posts)Somebody ... not anyone I know, but somebody ... does make a habit of going to their doctors and asking for these pills to be subscribed. The advertisers KNOW this and that's why they keep buying these TV ads. They work.
It drives the doctors nuts too, but they can't say no. They just prescribe a fake sugar pill of some kind, just to satisfy their patient. Otherwise these crazy patients will keep going to other doctors until they get the thing prescribed.
Vinca
(54,270 posts)Sorry about the NFT.
twodogsbarking
(19,229 posts)Americanme
(536 posts)They want us to ask our doctors about their drugs. I'd rather have my doctor tell me what drug might be best for me. If my doctor doesn't know about their drug, maybe I don't need to know about it either.
Initech
(109,145 posts)Both times I was denied by my insurance company saying that I needed to comprehensively prove for 60 days that I needed to be prescribed weight loss medication. They don't tell you that in the advertisements. American health care is bullshit.
Wednesdays
(23,027 posts)...due to extra weight is not considered a good reason for taking it?
Dr. T
(692 posts)if I take the drug, I'll be able to kickbox, go sailing, lift weights, swim, throw frisbee and play tennis without breaking a sweat. I don't know what disease the drug manages, but I want to do all that cool stuff so Ill take the drug.
SergeStorms
(20,775 posts)and supermarkets. I can't wait to start taking them!
SergeStorms
(20,775 posts)is wearing out because of all the use from pharmaceutical commercials.
They spend close to $3 billion per year on TV commercials alone . Despite what they say, I don't believe they can profit from that expenditure. How many people actually go to a doctor and ask for this-or-that drug? $3 billion worth?
I think it's all a tax dodge, but I could be wrong.
edhopper
(37,484 posts)seem to be very narrow in their prospective users.
Their is one I hear on the radio all the time for a rare pancreas problem. I think they are trying to get people who don't need it to use it.
Ilsa
(64,514 posts)Permanut
(8,534 posts)Raine
(31,231 posts)jmowreader
(53,349 posts)That obviously makes sense, and if you read the Package Insert you'll know what the ingredients are.
But how are you supposed to know if you're allergic to a drug you haven't taken before?