MMeM, Vol.12 Issue 46 – Wait, what?

Tell your doctor IF you…

You know TV commercials for pharmaceuticals right? They started years ago after a devil like deal with the powers that be in which drug companies were granted the right to pitch their wares on TV as long as they disclosed the litany of possible risks and complications. Subsequently, today we are subjected to never ending commercials for everything from ED, to Cholesterol lowering, to blood thinners, to eczema clearing, to acne fighting cure-alls ad nauseum.

It goes on, and on, and on. I don’t know who is more irritated by these ads or who gets more out of them. Are doctors now suffering from sore orbital sockets from all of their eye-rolling with their backs turned while washing their hands and listening to their next patient go on about the latest drug they learned about while watching American Ninja Warrior? Or is it those of us who rely on years of educated medical doctors’ sound advice who don’t rely on TV for diagnosis and Rx recommendations?

The other day I saw a commercial for Harvoni, a cure for Hep-C, and I was stunned by the voiced over cautions amidst the pretty and serene pictures. “Tell your doctor if you’ve had a LIVER TRANSPLANT or if you have HIV or AIDS” (Cue the record scratch here please). Ok, IF you have to tell YOUR doctor anything like those 2 things then THEY ARE NOT YOUR DOCTOR. They are in fact, THE DOCTOR you are trying to get a script out of that you just met for the first time.

The list of suggested things to “tell your doctor” went on and then the list of possible side effects when taking with certain heart medications were rattled off, including possible death.

My takeaway from this practice is if you consider all of the other advertising that goes on during television commercials, aren’t there a lot of products that could stand to offer a bit more all inclusive disclosure like those which drug companies have to adhere?

 

 

 

 

*Please drink responsibly*

No, maybe they’ve got that covered. They said please.

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Blogger, in search of humor, always. Writer of MidwesternMeditations.com, formerly hosted on Blogger.