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Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

arstechnica.com

291–300 of 329 posts

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#291
post #93

These ads are one of the main reasons I became a cord cutter. I'm very happy they have not yet followed me onto any of the streaming services I use. They are the creepiest thing ever on television. The actors sit around dinner tables with family members speaking unnatural, FDA manipulated dialog ("Oh, I'm doing great, I've been taking Pradaxa for my afib, not caused by a heart valve problem!") Then you get the unendi…

There was an incredibly smart and hilarious ad created by those at Adult Swim completely in line with what you're saying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gMjJNGg9Z8

Wow, that was intense.. Not sure if I'd call it hilarious, but damn, that was mind blowing. (Also, check out the related video about smart pipe, it's depressing how close to reality that is.)

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#292
post #93

These ads are one of the main reasons I became a cord cutter. I'm very happy they have not yet followed me onto any of the streaming services I use. They are the creepiest thing ever on television. The actors sit around dinner tables with family members speaking unnatural, FDA manipulated dialog ("Oh, I'm doing great, I've been taking Pradaxa for my afib, not caused by a heart valve problem!") Then you get the unendi…

> Then you get the unending list of side effects read aloud ("death" almost always one)

I think most of those rare side effects are not related to the drug at all. They just "happened" during the trials and they have to be included. At least in EU they are categorized by th frequency, so if the death is listed as 1 in 10000, I wouldn't consider it a side effect.

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#293
post #90
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I've never understood the logic behind prescription drug ads. The first rule of sales is to pitch the decision maker." Plenty of logic is there. Part of the purpose is to make the Doctor pay attention to the advertising that they see in a journal. [1] How? Patient goes in and "asks their doctor" about a drug. Then another patient. And another. So now when the doctor sees an ad (or the detail man comes in) the doctor…

Patient goes in and "asks their doctor" about a drug. I wonder if this really ever happens. I mean, for many of the ads, it's hard to tell even what the drug does, so going to your doctor and asking for that med would amount to a random question.

In Denmark you are not allowed to advertise prescription drugs, so they will just advertise the illness and symptoms and end with a "ask your doctor about this illness".

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#294
post #184

I'm a doctor, and I think this is a good idea. The information provided to both doctors and patients by drug companies is marketing material. The best source of information is peer-reviewed publications, and even those are subject to some bias. Still, that's the best source we have, and should be the primary way all of us get health care information. If you, as a patient, do not understand what the reasearch articles…

That's a great approach. However ... when I was unemployed, I was very happy that my doctor had free samples from her rep of $DRUG_THAT_KEEPS_ME_ALIVE. Our pediatrician also had free samples for some of the things our kid needed.

> However ... when I was unemployed, I was very happy that my doctor had free samples from her rep of $DRUG_THAT_KEEPS_ME_ALIVE. Our pediatrician also had free samples for some of the things our kid needed.

Just remember, public health care is communist! Better dead than red.

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#295
post #93

These ads are one of the main reasons I became a cord cutter. I'm very happy they have not yet followed me onto any of the streaming services I use. They are the creepiest thing ever on television. The actors sit around dinner tables with family members speaking unnatural, FDA manipulated dialog ("Oh, I'm doing great, I've been taking Pradaxa for my afib, not caused by a heart valve problem!") Then you get the unendi…

There was an incredibly smart and hilarious ad created by those at Adult Swim completely in line with what you're saying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gMjJNGg9Z8

The website is also pretty cool

http://www.adultswim.com/promotions/claridryl/

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#296
post #243
post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many (most?) private employer based healthcare plans in the US don't provide dental/optical. Those are each separate plans and premiums that you and/or your employer must pay for. Your point about doctors taking ~50% of the provincial budget seems exaggerated (please provide a reference to support it). Even if healthcare takes 50% of the budget, it's not all going to doctors, probably not even the majority of that. T…

> Your point about doctors taking ~50% of the provincial budget seems exaggerated (please provide a reference to support it). It's actually 42% in my province: http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2015/04/programexpenseb... The average doctor makes $350k and the medical association is suing the government because they think it's too little ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-medical... ).

That 42% is the Healthcare Sector's share in the entire provincial budget.

It absolutely does not support your claim that doctors take in 50% (or even 42%) as it has already been pointed out that there are far more expenses in healthcare than simply doctors (e.g. drugs).

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#297
post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The irony of wanting to ban Rx drug ads because they are creepy, is that it was regulations that made them creepy to begin with. (You seem aware of this already) There is an argument to be made for consumer advertising for a drug like Viagra. Without awareness that an effective treatment exists, patients with ED or another embarrassing condition are not likely to bring it up with their doctor on their own, thus resul…

> Without awareness that an effective treatment exists, patients with ED or another embarrassing condition are not likely to bring it up with their doctor on their own, thus resulting in unnecessary suffering. Research has found that 80% of over the counter and 60% of prescription drug ads are misleading or false.[1] ED mediations are one of the top offenders in false advertising in the study. 1. http://www.scientifi…

Wow! That seems like a biased study. Would they have prefered the ad say "will help make your penis erect when you are appropriately aroused"?

One of the repeat offenders, said Faerber, were erectile dysfunction drugs. “The various drug companies phrase it differently, but they all play on the idea of being “ready” when the moment is right,” but Faerber said readiness is about more than a physical reaction, it’s an emotional state – especially where sex is concerned. “They implied more than a physiological response.”

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#298
post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what we have in Australia. Vague ads talking about various diseases and advising you to talk to your doctor about your health problems.

"Nasal spray technology" Honestly though, it's a good system. I can't actually tell you what brand that ad is for, but I do know that I can talk to my doctor about it if I have issues with PE!

Those ones are a huge scam incidentally. The drugs are old and relatively ineffective, but the advertising is to get people into clinics owned by the company which then funnel them to heart clinics for check ups before prescribing.

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ABSOLUTELY YES. That we, as a society, allow people deceive us and to lie in our faces, and not only that - we've turned it into an respected occupation - still boggles my mind.

In order to ban lies, you need to entrust power in someone else to discern the lies from truth. But that someone else lies too. It is simply intractable. Like the halting problem.

Exactly. That's why we opt for free speech. We allow people to lie and attempt to deceive and spin because we know that it's better for citizens to be accustomed to the marketing and somewhat robust against it than to trust some other higher power that can betray the unprotected and unaware masses.

Re: Doctors want ban on prescription drug, device advertisements

#300
post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't have ads for this in Australia, and everyone knows about viagra. Ads for drugs aren't creepy, they're fucking crazy. When I watched hulu for a bit I was astonished by them fascinated. Terrified. The US is wild west capitalism EDIT: And another thing: you guys don't even have affordable health care, so people see this shit they blatantly can't afford advertised at them relentlessly. That's why spam is so lucr…

> they blatantly can't afford advertised at them relentlessly. That's not true, because most people do have insurance. The major problem is that the costs are socialized by insurance, so people buy excessive healthcare because then can afford it (they aren't paying).

There are countries where few people have insurance. Health outcomes are poor.

There are other countries where everybody has insurance and the government negotiates medical prices. Japan, Germany, and France are three examples. They have much lower costs than the U.S. and the best health outcomes in the world, measured on criteria like death rates after diagnosis of major disease.

Source: Healing America by T.R. Reid.

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