Current Events > Should prescription drug commercials be banned?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Should prescription drug commercials be banned?
---

The US is one of the only places that they arent.
---

no I love laughing at how more than half of the run time of these commercials are audio disclaimers about how this medicine will probably kill you

Considering you can't get them without being prescribed by a doctor I don't see the point?

Like I don't see how some commercial about a retired golfer or whatever taking a pill that helps his blood clots is hurting anybody.

yes
---

Second_Chances posted...

no I love laughing at how more than half of the run time of these commercials are audio disclaimers about how this medicine will probably kill you

"May cause you to hallucinate demons coming after you causing you to take your own life"
---

definitely
---

Yes, cable is insufferable because every other commercial is for some drug that might kill you.
---

We've banned tobacco commercials right?
No reason scripts should be advertised.
---

Why would we allow drug companies to sell to individuals, as opposed to having to actually make a good enough product to get doctors to endorse it. (It's because the bribes cost more than a few commercials)
---

I don't even see the point in them.

Like the commercials say "ask your doctor about" but most doctors get all "are you the fucking doctor or me? Just take whatever the fuck I give you" if you ask them or suggest meds.
---

No, I don't see the harm.
---

It's one of the few regulation ideas I wholly and unequivocally support.
---

LockeMonster posted...

but most doctors

There are plenty of pill pushing doctors. The "ask your doctor" isn't for people with a family doctor that they've been going to for decades.
---

100% should not be a thing. It baffles me they are in America.
---

Funkydog posted...

It baffles me they are in America.

Free speech is pretty important here. Public good arguments need to be fairly unimpeachable.
---

Who in history has seen one of these commercials and then asked their doctor for a prescription?
---

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

Funkydog posted...

It baffles me they are in America.

Free speech is pretty important here. Public good arguments need to be fairly unimpeachable.

I fail to see how those commercials are anything to do with free speech. They are just dangerous and taking advantage of naive/scared people. Absolutely no reason these companies should be allowed to do what they do.
---

Damn_Underscore posted...

Who in history has seen one of these commercials and then asked their doctor for a prescription?

Me for viagra amirite
---

Funkydog posted...

I fail to see how those commercials are anything to do with free speech.

I don't think you understand what speech is (or freedom). Informing people about your product absolutely qualifies as speech and thus free speech protects it.
---

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

Funkydog posted...

I fail to see how those commercials are anything to do with free speech.

I don't think you understand what speech is (or freedom). Informing people about your product absolutely qualifies as speech and thus free speech protects it.

But these commercials are designed to take advantage of scared and naive people. Tricking them into getting things they don't need and almost certainly result in people getting addicted to various things they would never otherwise need to take.

It is nothing but an exploitive market undertaken by companies who care more about money than the well being of people. And the safety of people is far more important than letting moraless companies make more money.
---

The onslaught of these commercials likely has something to do with MSMs refusal to criticize SSRIs.
---

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

I don't think you understand what speech is (or freedom).

Freedom of speech is granted to people.

The question is really, "Are corporations people?"

And if the answer is yes, then it should be possible to sentence them to the death penalty when they commit criminal wrongdoing.
---

Do you go to bed at night and wake up in the morning? If you do, we got a pill for you.
---

I find drug commercials to be dumb. Your doctor is the medical expert, your doctor knows what your lab values/vitals mean, they know the treatment guidelines, etc.

That's not to say you shouldn't bring up your concerns with your doctor, but to push these pills on patients that might not know better with these commercials is kinda silly.

Also I hate the freaking drug lawsuit commercials too.
---

I have never had a patient come to me discussing a commercial he saw. I commonly prescribe blood thinners and I always ask for my own curiosity if they've seen the commercials, some have but almost none of them remember details. The most I'll get is, "don't these medicatons have alot of side effects? the commercials keep going on and on I get lost". But I tend to tell them the risks and benefits anyways. So its never really an issue for me.

The much more common method of advertisement I've run into is patients hearing about specific meds from other people. "I have a brother in law who started taking _____ and ever since then he's felt great" or "I have a neighbor who switched from ____ to _____ and now he's doing so much better". That gets more annoying because I have to explain how these medications are patient specific and I can't comment on why the switch or why its better for him because I dont know his medical chart.

But I fully support patients being knowledgable about the medications and their conditions. I try to explain as much as I can in the limited time I have and I try to do it in layman's terms. So if someone brings these kinds of questions to me, I honestly shouldn't be irritated or upset, its a good thing that they are concerned about what meds they are taking and concerned about their health.
---

Nevada, I'm a resident, but at this point, beyond the half-way point in residency, much of what we do is solo decision making that the attending somewhat blindly agrees with because they trust us.
---

right because people can avoid having medical issues.

maybe you should travel less so you can work on your CoD skills, have you learned how to strafe yet?
---

Absolutely
---

lol
---

Your statement aim seems to be about as accurate as your CoD aim.
---

Asherlee10 posted...

Yeah, but we have consumer protection laws that puts a line in the sand.

I agree but we need to have an honest discussion instead of ignoring inconvenient definitions. We need to acknowledge that (even if you stand on the other side of the debate) it is in fact an issue of conflicting rights.

Darkman124 posted...

Freedom of speech is granted to people.

The question is really, "Are corporations people?"

And if the answer is yes, then it should be possible to sentence them to the death penalty when they commit criminal wrongdoing.

If corporations aren't people, who do you arrest/fine/whathave if they produce "illegal" commercials? If the buck stops on anyone in particular, I would say then that's who's free speech we'd be violating.

But again, I do believe this is a public safety issue with pretty solid arguments for squelching these ads. But I'm not going to fault someone for being slightly more absolutist on the issue of speech than myself. Better speech is too free than too limited.
---

Absolutely should be illegal.
---

Well, this topic took an interesting turn
---

I just dont see the effectiveness of commercials.

What is significantly more influential is when their drug reps come to the office with free lunches and give their mini drug presentations. They usually give free samples and stuff which we actually do use. I've given a ton of 1 month free coupons for certain medication brands such as Xeralto and Brilinta.
---

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

Funkydog posted...

I fail to see how those commercials are anything to do with free speech.

I don't think you understand what speech is (or freedom). Informing people about your product absolutely qualifies as speech and thus free speech protects it.

Then why aren't tobacco commercials allowed hmmmm?
---

Asherlee10 posted...

DanHarenChamp posted...

Your statement aim seems to be about as accurate as your CoD aim.

Really, this is a testament to your mental capacity if you have trouble differentiating between something said with humor and something that is literal.

Which makes me want to avoid the entire West Coast to be sure I don't accidentally come across you and be in need of medical attention.

-> "Dig AT you", "straight up a personal attack"
-> "I'm joking"

You are as indecisive irl as you are at cod when you couldn't aim and got plastered by the enemy in that video you posted
---

DanHarenChamp posted...

Xeralto

---

LanHikari10 posted...

DanHarenChamp posted...

Xeralto

I hear that pronunciation a lot at work.
---

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

If corporations aren't people, who do you arrest/fine/whathave if they produce "illegal" commercials?

No one: after winning in court, you seize company assets covering the cost of the penalty. It goes on their balance sheet as an operating cost.
---

DanHarenChamp posted...

Nevada, I'm a resident, but at this point, beyond the half-way point in residency, much of what we do is solo decision making that the attending somewhat blindly agrees with because they trust us.

I think it's prolly GP's and psychiatrists that get the brunt of people asking about meds they saw on TV.
---