Cape Karen
Since 1997, when Congress first began allowing American drug companies to begin running TV ads for prescription and over-the-counter medications, we have been assaulted by constant advertising from the biggest drug companies (of which there are only a few, btw.) Billions and billions (said in the voice of the late Carl Sagan) of dollars in profits have catapulted CEO's, like Richard T. Clark of Merck & Co., (I call them our "Wall Street drug pushers") into enormous personal wealth.
It's enough to make you sick.
It's bad enough to be unwittingly attacked by these (often disgusting) commercials every five minutes, but, think about it - all the money they're spending each day to run these ads - it would probably be enough to pay off our entire National debt. And, how about the profit margin from their increased sales, as people flock to their doctor's office, demanding these heretofore unknown (by the simple layman) 'miracle cures' ~ like the arthritis medication, Vioxx?
Merck & Co. deployed one of the largest DTC ad campaigns ever on behalf of Vioxx. Some of Merck’s ads made extremely broad appeals, such the tagline “for everyday victories,” for arthritis sufferers who wanted to overcome their disabilities. In 2000 and 2001, Merck spent $295.2 million on Vioxx ads alone; the most for any drug advertised during those years. The magazine, Advertising Age, named it one of its “Top 100 MegaBrands” for 2000. According to a recent study in the British medical journal, The Lancet, one of the most respected medical journals in the world, as many as 140,000 serious cardiovascular events in the United States resulted from the use of Vioxx.
But, weren't they lucky!? Before it was pulled off the market they had already made their ba-illions. And . . . then came "Celebrex." (Whoops ~ they did it again.)
So, if you're ever bored and just want something mindless to do, try counting the number of drug ads in just one night of TV viewing. It's completely ridiculous, (not that I've ever done it - I'm much too busy blogging) and that's not even to mention how annoying they are! I'm over it! (Fortunately, so are you; there's a nationwide movement afoot to stop these obnoxious ads.)
What's really disgusting is how they list all the potential side-effects of the drugs, after the ad runs. Constipated, take...blah, blah, blah - but be prepared - it might give you a rash all over your body, cause you to wheeze continually and result in a possible stroke. And, men, do you have a 'weak stream?' Well, run right out and get your doctor to prescribe some FLOMAX - guaranteed to fix you right up in just ONE week! Oh, but . . . ummm . . . you may suffer from a constant runny nose, and have a decrease in your semen output. God forbid you should worry about those silly little things while fixing your stream! (Who writes these ads anyway?)
Then, there's the fact that if they are getting so rich selling all these drugs where is all the money going ~ besides into their already over-stuffed pockets and into these ads? We know it's not all going into medical research, that's for sure ~ so, it must be going into the packaging. That's important! How it looks on the outside matters because what's inside might kill you ~ even as it relieves your heartburn, eases your jock itch, and gives you a great-big, stand-up-tall, four-hour erection; which, if it lasts too long, (no pun intended) then you'll have to "hop on down" to the outpatient department of your local hospital. (I can just picture men doing that; all doubled-over in their bathrobes. Aaaarrgghh!)
And, what must our kids think when they listen to all these ever-present, drug ads? Are they going to fall prey to this 'fix-it-quick' advertising and believe that taking a drug is the answer to all their problems? Probably! We older folks were 'victims' of the Marlboro man, and look at us today - struggling for breath, living on respirators and dying in record numbers from lung cancer. And, the ads for beer, wine and alcohol; they took their toll, too. Now, they're even 'creeping' those alcohol ads back onto the airwaves again. They must want to encourage our latest batch of kids to discover the 'wonders of drinking' (like they'll need the encouragement?) They make drinking look "so cool." Visit any college campus after classes, or go to Cancun, Mexico during Spring Break Week, and you'll see how well those ads are working.
Yup - these outrageous, continual drug ads are enough to make you sick ~ no matter how you look at it.
So, let's not! (Somehow?)
Posted by Karen at June 19, 2006 6:37 PM