Hi Guys, Professor Campbell had asked me to post this link during our discussion on the role of direct to consumer advertising. Its a really fascinating snippet. Please leave a post on it, or something associated with it.
Drug companies are using shameless techniques to draw consumers into buying their products. They use celebrities to promote the drug or flashy colorful ads to draw attention to the commercials that people would normally tune out. As we learned in class, patients are seeing the ads for these drugs on tv and are going to their doctor and requesting the drug. They are then prescribed the drug they went in asking for or they are at least given a different prescription that they may actually not need.
Blah Blah Blah... Pharmaceutical companies are just that, companies looking to make a profit. Is the FDA really slow or are they bombarded with so many different drugs they just can't keep up? Are the FDA regulations really in the best interest of people? The video reminded me of the insurance video we started watching in class.
As far as the celebrex reference - that is a complicated subject. Yes, clinical trials were not done adequately. But also, MD's should have realized the great risk of prescribing even ibuprofen to their patients. Giving them the dosage in those powerful NSAID's is even more dangerous.
There are so many things that are wrong and so many ways to approach this argument. I wonder what it is going to take for a real change to occur.
It seems crazy to me that in a society such as ours where everything is regulated that drug companies get away with this. The clip said that the FDA takes a about 4-6 months to do anything about misleading ads after they have been aired. So basically there is no point in reviewing them in the first place because by then the ad is off the air. The effectiveness of the ads is quite shocking as we learned in class that something like 85% of people get prescribed the medication they come in asking for. Sadly there is so much money in the business that drug companies can just pay off politicians from regulating them.
The psychological effects DTC ads have on people is astounding. For my research methods class I studied the frequency and type of DTC ads that ran in a 24-hour period and found that that there were just as many drug ads as those for food and cleaning products. Consummerism is king in the U.S. so obviously pharmaceutical companies are going to have a heavy hand in how people view their health status and how they interact with medical professionals. Though the FDA has revised a small amount of protocols for evaluating and approving drugs, they have spent little effort on regulating advertisements before they are released. The FDA has such a broad jurisdiction that it is being completely overwhelmed by the free market. There is no real regulation and as long as DTC ads continue to bring in profits the laws will remain lax.
This video reiterates what we have been learning in class about drug companies and the effects DTC advertising has on people. I enjoyed the clip as it directly attacking the FDA and pharmaceutical companies and shedding light on their irresponsible nature in the ads for their products. If we want to stop the increasing rise of medical issues and problems associated with new drugs the DTC advertising needs to be regulated. Right now it is too easy for drug companies to take advantage of the average consumer and subjugate them into buying a drug they may not need.
The affect direct to consumer advertising has on people is alarming. Things we see on TV can stick with us for a long time. In this video they referenced the super bowl and how millions of dollars are spent for a minute long commercial but obviously it works because my friends and I still talk about the Doritos commercials that aired last year during the super bowl.
When drug companies use effective advertising and grab a consumers attention they are going to remember it. I think there should be some kind of regulation for drug companies to have their advertisments reviewed before they are aired or published. If nothing is done they will continue to do what they have always done without any thought to the consequences that could occur.
I found this class discussion extremely interesting. I never had any idea that almost all other countries don’t allow drug companies to advertise on television. I guess it is just another example of how people with power (drug companies) normalize things in society (direct to consumer advertising). Now that I have been able to step back from this and observe what is going on I think it is very wrong. I do not believe the drug companies have the intentions that they are saying they do, to better educate their consumers. If they were so concerned with educating their consumers they would provide them with enough information at the proper education level in order to make a proper informed decision about their prescription medications. Let’s be honest, most of the information about risks that the companies are putting out there requires a medical degree to understand while the benefits are something an elementary school child could understand. It’s my belief that they are trying to blind side us and just make as much money as possible with only legal regards for the risks it places on our health.
Drug advertisments are very decieving and unfair to those who have no other way of being informed. Obviously people are going to remember a catchy song, phrase, or color, and the fact that the pharmaceutical companies leave out any complications is unfair. Patients are unaware of medications that they could be getting for a fraction of the price because they feel that the best things in the market are the ones they see on TV
A pharmacist in this video said that most people could "name 10 drugs off the top of their head". He is completely and totally correct, and sadly, I think the majority can name many more than that. This made me think back to the class where we were working in groups and were asked to list as many drug commercials as we could. In our group, and I am sure it was the same for most, we could have gone on forever with our list. This is a striking example of how drug companies have masterfully mainstreamed their products. We as a society are constantly assaulted with such advertising and unconsciously absorb the information. Whether because of a catchy tune, flashy graphics or memorable character, we can't help but retain what we have seen. The drug companies know they have us hook, line and sinker, and you better believe that they will continue unabated and unchecked until someone decides to stand up to them.
DTC advertising obviously has huge effects on our population. I have spent a lot of time shadowing PA's and there were so many times when people would come in asking for a certain drug. I won't lie I have done it before too, once I was taking one medication and I heard an advertisement for another that did the same thing and I asked my doctor about it because I wanted to know that I was taking the most effective one. I found out that the two were essentially the same thing. Like they point out in the video the reason that advertising is so expensive is because it works. Drug companies flood our magazines and TV commercials so we are constantly hearing it, it is almost a form of imprinting biomedicine into our brains. I was really surprised to learn in class that other countries do not allow drug advertising, I never even thought that might be the case because I am so accustom to it here. I think that there needs to be more regulation of advertising, risks need to be clear, active ingredients need to be stated clearly and if we do allow it there should be limited times when they can be played. For example I don't want my niece hearing about all these different drugs while she tries to watch cartoons.
I thought this video was interesting because it brings up the fact that pharmaceutical marketing is creating problems that stretch farther than simply making money by using commercials heavy with celebrities. The video brings up how pharmaceutical companies can buy their way into federal agencies like the FDA. It is kind of scary to think that companies can simply "buy" federal officials and departments and use them for monetary gain rather than the betterment of the public.
There needs to be more regulations and higher standards that drug companies must meet in order to advertise their medication. It seems obvious that pharmaceutical companies are only looking out for their best interest with little concern for their consumers. Why wouldn't they want to make as much money as they possibly could? This is why the FDA needs to set a higher level of standards to look out for the consumer. Drug advertisements lack the necessary information that people need to make informed decisions. This is why these ads need to be regulated and maybe not as many people would rush to the doctors and ask for certain medications.
The point of advertising is to grab the consumers attention. Advertisment companies get paid to find the best way to make people buy their products. Drug comapnies make their money with how much people are using their products. They will try and draw you in with songs, colors, pictures, ect in order to make you stop what you are doing and watch or read what they are saying to you. Advertisment companies for drugs also use a technique that makes you question whether or not you are in need of this drug..."are you always tired? are you feeling blue? are you always stressed out?" The everyday person has these feelings regardless if they are in need of medical attention or not, but its the advertisments that make you believe you need medical help.
The drug companies want to keep us stupid. They don't want doctors to advocate for their patients or patients to advocate for themselves unless, of course, it means asking for their drug. Yes, the FDA has to require certain warnigs in advertisements, but they have little control over what gets approved. This is a policy issue that needs to be changed by the government. We can help to make these changes by educating others about what we have learned and by lobbying for these changes at the local or state level. Even a small change will have a huge impact on the pharmaceutical profits. It's also a matter of supply and demand. If we stop demanding the drugs we see in advertisements, the supply and costs will too.
It is scary to think we live in a world were profit is the main goal. I think at some point those who decided to go into the health profession did so to help others (atleast I hope). However, at some point in time either the company forced them to or they on their own set aside the goal to help. It shifted to be all about the money. Growing up we are taught not to lie or deceive, but when we get older society has taught us that is how we get ahead. However, it is now affecting our health and the health of others. Drug companies have taken it a step further and are now risking people's health in order to gain a profit. It is amazing what people would do for a quick dollar.
The reason drug companies use direct to consumer ads is becasue it works. I know that after seeing an ad for food I am usually hungry even if I just ate, because ads stimulate our senses. We see these "important" celebrities saying that they use such drugs or ointments and we immediatly believe them because why would Mark Martin lie to us about Viagra? It works it shouldn't but it does and will continue to line the pockest of CEOs unless we can somehow change or brains and think for ourselves.
The point that really struck me from this clip was the fact that just a few years ago we probably wouldn't have been able to name one or two drugs, but today, with the role of advertising, we are able to name 10 right off the top or our heads. This speaks directly to the effect of direct to consumer advertising, although advertisements cost quite a bit of money, the companies selling the drugs are gaining such a profit, that it doesn't matter. Consumers of these drugs pay attention to the symptoms in order to find a reason for the way they feel, but often look past the harmful side effects such as heart attacks from drugs such as Vioxx. The drug companies honestly seem to just be looking for a way to make a quick buck instead of really thinking through what they are selling, and WHO they are selling to.
I was shocked when we learned that almost half (40-something%) of people who asked about a drug that has been DTC advertised recieved a perscription for that drug. I mean there are some people that really do benefit from these ads because they are able to get help for a serious problem. But I also know that the amount of people who diagnose themselves with everything that they see advertised is considerably higher than those who do need it. I love listening to or reading the side effects that are listed. Seasonique, the birth control that only gives you 4 periods a year? They say after that it may cause bleeding in between that is as much as a regular period. I was perscribed an anti-nausea medication that I no longer take - the side effects? Nausea and migranes. It seems to me that in many cases we pay the drug companies, put these things into our bodies, and the original problem may be considered a drug side-effect. That seems pretty useless to me.
Drug Companies are using techniques to get consumers to buy their products. They are using celebrities to draw people in, they are using certain colors to make people more into watching the commercial. These people are just asking for this drug because they saw a commercial of someone who is promoting it and they think it is going to help them. I don't think that people should just go off of what they see on tv.
Drug Companies are using techniques to get consumers to buy their products. They are using celebrities to draw people in, they are using certain colors to make people more into watching the commercial. These people are just asking for this drug because they saw a commercial of someone who is promoting it and they think it is going to help them. I don't think that people should just go off of what they see on tv.
This video shows what we have learned in recent classes about the way pharmaceutical companies play us. They will use anything they can and go to any length necessary to sell their product and make some money. I wish there was some way that everyone could learn the things we have learned through this class. I've become so much more knowledgeable and I feel now that I will be much less taken advantage of. I want to share this information and open everyone's eyes around me as well. Someone needs to make a public statement about this or something! GOSH! It seems so obvious now. This video shows that the drug companies are doing even worse damage than we talked about in class. It's pretty scary to think about what lengths they might go to next.
This video is another example of how awful our medical system has become. With DTC advertising it is too easy for pharmaceutical companies to influence the publics mind and causing many to feel the need to get the latest drug. They come out with ads and convince people to ask for them before we know the full effects of this drug. This video says it takes the FDA several months before they even look into cancelling ads, which is very dangerous because a drug could've already caused serious problems in alot of people by this time. Also it could be advertised before the doctor even knows of it but are prescribing it anyways. Its awful to think how much power these companies have when they are in fact a company, which is more concerned with making the biggest profit then the public's well being, which is opposite of what one of the top influences of our health system should be.
I think that it is ridiculous how much advertising the drug companies actually do and the fact that in these advertisements they say how great their drugs are but they never say all of the side effects to them. They are just out to make a profit and because of this they don't really care who takes their drugs nor what happens to them when they do. People see these advertisements on tv and they figure that it must be a great thing to take this drug and make their symptoms (whatever they may be) disappear, but the consumer doesn't realize that they are just buying into exactly what the drug company wants.
It is shocking to realize how easily we are manipulated by advertisment. We are socially lead to accept anything that is claimed to be supported by scientific evidence. We trust that the scietific method has been used to determine side effects, determining that the medicalization and technology are really the best solution for us. We also rely on TV and advertising to be truthful. In reality, the ads are not monitored by anyone until after they are on the air.
I cant believe when the guy said it takes almost 4 to 6 months for the FDA to approve a drug ad. If the drug has already been put out to the society whats the point in reviewing it after the fact? There even a birthcontrol commercial swhere it says right in the ad that the FDA wants us to clear up a few details, which means that the ad had been running for a while. Another thing that shocked me was that a good percentage of people that go into a doctors office get prescribed the drug they asked for, some get a different drug, and others may even get both.
Direct to consumer Advertising uses a technique that many people relate to and they feed on individuals fears by vaguely explaining signs and symptoms. Therefore causing many people to believe that they have the disease or disorder which causes them to go to the doctor and ask for the medication. For example as stated in the video 10 years ago an individual could not name a drug unless they were being prescribed the medication. Back then individuals were getting diagnosed with things based on actual signs and symptoms and not based on what they heard in a drug commercial. It has changed since then, and many people are diagnosing themselves with disease and disorders.
This video is full of true facts. One of which is that advertising work. Whether or not a person really needs the medication or not by advertising the drug and the symptoms of some problem, people will start to believe in what they have and go spend their money on doctor appointments and buying a drug that could get prescribed to them. Continued thoughts to show how advertising works is that people couldn’t name any other drugs except for the ones that they were getting prescribed but now people can name ten or so different drugs just from watching the television or reading magazines and such. Another good point that was made is that medical companies can afford to advertising so it is not going to go away but that is has to me more strictly regulated.
This video couldn’t have been a more accurate portray of direct-consumer advertising in that these drug companies are tapping into the emotions of their audience and making them feel a need for their product. One way they do this is by diagnosing the patients through their adds and then encouraging them to talk to their doctor (who has already been hit up my pharmaceutical reps to push their drug) while in the meantime they miss the risk that are listed off quickly at the end of an advertisement. We are so concerned with fixing everything even if that means we are creating new diseases that we overlook the risk that we are taking in doing so. At what time will it be clear that our society is almost overly reliant on medicine.
DTC advertising is something that can benefit or harm the consumer, but in the end really benefits the drug companies. I think that even if the FDA had better control of everything that was being put in the ads consumers would still be asking for drugs whether they knew a specific name or not. We are a society that is very dependent on biomedicine and because of that we will always go right to a doctor to try to cure something with a drug.
I took two things from that video 1. I completely agree with the last point that we have to take responsibility. A drug company is going to do whatever it can do to make as much money as possible. If no one calls them on this then of course they are going to keep utilizing the same techniques, why not?, your making a boat load of money from them and no one is stepping up to call you on it.
2. I did not realize that commercials could air before they were viewed by the FDA. Now that it was mentioned I remember seeing many commercials that will come on and say something to the affect of, previous commercials may have been confusing or misleading and the FDA has asked us to clarify these points. However, as they said by the time these commercials come around the damage is already done, the image of the product is already marketed and these clarification ads will probably have little effect to overall revenue. All in all this was an interesting video that brought up valid points, but we can sit around and complain and bring up as many valid points as we want. Until action is taken the pharmaceutical companies are going to keep doing the same thing because what they care about is their bottomline...profit.
When watching this video the only thing that passed through my mind was just how deceptive a lot of the pharmaceutical advertisements on TV really are. I think they said it best when they mentioned that the advertisements are obscure and that the only amount of risk information on adverse effects is viewed near the very end and is written out in extremely small writing that only people glued to the TV screen would be able to distinguish. They also made a good point by saying that pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars on advertising but in the long run they are so successful that they end of making a gross income of billions on simply one drug. These are shameful, but it's how they make money. I feel that people should just try to become more educated and make more intelligent choices.
To me drug companies are shameless. All they want to do is to sell their drug, even if it is not to the right patient. There are people who are more vulnerable than other that do fall for the adds and they believe they have al the symptoms described and that they should be on that drug. I agree with what was said in the video that the FDA should really do a better job at regulating what is advertised. It really is so special what that guy said, that back in the day no one knew the name of a drug unless it was prescribed to you, but now ask anyone and they can probably say more than 10. That is not how it should be, drugs should be advertised and sold like candy. ~Cami
What stuck out most to me in this video is that advertising works. The ONLY reason that companies spend millions on advertising their drugs is because it pays off when people ask for those drugs from their doctors, and many times end up receiving them. A few people in the video were quick to blame the government (the FDA), and although the government may have the power to make some drastic changes, I think we should put the blame a little more on ourselves - especially we educated people who are not naive enough to believe everything we hear on television.
Watching things like this is great because I'm able to learn a lot about the matter, but it usually also makes me upset. Hearing about how companies target those who are emotionally vulnerable just to make a buck is pretty disgusting. I'm not sure if the drug companies believe they're doing good, but they seem to be far more concerned with how to make a buck. People all over society and history have chosen money over mankind far too many times. The FDA should clearly step it up and get some sort of submission process for these advertisements. Companies could put anything in an ad just to sell it and the FDA can't make them take it back for months. It's one thing if an advertisement for an appliance misleads you, but the things pharm companies are selling can kill you in some cases. I'm surprised there isn't more restrictions or regulations, but as the video noted, many people in the government are profiting from the system. Just another case where money is blindly chosen over humanity.
I personally hate pills. I hate taking ibuprofen. and much less these damn pharm companies poking and prodding into peoples lives itching them to take these and telling them "if you want to be cured, i will need your wallet and car and house your dog." well those ass holes should be paying for the war and poverty and insurance. and I disagree that in order to get the pharm companies out of the way we would have to get the government on our side. The pharm companies are here because of the citizens of the U.S. we purchase them for self help, treatments, cures whatever. the fact of the matter is is that this boils down to a sheer matter of consumer provider relationship and without consumers there wouldnt be any providers.
The way drug companies advertise their drugs remind me a lot of the way cigarette companies advertise. Drug companies lure you in with attractive images and promises about what the drug can do for you. Direct consumer advertising is not helpful when it comes to our health. Instead of getting our information about what is most beneficial for us from trusted family physicians, we are getting it from drug companies who don't even know us. Why is it that we trust people with a marketing degree to tell us what kind of drugs we need? Shouldn't it be a liscensed physician who has developed a relationship with us around our health? Although direct consumer advertising can be helpful in some regards, such as making people potentially aware of things that can help them, i would argue that it does more harm than good. Currently the FDA needs to prove that a drug company is making a false claim, rather than the drug company proving their claim to be true. As a result drug companies have about a 4-6 month window where they can advertise anything they want before the FDA will be able to act action. Direct consumer advertising does much more to help drug companies than it does to help consumers.
Advertisement has been around for a while, but its use by drug companies is on the rise. The FDA is supposed to be regulating these advertisements, but they clearly don't do anything. Yes our government regulates everything, but they do a terrible job at it. Like they said in the video, by the time the FDA looks at their advertisement (if they even do), the advertisement has done its damage and is gone. I personally think the FDA is one of the more useless programs set up by the government. It is also bad the way they use certain techniques in their advertising to sell their product, but we are the consumers. They don't force us to buy their products. If people want companies to stop exploiting their drugs, then people need to stop buying them. It all comes down to money, as long as they are making money, they will keep marketing and selling their drugs.
It has become a remorseless fight to make as much profit as possible these days, and the drug companies are definitely at the top of the game. Watching a show on television will leave you with 5 different drugs you can ask your physician for, and this advertisement is obviously affective. People have no problem asking their doctors for medicine they saw on television because direct to consumer advertising misleads them, making so many people feel that they need a drug to live a better life. I think that regulations on commercials should be stricter than they are because the messages some drug commercials send out are misleading and provide enough information on the negative effects of drugs, but accentuate how "great" the consumers life will become if they but the perscription. It doesn't help that the professionals are being persuaded by drug companies as well. I think that pens, cups, and umbrellas are just as bad as the commercials.
Funny how the world is isn't it? The biggest thing in the US today is how can we make money. Yea there are get rich quick schemes out there that prove to work but its based on the drive to make money off those who don't really need to spend money in the first place. The medicalized society now is controlled more than every by manufacturing companies that strive to help improve the health of individuals. If you ever stay up past midnight you will see nothing but health ads and promotions. These ads are all about improving your health when in fact most of the things that you are lead to believe are incorrect or simply not proven to work as said. And the advertisement comes at society in so many ways. Car magazines will take about health solutions and if there is a sexy bod next to it then people a suckered into it. I know some people who were analyzed by a nutritionist and other doctors and found that they were on meds that they never really needed to take in the first place. The reason that they were taking the meds in the first place was that they saw an ad that could make life in some way easier and the ad told them to check with their doctor. The doctor then prescribes the meds because they see it as more money for them. Advertising has a big influence on peoples prerogative especially if it easy to get a hold of and makes the consumer look just like the stars.
It is really sad to think that the health care system in the United States or anywhere in the world is so controlled by money. I understand that everyone is out to make an easy buck, including doctors and big pharmaceutical companies, but it is ridiculous that money could decided what medication we are treated with and who gets to prescribe the medication. In situations like this, the doctor may be prescribing the medication but clearly it is the pharmaceutical companies that are in control. I am planning on becoming an oncologist and it is truly disturbing that people would put lives at risk, trying to sell medications that may not have the same benefits and more negative side effects just because they want to make more money.
41 comments:
Drug companies are using shameless techniques to draw consumers into buying their products. They use celebrities to promote the drug or flashy colorful ads to draw attention to the commercials that people would normally tune out. As we learned in class, patients are seeing the ads for these drugs on tv and are going to their doctor and requesting the drug. They are then prescribed the drug they went in asking for or they are at least given a different prescription that they may actually not need.
Blah Blah Blah... Pharmaceutical companies are just that, companies looking to make a profit. Is the FDA really slow or are they bombarded with so many different drugs they just can't keep up? Are the FDA regulations really in the best interest of people? The video reminded me of the insurance video we started watching in class.
As far as the celebrex reference - that is a complicated subject. Yes, clinical trials were not done adequately. But also, MD's should have realized the great risk of prescribing even ibuprofen to their patients. Giving them the dosage in those powerful NSAID's is even more dangerous.
There are so many things that are wrong and so many ways to approach this argument. I wonder what it is going to take for a real change to occur.
It seems crazy to me that in a society such as ours where everything is regulated that drug companies get away with this. The clip said that the FDA takes a about 4-6 months to do anything about misleading ads after they have been aired. So basically there is no point in reviewing them in the first place because by then the ad is off the air. The effectiveness of the ads is quite shocking as we learned in class that something like 85% of people get prescribed the medication they come in asking for. Sadly there is so much money in the business that drug companies can just pay off politicians from regulating them.
The psychological effects DTC ads have on people is astounding. For my research methods class I studied the frequency and type of DTC ads that ran in a 24-hour period and found that that there were just as many drug ads as those for food and cleaning products. Consummerism is king in the U.S. so obviously pharmaceutical companies are going to have a heavy hand in how people view their health status and how they interact with medical professionals. Though the FDA has revised a small amount of protocols for evaluating and approving drugs, they have spent little effort on regulating advertisements before they are released. The FDA has such a broad jurisdiction that it is being completely overwhelmed by the free market. There is no real regulation and as long as DTC ads continue to bring in profits the laws will remain lax.
This video reiterates what we have been learning in class about drug companies and the effects DTC advertising has on people. I enjoyed the clip as it directly attacking the FDA and pharmaceutical companies and shedding light on their irresponsible nature in the ads for their products. If we want to stop the increasing rise of medical issues and problems associated with new drugs the DTC advertising needs to be regulated. Right now it is too easy for drug companies to take advantage of the average consumer and subjugate them into buying a drug they may not need.
The affect direct to consumer advertising has on people is alarming. Things we see on TV can stick with us for a long time. In this video they referenced the super bowl and how millions of dollars are spent for a minute long commercial but obviously it works because my friends and I still talk about the Doritos commercials that aired last year during the super bowl.
When drug companies use effective advertising and grab a consumers attention they are going to remember it. I think there should be some kind of regulation for drug companies to have their advertisments reviewed before they are aired or published. If nothing is done they will continue to do what they have always done without any thought to the consequences that could occur.
I found this class discussion extremely interesting. I never had any idea that almost all other countries don’t allow drug companies to advertise on television. I guess it is just another example of how people with power (drug companies) normalize things in society (direct to consumer advertising). Now that I have been able to step back from this and observe what is going on I think it is very wrong. I do not believe the drug companies have the intentions that they are saying they do, to better educate their consumers. If they were so concerned with educating their consumers they would provide them with enough information at the proper education level in order to make a proper informed decision about their prescription medications. Let’s be honest, most of the information about risks that the companies are putting out there requires a medical degree to understand while the benefits are something an elementary school child could understand. It’s my belief that they are trying to blind side us and just make as much money as possible with only legal regards for the risks it places on our health.
Drug advertisments are very decieving and unfair to those who have no other way of being informed. Obviously people are going to remember a catchy song, phrase, or color, and the fact that the pharmaceutical companies leave out any complications is unfair. Patients are unaware of medications that they could be getting for a fraction of the price because they feel that the best things in the market are the ones they see on TV
A pharmacist in this video said that most people could "name 10 drugs off the top of their head". He is completely and totally correct, and sadly, I think the majority can name many more than that. This made me think back to the class where we were working in groups and were asked to list as many drug commercials as we could. In our group, and I am sure it was the same for most, we could have gone on forever with our list. This is a striking example of how drug companies have masterfully mainstreamed their products. We as a society are constantly assaulted with such advertising and unconsciously absorb the information. Whether because of a catchy tune, flashy graphics or memorable character, we can't help but retain what we have seen. The drug companies know they have us hook, line and sinker, and you better believe that they will continue unabated and unchecked until someone decides to stand up to them.
DTC advertising obviously has huge effects on our population. I have spent a lot of time shadowing PA's and there were so many times when people would come in asking for a certain drug. I won't lie I have done it before too, once I was taking one medication and I heard an advertisement for another that did the same thing and I asked my doctor about it because I wanted to know that I was taking the most effective one. I found out that the two were essentially the same thing. Like they point out in the video the reason that advertising is so expensive is because it works. Drug companies flood our magazines and TV commercials so we are constantly hearing it, it is almost a form of imprinting biomedicine into our brains. I was really surprised to learn in class that other countries do not allow drug advertising, I never even thought that might be the case because I am so accustom to it here. I think that there needs to be more regulation of advertising, risks need to be clear, active ingredients need to be stated clearly and if we do allow it there should be limited times when they can be played. For example I don't want my niece hearing about all these different drugs while she tries to watch cartoons.
I thought this video was interesting because it brings up the fact that pharmaceutical marketing is creating problems that stretch farther than simply making money by using commercials heavy with celebrities. The video brings up how pharmaceutical companies can buy their way into federal agencies like the FDA. It is kind of scary to think that companies can simply "buy" federal officials and departments and use them for monetary gain rather than the betterment of the public.
There needs to be more regulations and higher standards that drug companies must meet in order to advertise their medication. It seems obvious that pharmaceutical companies are only looking out for their best interest with little concern for their consumers. Why wouldn't they want to make as much money as they possibly could? This is why the FDA needs to set a higher level of standards to look out for the consumer. Drug advertisements lack the necessary information that people need to make informed decisions. This is why these ads need to be regulated and maybe not as many people would rush to the doctors and ask for certain medications.
The point of advertising is to grab the consumers attention. Advertisment companies get paid to find the best way to make people buy their products. Drug comapnies make their money with how much people are using their products. They will try and draw you in with songs, colors, pictures, ect in order to make you stop what you are doing and watch or read what they are saying to you. Advertisment companies for drugs also use a technique that makes you question whether or not you are in need of this drug..."are you always tired? are you feeling blue? are you always stressed out?" The everyday person has these feelings regardless if they are in need of medical attention or not, but its the advertisments that make you believe you need medical help.
The drug companies want to keep us stupid. They don't want doctors to advocate for their patients or patients to advocate for themselves unless, of course, it means asking for their drug. Yes, the FDA has to require certain warnigs in advertisements, but they have little control over what gets approved. This is a policy issue that needs to be changed by the government. We can help to make these changes by educating others about what we have learned and by lobbying for these changes at the local or state level. Even a small change will have a huge impact on the pharmaceutical profits. It's also a matter of supply and demand. If we stop demanding the drugs we see in advertisements, the supply and costs will too.
It is scary to think we live in a world were profit is the main goal. I think at some point those who decided to go into the health profession did so to help others (atleast I hope). However, at some point in time either the company forced them to or they on their own set aside the goal to help. It shifted to be all about the money. Growing up we are taught not to lie or deceive, but when we get older society has taught us that is how we get ahead. However, it is now affecting our health and the health of others. Drug companies have taken it a step further and are now risking people's health in order to gain a profit. It is amazing what people would do for a quick dollar.
The reason drug companies use direct to consumer ads is becasue it works. I know that after seeing an ad for food I am usually hungry even if I just ate, because ads stimulate our senses. We see these "important" celebrities saying that they use such drugs or ointments and we immediatly believe them because why would Mark Martin lie to us about Viagra? It works it shouldn't but it does and will continue to line the pockest of CEOs unless we can somehow change or brains and think for ourselves.
The point that really struck me from this clip was the fact that just a few years ago we probably wouldn't have been able to name one or two drugs, but today, with the role of advertising, we are able to name 10 right off the top or our heads. This speaks directly to the effect of direct to consumer advertising, although advertisements cost quite a bit of money, the companies selling the drugs are gaining such a profit, that it doesn't matter. Consumers of these drugs pay attention to the symptoms in order to find a reason for the way they feel, but often look past the harmful side effects such as heart attacks from drugs such as Vioxx. The drug companies honestly seem to just be looking for a way to make a quick buck instead of really thinking through what they are selling, and WHO they are selling to.
I was shocked when we learned that almost half (40-something%) of people who asked about a drug that has been DTC advertised recieved a perscription for that drug. I mean there are some people that really do benefit from these ads because they are able to get help for a serious problem. But I also know that the amount of people who diagnose themselves with everything that they see advertised is considerably higher than those who do need it. I love listening to or reading the side effects that are listed. Seasonique, the birth control that only gives you 4 periods a year? They say after that it may cause bleeding in between that is as much as a regular period. I was perscribed an anti-nausea medication that I no longer take - the side effects? Nausea and migranes. It seems to me that in many cases we pay the drug companies, put these things into our bodies, and the original problem may be considered a drug side-effect. That seems pretty useless to me.
Drug Companies are using techniques to get consumers to buy their products. They are using celebrities to draw people in, they are using certain colors to make people more into watching the commercial. These people are just asking for this drug because they saw a commercial of someone who is promoting it and they think it is going to help them. I don't think that people should just go off of what they see on tv.
Drug Companies are using techniques to get consumers to buy their products. They are using celebrities to draw people in, they are using certain colors to make people more into watching the commercial. These people are just asking for this drug because they saw a commercial of someone who is promoting it and they think it is going to help them. I don't think that people should just go off of what they see on tv.
This video shows what we have learned in recent classes about the way pharmaceutical companies play us. They will use anything they can and go to any length necessary to sell their product and make some money. I wish there was some way that everyone could learn the things we have learned through this class. I've become so much more knowledgeable and I feel now that I will be much less taken advantage of. I want to share this information and open everyone's eyes around me as well. Someone needs to make a public statement about this or something! GOSH! It seems so obvious now. This video shows that the drug companies are doing even worse damage than we talked about in class. It's pretty scary to think about what lengths they might go to next.
This video is another example of how awful our medical system has become. With DTC advertising it is too easy for pharmaceutical companies to influence the publics mind and causing many to feel the need to get the latest drug. They come out with ads and convince people to ask for them before we know the full effects of this drug. This video says it takes the FDA several months before they even look into cancelling ads, which is very dangerous because a drug could've already caused serious problems in alot of people by this time. Also it could be advertised before the doctor even knows of it but are prescribing it anyways. Its awful to think how much power these companies have when they are in fact a company, which is more concerned with making the biggest profit then the public's well being, which is opposite of what one of the top influences of our health system should be.
I think that it is ridiculous how much advertising the drug companies actually do and the fact that in these advertisements they say how great their drugs are but they never say all of the side effects to them. They are just out to make a profit and because of this they don't really care who takes their drugs nor what happens to them when they do. People see these advertisements on tv and they figure that it must be a great thing to take this drug and make their symptoms (whatever they may be) disappear, but the consumer doesn't realize that they are just buying into exactly what the drug company wants.
It is shocking to realize how easily we are manipulated by advertisment. We are socially lead to accept anything that is claimed to be supported by scientific evidence. We trust that the scietific method has been used to determine side effects, determining that the medicalization and technology are really the best solution for us. We also rely on TV and advertising to be truthful. In reality, the ads are not monitored by anyone until after they are on the air.
I cant believe when the guy said it takes almost 4 to 6 months for the FDA to approve a drug ad. If the drug has already been put out to the society whats the point in reviewing it after the fact? There even a birthcontrol commercial swhere it says right in the ad that the FDA wants us to clear up a few details, which means that the ad had been running for a while.
Another thing that shocked me was that a good percentage of people that go into a doctors office get prescribed the drug they asked for, some get a different drug, and others may even get both.
Direct to consumer Advertising uses a technique that many people relate to and they feed on individuals fears by vaguely explaining signs and symptoms. Therefore causing many people to believe that they have the disease or disorder which causes them to go to the doctor and ask for the medication. For example as stated in the video 10 years ago an individual could not name a drug unless they were being prescribed the medication. Back then individuals were getting diagnosed with things based on actual signs and symptoms and not based on what they heard in a drug commercial. It has changed since then, and many people are diagnosing themselves with disease and disorders.
This video is full of true facts. One of which is that advertising work. Whether or not a person really needs the medication or not by advertising the drug and the symptoms of some problem, people will start to believe in what they have and go spend their money on doctor appointments and buying a drug that could get prescribed to them. Continued thoughts to show how advertising works is that people couldn’t name any other drugs except for the ones that they were getting prescribed but now people can name ten or so different drugs just from watching the television or reading magazines and such. Another good point that was made is that medical companies can afford to advertising so it is not going to go away but that is has to me more strictly regulated.
This video couldn’t have been a more accurate portray of direct-consumer advertising in that these drug companies are tapping into the emotions of their audience and making them feel a need for their product. One way they do this is by diagnosing the patients through their adds and then encouraging them to talk to their doctor (who has already been hit up my pharmaceutical reps to push their drug) while in the meantime they miss the risk that are listed off quickly at the end of an advertisement. We are so concerned with fixing everything even if that means we are creating new diseases that we overlook the risk that we are taking in doing so. At what time will it be clear that our society is almost overly reliant on medicine.
DTC advertising is something that can benefit or harm the consumer, but in the end really benefits the drug companies. I think that even if the FDA had better control of everything that was being put in the ads consumers would still be asking for drugs whether they knew a specific name or not. We are a society that is very dependent on biomedicine and because of that we will always go right to a doctor to try to cure something with a drug.
I took two things from that video
1. I completely agree with the last point that we have to take responsibility. A drug company is going to do whatever it can do to make as much money as possible. If no one calls them on this then of course they are going to keep utilizing the same techniques, why not?, your making a boat load of money from them and no one is stepping up to call you on it.
2. I did not realize that commercials could air before they were viewed by the FDA. Now that it was mentioned I remember seeing many commercials that will come on and say something to the affect of, previous commercials may have been confusing or misleading and the FDA has asked us to clarify these points. However, as they said by the time these commercials come around the damage is already done, the image of the product is already marketed and these clarification ads will probably have little effect to overall revenue.
All in all this was an interesting video that brought up valid points, but we can sit around and complain and bring up as many valid points as we want. Until action is taken the pharmaceutical companies are going to keep doing the same thing because what they care about is their bottomline...profit.
When watching this video the only thing that passed through my mind was just how deceptive a lot of the pharmaceutical advertisements on TV really are. I think they said it best when they mentioned that the advertisements are obscure and that the only amount of risk information on adverse effects is viewed near the very end and is written out in extremely small writing that only people glued to the TV screen would be able to distinguish. They also made a good point by saying that pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars on advertising but in the long run they are so successful that they end of making a gross income of billions on simply one drug. These are shameful, but it's how they make money. I feel that people should just try to become more educated and make more intelligent choices.
To me drug companies are shameless. All they want to do is to sell their drug, even if it is not to the right patient. There are people who are more vulnerable than other that do fall for the adds and they believe they have al the symptoms described and that they should be on that drug. I agree with what was said in the video that the FDA should really do a better job at regulating what is advertised. It really is so special what that guy said, that back in the day no one knew the name of a drug unless it was prescribed to you, but now ask anyone and they can probably say more than 10. That is not how it should be, drugs should be advertised and sold like candy.
~Cami
What stuck out most to me in this video is that advertising works. The ONLY reason that companies spend millions on advertising their drugs is because it pays off when people ask for those drugs from their doctors, and many times end up receiving them. A few people in the video were quick to blame the government (the FDA), and although the government may have the power to make some drastic changes, I think we should put the blame a little more on ourselves - especially we educated people who are not naive enough to believe everything we hear on television.
Watching things like this is great because I'm able to learn a lot about the matter, but it usually also makes me upset. Hearing about how companies target those who are emotionally vulnerable just to make a buck is pretty disgusting. I'm not sure if the drug companies believe they're doing good, but they seem to be far more concerned with how to make a buck. People all over society and history have chosen money over mankind far too many times.
The FDA should clearly step it up and get some sort of submission process for these advertisements. Companies could put anything in an ad just to sell it and the FDA can't make them take it back for months. It's one thing if an advertisement for an appliance misleads you, but the things pharm companies are selling can kill you in some cases. I'm surprised there isn't more restrictions or regulations, but as the video noted, many people in the government are profiting from the system. Just another case where money is blindly chosen over humanity.
I personally hate pills. I hate taking ibuprofen. and much less these damn pharm companies poking and prodding into peoples lives itching them to take these and telling them "if you want to be cured, i will need your wallet and car and house your dog." well those ass holes should be paying for the war and poverty and insurance. and I disagree that in order to get the pharm companies out of the way we would have to get the government on our side. The pharm companies are here because of the citizens of the U.S. we purchase them for self help, treatments, cures whatever. the fact of the matter is is that this boils down to a sheer matter of consumer provider relationship and without consumers there wouldnt be any providers.
The way drug companies advertise their drugs remind me a lot of the way cigarette companies advertise. Drug companies lure you in with attractive images and promises about what the drug can do for you. Direct consumer advertising is not helpful when it comes to our health. Instead of getting our information about what is most beneficial for us from trusted family physicians, we are getting it from drug companies who don't even know us. Why is it that we trust people with a marketing degree to tell us what kind of drugs we need? Shouldn't it be a liscensed physician who has developed a relationship with us around our health? Although direct consumer advertising can be helpful in some regards, such as making people potentially aware of things that can help them, i would argue that it does more harm than good. Currently the FDA needs to prove that a drug company is making a false claim, rather than the drug company proving their claim to be true. As a result drug companies have about a 4-6 month window where they can advertise anything they want before the FDA will be able to act action. Direct consumer advertising does much more to help drug companies than it does to help consumers.
Advertisement has been around for a while, but its use by drug companies is on the rise. The FDA is supposed to be regulating these advertisements, but they clearly don't do anything. Yes our government regulates everything, but they do a terrible job at it. Like they said in the video, by the time the FDA looks at their advertisement (if they even do), the advertisement has done its damage and is gone. I personally think the FDA is one of the more useless programs set up by the government. It is also bad the way they use certain techniques in their advertising to sell their product, but we are the consumers. They don't force us to buy their products. If people want companies to stop exploiting their drugs, then people need to stop buying them. It all comes down to money, as long as they are making money, they will keep marketing and selling their drugs.
It has become a remorseless fight to make as much profit as possible these days, and the drug companies are definitely at the top of the game. Watching a show on television will leave you with 5 different drugs you can ask your physician for, and this advertisement is obviously affective. People have no problem asking their doctors for medicine they saw on television because direct to consumer advertising misleads them, making so many people feel that they need a drug to live a better life.
I think that regulations on commercials should be stricter than they are because the messages some drug commercials send out are misleading and provide enough information on the negative effects of drugs, but accentuate how "great" the consumers life will become if they but the perscription. It doesn't help that the professionals are being persuaded by drug companies as well.
I think that pens, cups, and umbrellas are just as bad as the commercials.
Funny how the world is isn't it? The biggest thing in the US today is how can we make money. Yea there are get rich quick schemes out there that prove to work but its based on the drive to make money off those who don't really need to spend money in the first place. The medicalized society now is controlled more than every by manufacturing companies that strive to help improve the health of individuals. If you ever stay up past midnight you will see nothing but health ads and promotions. These ads are all about improving your health when in fact most of the things that you are lead to believe are incorrect or simply not proven to work as said. And the advertisement comes at society in so many ways. Car magazines will take about health solutions and if there is a sexy bod next to it then people a suckered into it. I know some people who were analyzed by a nutritionist and other doctors and found that they were on meds that they never really needed to take in the first place. The reason that they were taking the meds in the first place was that they saw an ad that could make life in some way easier and the ad told them to check with their doctor. The doctor then prescribes the meds because they see it as more money for them. Advertising has a big influence on peoples prerogative especially if it easy to get a hold of and makes the consumer look just like the stars.
It is really sad to think that the health care system in the United States or anywhere in the world is so controlled by money. I understand that everyone is out to make an easy buck, including doctors and big pharmaceutical companies, but it is ridiculous that money could decided what medication we are treated with and who gets to prescribe the medication. In situations like this, the doctor may be prescribing the medication but clearly it is the pharmaceutical companies that are in control. I am planning on becoming an oncologist and it is truly disturbing that people would put lives at risk, trying to sell medications that may not have the same benefits and more negative side effects just because they want to make more money.
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