Posted by AKC on June 20, 2001, at 21:41:23
In reply to Drug company advertising to patients, posted by Jane D on June 20, 2001, at 19:55:57
I'll probably get in trouble for something I will say here, but here goes!
I have always had mixed emotions about drug advertising. I have to agree with some of the points that were raised by some of the doctors you quoted. Some ads do raise awareness and lower stigma. But other ads appear to be there for no other purpose but pure profit. (Here comes the comment I should leave out). For instance - how many ads do we really need for Viagra! While I say that, I also have to admit, drug companies are for-profit companies - and it does take money to do other research. It has always been one big puzzle. Where the line should be drawn regarding this has always been fuzzy.
However, I don't find the doctors who complain about patients' demands for certain drugs too credible. A doctor, even in the time demand of managed care, should be willing to sit down with his or her patient and fully explain why a particular med is not appropriate when a patient is "demanding" it. Doesn't matter if the patient learned about it from an ad on TV, in a magazine, from a friend, on Psycho-Babble, etc. The solution to the doctor's problem is not doing away with the ads - the ads is not the problem.
My two cents, for whatever it is worth.
poster:AKC
thread:67287
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010618/msgs/67300.html