Pharmaceutical advertising: How is it a game changer for Big Pharma?

It is nearly impossible for you to sit down to watch your favorite television program or open up your favorite magazine and not be bombarded with numerous ads for various “essential drugs” that you should ask your doctor for.

After years in the medical field and being showered with enticements from the drug reps that would frequent our office, my better self began to take over, and an uncomfortable feeling prevailed. Thus, began my desire to exit my chosen profession. Being inundated with manipulative data on a daily basis was overwhelming to say the least.

Then, along came the “Physician Payment Sunshine Act” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Pharmaceutical and medical device companies offering any product covered by Medicare or Medicaid now had to report all payments made to physicians for consulting, research, speaking engagements, travel and entertainment so the government could post the information on a website available to the general public. For those of us who were sick of being coerced by the pharmaceutical industry it was a blessing in disguise.

With limited access to medical providers, Big Pharma had to come up with a different plan of attack. As you can plainly see from the charts below they decided to go straight to the consumers. Coming straight into your home through TV and magazine advertising. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America states, “ The ads are useful for informing patients about their treatment options and prodding them to take control of chronic conditions, rather than waiting until their symptoms flare into a health emergency.” They even go so far as to use “animated characters” in their commercials to speak to those that they may feel are “uneducated”, that way they reach ALL the masses.

After reviewing the information in the charts below, it is no wonder why medication costs so much. The United States and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world where direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is legal. One must wonder why that is the case, could it be that Pharmaceutical lobbyists work overtime in the government?

Besides encouraging the consumer to “ask your doctor for these essential drugs”, could the direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs limit the liability of the Big Pharma? After all, you were warned of all the side effects and life threatening consequences taking their wonderful drugs. Their ads are literally everywhere and unless you live in a bubble it is nearly impossible to avoid seeing them.

I have a few suggestions that might help though:

1. Limit your daily “PROGRAMMING” on the TV, after they don’t call it programming for nothing.
2. If you do have a favorite show, DVR or record it so you can fast forward through the commercials.
3. Write your Senators and Congressman or Congresswomen and tell them enough is enough and join the majority of the world in banning the direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs.
4. If your favorite magazine is full of drug related ads, write the editor of the magazine.

As far as my history with Medicine and the Pharmaceutical companies all I can say it is better late than never. I am just glad I woke up!