Will someone please explain

[Raven]

these pharm. ads where they advertise some drug but don't tell you what it is or what it is for and tell you to ask your Doc to give it to you!? What is this??? The ad is usually of some guy or woman bouncing around looking very happy. I can't figure out if it's for constipation, impotence or what. What am I missing here?

[rucky]

1. The FTC Sez...

...okay, you wanna advertise your new wonder drug? you have two options:

1) Say what the drug is approved for, BUT you must list all the side-effects, warnings, contrindications, etc in a disclaimer that usually lasts longer than the ad itself. (may cause painful rectal itching, etc)

2) Not say anything about it, except "ask your doctor about the pink and purple polka-dotted pill." And hopefully one can assume that if there are elderly people or midgets featured in the ad, that that population is the target audience for that particular drug.

[Skittles]

3. ha ha, PAINFUL RECTAL ITCHING

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Skittles]

2. well, Raven

most likely they are drugs for depression which is a very serious illness. However, these pharm companies make a buttload of money overcharging for all their drugs so instead of treating it like a serious illness, the ads target people who are simply unhappy and convince them to tell their doctor they are DEPRESSED. That's why way, WAY too many people on anti-depressants and very FEW of them know THESE DRUGS ALTER THE CHEMISTRY IN YOUR BRAIN.

[greatauntoftriplets]

8. Claritin was introduced with similar advertising.

I kept asking the TV or magazine: "WTF is the damned drug for????"

[MaineDem]

4. I mentioned this the other day

The one that got me ws the Vioxx ad with the guy going out to dig clams. Not once do they say what the drug is for ... just go ask your doc for it.

I think it's horrible!

[Raven]

5. Amazing! This probably adds a couple of hundred dollars

to my monthly health insurance premium. This is absurd! Why don't our good democratic reps do something about this? I'm going to write Kennedy and Kerry. We all should bitch about this because we are paying for it!

[MaineDem]

6. I totally agree with you!

Thanks for reminding me. I'll write to my Senators, too.

[Raven]

7. We have to do this or

nothing will ever be right!

[Duncan Grant]

9. Have you seen the Frontline episode on prescription drugs?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/other/

Please see link and click on #4) Marketing Drugs - The Debate.

This was a great program and it spent a lot of time addressing those TV commercials for mystery drugs (Nexium, etc.).

P.S. I haven't seen anything advertised for 'food coma' though ;)

[LynneSin]

10. There's another secret for the add

The pharma companies will buy 2 ad spots back to back. The one will not tell what the pill is for but show happy-go-lucky people who are happy-go-lucky because they take a certain pill. Name given but no use for the pill since they don't want to be talking about side effects while the happy-go-lucky people are doing their thing.

Then a few spots later they'll talk about the pill again, but this time you get a clue what the drug is and all that side affect crap.

Selling a product with negativity in it doesn't sell - best to keep the 2 seperate.

BTW, Vioxx is arthritis medication (someone else posted it). Also good for dental pain and menstrual cramps. I swear by the stuff, but only because it's a strong painkiller that doesn't give you all those goofy side effects that more powerful narcotics might give you. I had root canal and that's all I took. Went to work right afterwards and had no pain. I think Vioxx will be over the counter in a few more years.