Do you remember when drug companies started advertising their products on television? I do. It wasn’t that long ago and once it started it was like a tidal wave. How did we possibly survive before all of this got started? Most commercials are short and sweet. A few select pictures and a few choice phrases and that’s it. Not with drug commercials. They are almost like a miniseries with lots of walking, hiking, jogging and salad eating. You’ll never see a Big Mac and fries in these ads but for some reason dogs are often included. While the visual part of the commercial has its specific subliminal messages the audio part always warns of all of the possible side effects which for some reason are always considerable.
If you’re sixty years old or more you are probably taking some sort of medication on your doctor’s advice. This is one reason people are living longer and you must assume some risk when you take these drugs. If the benefits outweigh the risk, this medication is probably right for you unless there’s a problem. Most heart attacks and strokes are confined to people in the fifty to sixty plus age range even without medication. So, if this happens to you while you’re taking a new drug, who knows what truly caused it. To get the most bang for their advertising bucks, drug makers advertise drugs that are intended for daily use for the rest of your life.
Medical doctors treat their patients with medication and that’s why they are called M.D.’s. There is no acupuncture, adjustments or holistic solutions. It’s pretty much drugs combined with diet, exercise, lifestyle and rest if you’re sick or injured. You can’t be a medical doctor without prescribing medications. Drug companies have a product that they can’t sell without a doctor’s prescription and doctors do not manufacture or sell medications. Every ad states that this is not for everyone and you must consult with your doctor.
Drug companies have thousands of medications to sell but they never advertise the cheap stuff and every drug must be approved by the FDA. Usually, the longer a drug has been prescribed the safer it is but only the new stuff is being advertised. Some drugs are very good at treating what ails you but sometimes unforeseen side effects show up later and the product must be discontinued. I’ve actually seen drug commercials with the following commercial offering to sue from taking the same medication. New prescription drugs are good for patients, the drug companies and for law firms. They also give doctors several options when treating patients. Doctors know more about medications than the drug companies, so why do we need TV ads?
Medications along with lifestyle changes are the key to living a long healthy life and I doubt if this will ever change. So, remember to eat plenty of salads, do lots of walking and hiking with your dog and always consult with your doctor about your medications.
