Comments on: Pharmaceutical TV ads

By: Serris

Serris — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:55:54 +0000

THIS

By: Pwnpitar

Pwnpitar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:32:20 +0000

i saw an ad for some sleep medication
side effects may include RISK OF SUICIDE!
WTF?!

By: T.R.

T.R. — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:35:43 +0000

Warning: Side effects may include Lung-quakes, DIS (Dissolving Intestinal Syndrome), Rectal Hallucinations, and Mild Heart-Explosions.

By: DubbLE_TaiLZ

DubbLE_TaiLZ — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:58:46 +0000

OMG it’s true! That maykez it funnie.

By: Sparrowbane

Sparrowbane — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:03:26 +0000

I’ll take my psoriasis-free skin with a side of heart failure please.

By: GraphitE

GraphitE — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Um…I don’t really think it’s the Viagra that creates the “delayed back ache”…*snicker*

By: GraphitE

GraphitE — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:24:26 +0000

Hey! I started doing that too.

By: Nerd Judge

Nerd Judge — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:01:16 +0000

I would concur that the herpes treatments have the most non-informative commercials.

I would be interested in talking to the people in charge of the marketing for these drugs (does anyone remember this starting with commercials of guys dancing with women and playing football and ending with an announcer saying only, “Ask your doctor if Rogaine is right for you . . . ” and it was another two years or more before anyone besides 40-something men knew what Rogaine did?).

Why EVERY side effect and research result? Why skip over what it’s for? Why, if I’m supposed to ask my doctor if it’s right for me, do you bother telling me that if I have certain stomach conditions it might cause impotence? Can’t my doctor explain that? Do I need to hear all this? Can I get back to watching Friends?

By: the_original_shortright

the_original_shortright — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:46:49 +0000

the odd thing is that they’re advertising enbrel (that’s the drug you’re talking about) as a drug for psoriasis… when in trials it’s proven to be much more effective against genetically pre-disposed conditions in which the body attacks itself (see spondylitis type diseases). it’s an immuno-suppressant which is why you face the life threatening infections and TB, but to get on the drug in the first place you go through about 6 months of intensive screening including eye exams, TB tests and various other tests to determine whether you’re in good health. the drug is an immuno-suppressant because it is a protein inhibitor… basically your body will create a ton of proteins that will cause problems but your immune system protects the proteins, recognizing them as something made within the body and therefore “good”. by turning off the immune system the drug can get rid of these proteins making you healthier but also more susceptible to illness and infection.
/insufferable-know-it-all.

By: the_original_shortright

the_original_shortright — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:39:29 +0000

but if it lasts longer than 4 hours they must immediately call their doctor…

By: dissimilitude

dissimilitude — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:17:35 +0000

They’ve left out the slice for “couples inexplicably sitting in separate bathtubs outdoors…”

By: dolt

dolt — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:38:38 +0000

well laughter is the best medicine, that’s why we’ve evolved to find people hurting themselves funny

By: dolt

dolt — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:35:06 +0000

err… yes we do for cough syrups and stuff, no long list of side affects but all claiming to be the best non-presciption drug for whatever it is

By: dolt

dolt — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:31:29 +0000

yes but then you need the origional medicine to cure the side-effects of the second medicine, and so begins an endless cycle of buying drugs from which the pharmacists become very rich and you become very poor.

bloody capitalism

By: TheLori

TheLori — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:24:27 +0000

Indeed…like the one on TV for skin conditions…that causes tuberculosis and deadly infections. In most cases I’d rather be sick then have the cure if I gotta go through all those side effects…

By: Leah

Leah — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 06:04:11 +0000

Thanks for saying what I was going to say so I didn’t have to take the effort and actually type it up.

I mean, hey, I’m annoyed by these commercials too, but it’s the LAW for them to tell consumers all the side-effects and stuff, otherwise people will get all self-righteous and sue the pants off of the drug companies when things start to go wrong. Sure, it’s annoying, but it’s what they have to do. And if they don’t show happy smiling people…what else are they supposed to show?

By: Katillac

Katillac — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:59:10 +0000

But yours is iffy.

I’ll give PSC a call instead.

By: Destin

Destin — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:57:53 +0000

HeadOn! Apply directly to the forehead!

By: PornStoreChick

PornStoreChick — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:50:55 +0000

I sell things for that..

By: PornStoreChick

PornStoreChick — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:49:43 +0000

Very good

By: ludditeandroid

ludditeandroid — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:56:47 +0000

Conversely, blue could be “$100/month drugs that are almost exactly the same as a drug that just went generic for $10, but you should TELL your doctor you need this expensive one”, yellow could be “$1000/month drugs that most insurances don’t cover, and we’re fishing for the patients with the right coverage”, and that tiny, tiny sliver of red is, “drugs that are actually unique, new, life-saving innovations that warrant an advertisement”.

Okay, that’s a mouthful, but as a pharmacy tech I can tell you that’s exactly what 99% of drug ads aimed at the general public are.

By: hoshi

hoshi — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:44:06 +0000

it’s well over a minute. i haven’t timed the commercial, but i’m fairly certain it’s at least two minutes long. bleh!

By: devilwoman

devilwoman — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:03:34 +0000

i agree! i’d never use that drug because of the minute long side effect warning on that damn commercial!

By: Mr. e

Mr. e — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:50:14 +0000

they have big, cheesy grins because they’ve had an erection for 4 hours!

By: google

google — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:36:51 +0000

well… its not even different …
Look at the previous Sarah Palin graph … thats different …

By: P.

P. — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:54:33 +0000

That would be a side effect, warning, or disclaimer.

By: Onikun

Onikun — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:37:20 +0000

Wasn’t bitching, just found it humorous.

It’s the internet. Bitching is overrated.

By: blah

blah — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:10:54 +0000

That was fantastic. I actually laughed out loud.

By: o

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:49:46 +0000

Very false, it should be life altering side effects like loss of penis with a very slim bit

By: derpty derp

derpty derp — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:46:09 +0000

Doesn’t anyone have Tivo? I haven’t watched a commercial willingly in four years.

By: Serge

Serge — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:37:22 +0000

What the drug actually does? It makes $$$$ to the shair holders!

By: hoshi

hoshi — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:36:27 +0000

a while back there was a drug commercial that had me COMPLETELY clueless. after watching it a few hundred times i finally looked it up online, and it was for herpes or something.

you never would have guess that from the advertisement. @_@

By: hoshi

hoshi — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:33:09 +0000

omg, i completely agree. >_< i’ve gotten to the point where i hit “mute” or change the channel when one comes on. if i try to sit through it i become homicidal.

By: Roh

Roh — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:28:55 +0000

In clinical trials, two percent of patients reported an eight percent increase in overall function while taking NewDrug™ over placebo. Side effects may include diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, confusion, insomnia, dizziness, upset stomach, tingling in the hands and feet, coma or death. If you experience any of these conditions, discontinue taking NewDrug™ and notify your healthcare provider immediately. Tell your doctor at the first sign of any unexplained weakness or muscle pain as these may be signs of a serious life-threatening condition. Women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant should not ingest or handle NewDrug™ because of the risk of a specific birth defect. NewDrug™ may be habit-forming, so talk to your doctor about a plan that’s right for you.

You’re worth it. Don’t let your condition get the better of you. Talk to your doctor about adding NewDrug™ today!

By: Disser

Disser — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:14:37 +0000

Sorry, I was talking to Onikun.

By: Disser

Disser — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:14:13 +0000

Stop your bitching and make a better comment, then! I haven’t seen anything great from you yet!

By: Lllll.

Lllll. — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:22:55 +0000

…four hours…hmm…sounds like you need a stiffy…

By: Points Out The Obvious

Points Out The Obvious — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:15:47 +0000

At least it’s an original graph. The only pie charts that should be banned are those all-too-common murphy’s law ones, and the bar graphs of the same thing. I say BRAVO to this graph for being original and creative.

By: Katillac

Katillac — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:33:08 +0000

If my laughter persists for more than four hours, should I consult a physician or comedian? Or an emo to bring me down?

By: Abigail Andrew

Abigail Andrew — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:56:47 +0000

You forgot older men with younger wives wandering around molesting each other!

By: Nulono

Nulono — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:51:43 +0000

Actually, they can’t market directly. That’s why they have to say “Ask your doctor if ___ex is right for you!”.

By: Katillac

Katillac — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:04:38 +0000

This thread has been right for me. It gave me some good laughs. I needed that. One great thing about that is there are very few negative side effects of laughter.

By: jam2go

jam2go — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:42:02 +0000

lol, this is so true, except you forgot
-tell your doctor if xxxx is right for you

By: Jerry

Jerry — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:56:59 +0000

I believe there’s a FDA requirement that if they tell you what it does, then they also have to explain the adverse side effects. Since the marketing dept doesn’t think that talking about how this drug will make you throw up, destroy your liver and make your junk fall off presents a good image, they found a workaround for the law. Don’t say what it does (good or bad), just show happy people walking around and tell people to ask their doctor if their product is right for you. And when your doctor says that that drug isn’t right for you because it cures prostate cancer and girls don’t have prostates to get cancer in, tell him to write you a prescription anyway because hey, happy people take this stuff.

By: crazykitteh

crazykitteh — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:31:42 +0000

That come with more warnings. No pun intended.

By: Lllll.

Lllll. — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:19:09 +0000

…Aaaaiiiiieeeee!…

By: BrotherLove

BrotherLove — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:12:41 +0000

Take Emoticon-AD for occasional overactive emoticon use. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, and decrease in self-esteem. Do not take Emoticon-AD if you are driving or operating heavy machinery. In rare cases, FAIL has been observed.

By: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:08:29 +0000

Amen to that!

By: Lllll.

Lllll. — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:06:27 +0000

…uh…I didn’t add that emoticon up there…uh…FAIL!!!…

By: Lllll.

Lllll. — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:04:25 +0000

…When you look in the mirror does your silhouette appear flat and have ‘jaggies’ just like the in videogames?…Well then you should ask your doctor about ‘Adnauseam’…( scroll pictures of personality test from Alan J. Pakula’s Parallax View ) Ask your doctor if ‘Adnauseam’ is right for you…( scroll more banal pictures of hope and insanity ) Side-effects may include ( display list of all current nonfatal failings of human body plus a few extra for good measure and in rare and currently unimportant legal cases taking ‘Adnauseam’ may result in death…Ask your HMO which is right for you…( cue ‘Danger Zone’ by Kenny Loggins )…rootkit…