Someone gets it – we need to ban DTC ads.
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But I really do have restless leg syndrome!
Yes. DTC advertising for non-over the counter medications should be banned.
“Ask your doctor!”
Your attitude seems to assume that every doctor is familiar with every drug that could possibly help a patient. No human being could possibly achieve that. I’m a 20-year Crohn’s patient, and I discovered a drug that was vastly better than one I had been using (no throwing up every time I took it!) via an ad. I have encountered a few doctors who just admit “I’m not familiar with that drug.” I end up helping to familiarize them with it, and they don’t have a problem prescribing it after that. We’re not all too stupid to use the info from drug advertising wisely. Until you can assure me that every doctor knows every drug option for every patient, don’t say I’m too dumb to deserve access to that kind of information.
I have a love-hate relationship with the DTC ads. There are doctors who haven’t been fully informed about a new medication (where is the drug rep??) or who haven’t been aggressive enough in researching new treatments. Alternatively, when you have the patient who comes in and thinks he has every disease he sees – it’s a problem. But I’m sure providers have been trying to dispell disabuse people of their odd notions since the beginning of time.
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