A patient is fed up with DTC ads

Good for her – finally, patients are starting to speak out against drug advertising:

No, I am not a doctor, and neither are most people, and I believe it is unconscionable for drug manufactures to advertise; to push their products to non-medically-trained persons. This policy ““ this gimmick ““ sets patients up to undermine treatment plans that their doctors have chosen after careful study and thorough knowledge of the patient. People should not be encouraged to believe that they know better than doctors regarding how to treat their symptoms. Such unfounded confidence in one’s medical knowledge has come about because untrained persons are being bombarded with slick ads by drug pushers companies.

This setting up; this encouragement; of conflict between doctors and patients is unethical and potentially very harmful. I thought so the first time I saw one of the brand-pushing ads, and now I only feel more strongly so. None of the cleverly-worded disclaimers makes me feel any more comfortable about an advertising practice that encourages non-medical persons to believe that they know and understand more than they really do; that gives people the idea of doing battle with medical doctors in order to get what they want and think they need.

Prev
Next