You’ve seen the commercials. A man who’s feeling
down takes a pill and is suddenly transformed into his old cheery
self. A woman runs through a meadow of flowers thanks to her new
allergy medicine. These sorts of ads for prescription medications
have become an inevitable hazard of watching television.
And they work. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation
study, one in eight Americans has received a specific prescription
in response to seeing a drug ad. There’s no question that
this is a coup for drug companies, but is there a downside for
patients? Maybe.
Five years ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
relaxed its standards governing such advertisements. In response,
pharmaceutical companies have unleashed a relentless barrage of
ads on the American consumer. In 2002 alone, the drug industry
spent upwards of $1 billion peddling its wares to television viewers.
In 2000, Merck spent more money promoting a single arthritis drug,
Vioxx, than PepsiCo spent on ads for Pepsi.
To protect consumers, the FDA does require drug
manufacturers to divulge information about side effects and list
a telephone number consumers can call for more information. Most
drug ads follow these rules. But their method for squeezing this
information in is questionable, at best. Most often, word of side
effects is accompanied by a stunning visual image that distracts
you. What’s worse is that most of these commercials divulge
only the most common and least significant side effects. Only the
most vigilant consumers will ever likely know the full range of
side effects associated with various drugs.
Does this mean you should disregard all drug ads?
Not necessarily, but there are several things you can do to make
sure you are making an informed decision and not simply being swayed
by advertising hype:
Ask your doctor and pharmacist how the drug will interact with
the other medications you are taking.
Do your own research – check medical reference guides, search
the Internet and check research at your local library.
If you do decide to take a drug, be on the lookout for signs and
symptoms of possible side effects, even things that might not
be listed as potential side effects of a particular medication.
Immediately alert your doctor to any possible side effects you
may be experiencing.
By law, drug manufacturers can be held liable
for injuries caused by a defective or unreasonably Dangerous
Drug Product, even if the manufacturer was unaware of the danger.
At The Rasansky Law Firm, we work to help victims who sought to
improve their health, but instead were injured by the very drugs
they relied on for relief.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to the
effects of a Dangerous Drug or
an Over The Counter Drug,
please contact the Rasansky Law Firm to look into your potential
claim.
