Posted by madeline on October 7, 2006, at 6:44:40
In reply to Oprah show on Suicide, posted by cecilia on October 6, 2006, at 5:07:56
I really don't have any problem with direct drug advertising to the consumer.
I think it is a valuable source of information to the patient and tends to open dialogue between the physician and patient.
It also indicates that the patient has a say in what might be the best therapy for them.
I mean, let's be honest here, the drug companies advertise directly to the physicians, provide all sorts of incentives for prescribing a certain drug AND reward physicians for their prescribing of a certain drug. Often, patients don't even know that there are options out there.
Advertising helps to remove this realm of secrecy by directly alerting the patient that there may be a different course of treatment that hasn't been considered.
It isn't as though we can pop into the local pharmacy and pick up a hundred cymbalta without a prescription. It requires talking to a doctor, and usually that it is a very very good thing for patients.
Now, direct advertising assumes a responsible patient, one that won't go "doctor shopping" just to get a particular drug (even though that might be a GOOD thing if the physician won't discuss it) and it also assumes a responsible physician (one that won't just prescribe anything). But overall, anything that gets doctors talking to their patients and vice versa is a good thing.
poster:madeline
thread:692317
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20061005/msgs/692648.html