Question on medicine advertisements

[Tyga11]

Do people actually watch these medicine commercials and say to their doctor 'I saw a commercial for Lipitor, I want that!'

Why would anyone ask for specific medications when there could be something that would work better?

[TheWatchGuy]

its not so much that they will go in and ask for the drug they saw on TV, although that does happen, its more so they can hear the side affects and go "i have that" and then go in and get prescribed it.

[2000cs]

I never have, and my wife never has. I think the ads are more about confirming for the patient (keeping them on it, helping them feel good about being on it) than they are about getting them to try it. Also puts the side effects out there, which might limit potential liability, especially among those that “didn’t read it”.

[Finn Germai-Yaz]

Pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of money on advertising. It's probably working since you created a thread on it.

[vreihen16]

In all seriousness, my health insurance company seems to exclude every TV medicine from their approved formulary. It took two of my doctors teaming up from different practices to get the "death panel" to approve Farxiga...and even that took months. Their idea to prescribe it, not me asking about it.....

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

Do people actually watch these medicine commercials and say to their doctor 'I saw a commercial for Lipitor, I want that!'

Why would anyone ask for specific medications when there could be something that would work better?

Go watch later season reruns of "The Big Bang Theory" and watch Penny's career. I'm sure that the producers would have been sued up the wazoo if there wasn't some truth to their portrayals.....

[upstatedoc]

@MKSixer probably has some insight here

[MKSixer]

Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. The research and focus groups done to put them together is exacting, expensive. One company I worked for engaged in a $113MM campaign for a relatively esoteric product in the metabolic space. It was an utter flop because the product was too involved to understand in a 30 second, 1 or 2 minute commercial. We should have engaged in a more sophisticated press strategy. I would have paid greater dividends at a fraction of the cost.

Everyone who chimed in is a little bit right and a little bit incorrect. The commercials work and they ABSOLUTELY drive patients into the offices like you wouldn't believe. They can irritate the crap out of doctors who don't really like their decisions questioned.

Awesome discussion.

Cheers-mk

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

In all seriousness, my health insurance company seems to exclude every TV medicine from their approved formulary. It took two of my doctors teaming up from different practices to get the "death panel" to approve Farxiga...and even that took months. Their idea to prescribe it, not me asking about it.....

This is a completely different issue. There are specialists in pharma and biotech companies who have the unenviable job of interfacing with Managed Care Organizations. I've held this role a couple of times. They can also help patients and physicians get products reimbursed. I had to engage one last week for an adverse event my gf had.

The funny thing was that even though I was in Tampa 700 miles from where I live, I knew who the specialist was at the physicians office. Pharma is a small world.

[Tyga11]

It's almost like some people read a thread and feel the need to comment when it makes 0 sense lol. Thanks MKSixer for being the only one to contribute value!

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

It's almost like some people read a thread and feel the need to comment when it makes 0 sense lol. Thanks MKSixer for being the only one to contribute value!

There are a few other pearls here. You just have to dig deeply to see them.

[ASAP]

Fun fact - tv ads for prescription medications are legal in only 2 countries

[sygazelle]

No, I don't watch them. Skipping this crap is one of the most important uses of the fast forward button.

There are only two countries that allow these TV ads direct to consumers; The US and New Zealand.

For those who live in countries other that the US and New Zealand, consider yourself lucky you don't have to listen to endless pharmaceutical commercials. A typical one minute spots airs with 30 seconds promoting some new weird-named drug, pitching generic symptoms, and asking the viewers to ask their doctors about the drug. In the other 30 seconds, a speed talker reads and endless stream of possible side effect ranging from dizziness to heart attack, stroke, and bleeding from the anal orifice. A commercial break can include multiple of these horrendous ads.

The money big pharma pours into these endless commercials is paid for by skyrocketing drug prices. Year after year, these ads keep coming at us in record numbers, pushing the dwindling number commercial station viewers to cut their cables and use streaming services instead.


I'm sure I'm being short sighted about this and these ads do somebody some good, but for me its a hard no. I would never make a doctors appointment to ask about one of these drugs.

[MsGoGoMoto]

Anyone notice over the last 35 years how the side effects list on TV medicine ads grew exponentially!?
It's a blanket lawsuit avoidance list of the worst things that can happen. I'll lose my uterus, left boob, get cancer, crap myself all day, pee blood, get attacked by little brown bats bats after 800pm, get pregnant at 50, have a 3rd mid life crisis, want to scream in the woods at dead people, crave pool water, and dance in a kiddie pool of jelly beans.
And..
Space Aliens, can't forget about those guys.
Space Alien lives matter.

[RickFLM4]

I find it interesting that every such commercial lists diarrhea as a potential side effect. And then I remember one that could cause suicidal thoughts that could worsen if you stop taking it. WTF!!!

Only thing those commercials do for me is make me hope I never need them.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I find it interesting that every such commercial lists diarrhea as a potential side effect. And then I remember one that could cause suicidal thoughts that could worsen if you stop taking it. WTF!!!

Only thing those commercials do for me is make me hope I never need them.

Fun Fact: In the original Allegra PI, Gunshot Wound was listed as a potential adverse event because someone in the trial was shot. If it happens to a study patient, it must be listed.

[1MOREMOD]

Lies

[2000cs]

Ads can have a lot of audiences, and purposes. These are some, not mutually exclusive for pharma ads:

Docs and other prescribers: push sales
Patients: pull sales, confirm use as good, inform side effects
Judges and potential jurors: limit liability because of prior disclosure of side effects
Regulators: demonstrate compliance
Legislators: no need to regulate drug prices because, see, we make them affordable to those who need
Investors: we have these cool new therapies so you should buy or hold our stock
General Public: aren’t we good guys, we make life improving drugs and keep them affordable
Employees: We’re really proud of the work you do and the things you’ve accomplished. Ain’t this a great place to work and be associated with?
Sales Reps: something to refer to (as seen on TV!) and reinforces their messages

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Fun Fact: In the original Allegra PI, Gunshot Wound was listed as a potential adverse event because someone in the trial was shot. If it happens to a study patient, it must be listed.

Big pharma is legal drug pushing on an epic scale. It is incredible to me that these companies cannot be stopped.

Next, they will introduce a drug that will mellow out the minds of people who hate these companies and their f'king TV commercials.

They are poisoning the citizens one day at a time and raping their wallets at the same time.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Big pharma is legal drug pushing on an epic scale. It is incredible to me that these companies cannot be stopped.

Next, they will introduce a drug that will mellow out the minds of people who hate these companies and their f'king TV commercials.

They are poisoning the citizens one day at a time and raping their wallets at the same time.

I think this may be a little hyperbolic...

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

It's almost like some people read a thread and feel the need to comment when it makes 0 sense lol. Thanks MKSixer for being the only one to contribute value!

This certainly wanes my desire to want to reply in any capacity. Yes, thank you MKSixer for being the only intellect to contribute in such a worthwhile thread. I'd also like to add that you are posting in the off topic section. People start threads and other people reply with their thoughts. My sincerest of smart ass apologies that people do not reply in a manner which is in accordance of your expectation. When you are able to determine how to ask questions and not be disappointed with the answers you receive, please let me know; I've been searching for years now.

I'll participate anyway and actually answer your statement question. Yes, people do actually go their Dr. and ask for specific meds based off what they saw on TV. The reason people do this is because they are sheep, advertising works and people are idiots.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by King Rudi

This certainly wanes my desire to want to reply in any capacity. Yes, thank you MKSixer for being the only intellect to contribute in such a worthwhile thread. I'd also like to add that you are posting in the off topic section. People start threads and other people reply with their thoughts. My sincerest of smart ass apologies that people do not reply in a manner which is in accordance of your expectation. When you are able to determine how to ask questions and not be disappointed with the answers you receive, please let me know; I've been searching for years now.

I'll participate anyway and actually answer your statement question. Yes, people do actually go their Dr. and ask for specific meds based off what they saw on TV. The reason people do this is because they are sheep, advertising works and people are idiots.

I fully understand what you mean and applaud your restraint. We all have our strengths and opportunity areas. If you want to experience real frustration please jog on over to the Formula One section. You will be treated to the most interesting propaganda ever seen. It makes this and much of OT look tame and civil by comparison.