How Americans got stuck with endless drug ads

And what they're doing to our health.

[LydiaKelso]

As an Australian when I watched tv in America the first thing that shocked me was seeing ads for prescription drugs. The second thing that shocked me was their idea of "world news"

[kikyo]

I live in Canada, and we get a few American channels that show American commercials, and hoo-boy, you can tell very quickly when you're watching an American channel just from the commercials alone. In the same commercial break, I saw a commercial for a prescription drug, and then a couple of ads later I saw a call for a class action lawsuit for people or family members of people who had been harmed or killed by the drug I just saw an ad for. Absolutely bonkers.

[uvbe]

As an European, I find it hilarious when I watch american TV and in a drug commercial they say the side effects, more if one of them is death, because everything looks so happy while they are saying horrible things.

[liamdavis]

As a Brit, this is a very alien thing to see.

[AssasinSniperman]

drug commercials in a nutshell
sick/depressed person
person shows drug
person talks to doctor
happy family compilation
catch line
side effects: Death

[Guardian_]

*turns on tv*
"My doctor"
*Goes back to youtube*

[Penminfire]

The problem is that the ads aren't designed to 'educate' people, they are designed to get people to buy their product, which often requires *misinformation* rather than *education*. If you want to educate people about Public Health, great, the government should buy advertising time in networks. We don't leave academic education to the private sector, why should we let it 'educate' the people on education.

[Phorfish]

Why are people hating this channel? They don't clickbait, they're good at editing and commentating and information is sourced and interesting.

[lol-zbto]

my favorite thing about these commercials is when they show the sick/depressed person being all happy around their family/friends while someone lists all 10000 side effects of the drug that include suicidal thoughts or death

[TimBradleyFromOz]

Well made, but not great journalism. Presenting "both sides" neutrally lead to dangerous assumptions.
The fact is that the US is about 5% of the world population, but consumes about 75% of the World's prescription drugs, is the most expensive country for healthcare and yet still has among the worst health outcomes of any industrialised country.
I have got to think this plays a part in that.

[kingwong]

When I was young, I always thought the USA is a lovely country to stay. As I get older, it is clear to me that the average Americans just didn't have the basic needs satisfied. Minimum wage, healthcare,
Capitalism, gov bails out failed companies etc.

[altrogeruvah]

When I was living in the US, I was a bit baffled by commercials spending three times the time explaining the side-effects of a drug than its main benefits, let alone, by the unreasonable amount of consecutive drug ads. Funny thing is: I went to CVS to get a cortisone-based nasal spray I used to buy in my home country and they told me "Oh, it's illegal here in the US." (legal anywhere else in the world) The US is a strange country, it's like they purposely try to do the exact opposite of what other sovereign nations do.

[diegoraigoza]

Television commercial: "Do you feel different from when you were younger? Less energy? A weaker sex drive? Take Alegra today!"

American: "Yeah I'm definitely less of a person than I was in my 20s"

2 days later

American: "Iv really felt OUT of it Doctor! Ever since my 20s I have just had less energy and it's been harder to do everyday activities. I can't even stay in shape anymore. Also my sex drive has diminished! Prescribe me Alegra."

Doctor: "You seem to have all the right symptoms. More drugs for you!"

Pharmaceutical Company: Chu Ching!

[AnnieBelle]

My mom works at a pharmacy. So many people get excessive medications-- for some, nearly 30 different ones for one person, all for different things. Many don't know what they're taking/what it's for. Mom went to the doctor yesterday for the flu, and the doctor asked her "okay, now what do you want?" Do doctors have no standard with what/how often they prescribe?

[pramitbanerjee]

Spending millions on advertising, marketing, instead of spending that amount on research and development

[neikoo]

In sweden we only advertise safe tested medication against headaches and fever (and stuff against a soar throat) but we dont advertise medication that has moderat to serious side effects nor anything that helps with depression or anxiety as that is highly illegal

[kaystephan]

Here in Germany the advertisements we see are only for prescription free drugs. In these cases the ad just states "For risks and side effects, read the package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist" and that's it. Cause they have to list all of those risks and side effects on that piece of paper and pharmacists and doctors have to know about it.

[genbabez]

I wish I had a dollar for every prescription drug commercial I've seen this in my life time... I could probably buy a car

[WulfLovelace]

How about no commercials for the drugs themselves, but more commercials about the diseases themselves?

[ZOOTSUITBEATNICK]

I worked in advertising for 38 years...McDonalds, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Gibson and Epiphone Guitars, Moog Synthesizers, Mercury Records, etc.
My last 8 years were in pharma advertising.
imo
In general, pharma advertising is a bigger scam than most other advertising
imo