"Ask Your Perscriber" about AmienCR

[ancientone51]

Does any one else find the tag line of "ask your perscriber" about AmbienCR as a bit creepy?

I always thought your "perscriber" was more commonly known as a Doctor.

I'm not even sure there is such a term as prescriber. (See the fact that it shows up with a red line in spell check.)

I am very aware, through hubby's medical needs, that there are some in a doctor's office who may be authorized, in certain situations to renew an Rx.

But the way this commercial sounds, you can talk to your perscriber without going through a doctor.

Which is really creepy when they get around to the side effects.

Just my late night, beer infused rant. Feel free to discuss.

 

[Kestra]

Well, it's actually "prescriber" but I'm not sure that's a word either. Also there's clearly some dark magic going on here because an Ambien commercial came on as soon as I read this thread.

Anyway, they probably picked the term based on some research or something.

 

[Amaris]

I don't like the term because to me it turns Doctors into drug pushers.


J.

 

[JonathonWally]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think big pharma advertising their drugs is bullshit and should be against the law.


I'd bet dollars to donuts that they used market research and group studies and it showed that using the term "prescriber" instead of "doctor" makes the drug sound more over the countery as opposed to some kind of serious medicine so more people would be inclined to take it casually.

Our culture is seriously over-medicating itself.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

And it's stupid that drug companies are allowed to get around the rule (that forbids them from advertising directly to consumers) by just tacking on the 'ask your doctor about...' line. It's a bullshit loophole and should be closed immediately.

 

[JonathonWally]

And it's stupid that drug companies are allowed to get around the rule (that forbids them from advertising directly to consumers) by just tacking on the 'ask your doctor about...' line. It's a bullshit loophole and should be closed immediately.

Ever wonder why some drug commercials don't even say what the drug actually does?

It's because there's a law that states that if they say what the drug does, they must, MUST list all the side effects and complications.

abilify

30 seconds to list all the side-effects and dangers of that drug.

 

[ancientone51]

Kestra you are right, and prescriber still gets the red line in spell check.

I agree...I've always found the pharmaceutical adds to be suspect...there is a reason you need a doctor, they've done the study to know what drugs to recommend...an enough of them may be influenced as it is by the freebies the companies hand out.

But to have the layperson start to recommend drugs to take based upon a slick add, not a good idea imho. I figure if someone knows a drug based upon personal experience with it or friend or family member, then there maybe room for discussion. Or if the patient has done the homework through reputable sources.

But it still needs to be a Doctor who writs script, not some PC name dreamed up by the people who line their pockets by selling the drugs.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Also there's clearly some dark magic going on here because an Ambien commercial came on as soon as I read this thread.

That happened to me too. Ambien is watching us.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

And it's stupid that drug companies are allowed to get around the rule (that forbids them from advertising directly to consumers) by just tacking on the 'ask your doctor about...' line. It's a bullshit loophole and should be closed immediately.

Ever wonder why some drug commercials don't even say what the drug actually does?

It's because there's a law that states that if they say what the drug does, they must, MUST list all the side effects and complications.

Possibly including side effects which have nothing to do with the actual drug being tested and which showed up in a test subject for some other reason.

 

[Trekker4747]

And it's stupid that drug companies are allowed to get around the rule (that forbids them from advertising directly to consumers) by just tacking on the 'ask your doctor about...' line. It's a bullshit loophole and should be closed immediately.

Ever wonder why some drug commercials don't even say what the drug actually does?

It's because there's a law that states that if they say what the drug does, they must, MUST list all the side effects and complications.

Possibly including side effects which have nothing to do with the actual drug being tested and which showed up in a test subject for some other reason.

Perhaps, but drug studies are pretty serious business and if someone seems to suffer an abnormality it has to be listed as a side-effect. It's a "better safe than sorry" thing.

I think drug companies advertising directly to the end-user is stupid and wrong and doesn't make a lick of sense. My doctor should tell ME why I need a medication not the other way around.

With the already high costs of UTC medications and the expense of making a commercial and buying time on TV to run it, how much cheaper prescription drugs could be if they were not allowed to advertise.

Several years ago it was said that cigarette compaines could not advertise on TV. I think it's time to do the same for UTC medications.

 

[Gertch]

I don't like the term because to me it turns Doctors into drug pushers.


J.

Oops, you're not supposed to say that out loud.

I agree with JonathonWally that commercials shouldn't be allowed. Doctors have complained that people come in demanding certain meds because they saw the commercial.

 

[JAG]

I too hate the commercials. I always took the prescriber line to mean, doctor/nurse-practitioner.

 

[SPOCKED]

Seems like there are hundreds of these "ask your doctor if _________ is right for you" info-verts these days I can only imagine the deluge of requests these health care providers have to face because of them. "Uh, excuse me Dr. House - Channel 42 suggested I ask you if Big Hard Boniva™ could fix my sex life..."

 

[Chaos Descending]

Well, they are already starting to limit the ways in which Big Pharma can influence medical decision making.

For example, it used to be common for PharmaCos to spam doctor's offices with all sorts of free pens, coffee cups, and so forth with the new wonder drug of the week's logo. My wife would always be bringing some home from work. Now, that practice is no longer permitted.

I would not be one bit surprised if the TV spots get banned too before long.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

drug studies are pretty serious business and if someone seems to suffer an abnormality it has to be listed as a side-effect. It's a "better safe than sorry" thing.

But if people start avoiding drugs that they may need, for fear of side effects that they will probably not actually suffer, then where's the good in that?

 

[Kryton]

This thread makes me sleepy.

 

[Ohappydagger]

I too hate the commercials. I always took the prescriber line to mean, doctor/nurse-practitioner.

Yep, that's why they say "prescriber". It includes non-doctors with prescribing privileges, such as NPs. In some parts of the US I think psychologists can prescribe certain types of meds too.

 

[Kryton]

A psychiatrist is qualified to prescribe drugs. A psychologist is, in most states anyway, not.

 

[cultcross]

Commercials for prescription meds was always one of my favourite 'quirks' of American TV. I remember one of the first things I saw on American TV was an ad for some prescription blood pressure meds, I remember laughing at the fact that side-effects and complications bit took longer than the actual ad. I don't even get the point - i assume you see the ad, get taken in, then go rough up your doctor to give you them. Surely that completely defeats the point of prescription?

 

[trampledamage]

And it's stupid that drug companies are allowed to get around the rule (that forbids them from advertising directly to consumers) by just tacking on the 'ask your doctor about...' line. It's a bullshit loophole and should be closed immediately.

Ever wonder why some drug commercials don't even say what the drug actually does?

It's because there's a law that states that if they say what the drug does, they must, MUST list all the side effects and complications.

abilify

30 seconds to list all the side-effects and dangers of that drug.

Oh is that why? It was so bizarre watching the ads when I was on holiday in Colorado a few years ago. I'd get to the end of the advert and I'd be like "so what does it do?"