306 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 88 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
General News    H1'ed 3/3/23

How Consumer Drug Ads Gaslight Us

By       (Page 1 of 3 pages)   3 comments

Martha Rosenberg
Message Martha Rosenberg
Become a Fan
  (84 fans)

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug ads have been accused of giving dual and confusing messages and even being "bipolar." Even as viewers see rainbows, sunsets, puppies and smiling grandparents, the audio cautions that the advertised drug may cause allergic reactions, severe infections, brain bleeds, seizures and more including death. Will the drugs make us better or kill us? Do you have the sound on or off?


(Image by Martha Rosenberg)   Details   DMCA

And there are other ways DTC ads gaslight us. Sometimes an ad broadcasts information that completely contradicts what the ad just said, making us doubt our own perceptions and memory.

Consider the highly advertised drug Ibrance, intended to treat post-menopausal women and men with metastatic breast cancer""breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Among the string of warnings on Ibrance radio ads is the caution that the post-menopausal women and men using the drug should not "get pregnant." What? Are we hearing that right?

Then there is a new radio ad for a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a type of drug to reduce excessive acid in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Many in the medical community say the "disease" of GERD has been churned by drug makers to sell PPIs and that "heart burn" is usually linked to eating too much, eating the wrong foods and eating too fast""not "GERD."

But of course there is no money for drug makers when people are healthy and eating right; some even suggest there is a morbid interplay between Big Food whose marketing is behind so much obesity, heart disease and diabetes and Big Pharma who makes drugs for same. PPIs are so over-marketed, they are even given to babies to stop them spitting up!

The new PPI radio ad starts with a woman saying she takes the drug every day and experiences no heartburn""she is all better! Sounds great unless you hear the warning at the end of the ad that the PPI should "should be taken for no more than 14 days. If your symptoms have not improved after 14 days, let your provider know." Wait? The woman takes the GERD preparation every day but it should be used for no more than 14 days? Are we being gaslit?

Nor does the radio spot mention the many side effects that can occur from GERD meds mentions such as

Allergic reactions

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Valuable 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Martha Rosenberg Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Martha Rosenberg is an award-winning investigative public health reporter who covers the food, drug and gun industries. Her first book, Born With A Junk Food Deficiency: How Flaks, Quacks and Hacks Pimp The Public Health, is distributed by (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter

Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Grassley Investigates Lilly/WebMD link Reported by Washington Post

The Drug Store in Your Tap Water

It's the Cymbalta Stupid

Are You Sure You're Not Psychotic Asks Shameless Drug Company?

MRSA and More. Antibiotics Linked to Obesity and Allergies, Too

Another Poorly Regulated "Derivative"--the Antidepressant Pristiq

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend