High Glossy and Flashy Advertising – Big Pharma Wants Your Attention

Medication cocktails and the ever changing ingredients in these cocktails is always an interesting topic of discussion. In an article he aptly titled “On the Rocks with a Twist of Lime,” Andy Behrman shared, “Over the years I have tried more than forty-five different medications to control my manic depression and side effects, and that during some periods I took more than twelve medications at once - sometimes totaling more than thirty pills and capsules throughout the day.”

Those who are just getting up to speed on bipolar disorder or pretty much any illness - mental or otherwise - may ask how on earth this could be possible. But the initiated know this is unfortunately the norm. Medications are simply not a one-size-fits-all. A prescription for one individual may work for years with little or no adverse effects; the same prescription for another person may bring no relief of symptoms or cause extreme adverse reactions. Drugs that once worked beautifully may cease to work.

Andy Behrman’s ongoing story is a perfect example of this. Following these many drug changes, Andy (also known as Electroboy) thought he finally found the perfect drug for himself when he had incredible results with Abilify. He was so thrilled with the results of this new medication that he even became a spokesman for Abilify. However, the reality of the medication rollercoaster soon took another downward twist as intolerable side effects set in.

And this brings us to the moral of the story … a cautionary note for each of us. The pharmaceutical industry is a business; the bottom line is always the motivation. Now I’m not completely jaded yet believing that big pharma is out to get us and I fully recognize that continued research and advancements need to be funded. But there is a downside to mass marketing of drugs to the general public. This is a lesson Andy has learned firsthand and in the next year, we can expect to see on shelves his expose Adventures in the Drug Trade: I Was a Big Pharma Pusher.

In speaking with Andy about his new book, I asked him about his thoughts on how we, as consumers that simply cannot function without pharmacological interventions, can find a balance in sifting through slick promises and unrealistic hope being broadcast into our lives through every media outlet available. Andy has really been demoralized by his personal experience and his response is telling, “I really don't think that consumers actually ever find a balance. I believe consumers just take what the company and the company sponsored doctors tell them to take. It's sad, but I have found that it's very true. This is what I learned as a spokesman.”

So are we all lemmings blindly following the one ahead of us over the cliff? Of course not! We are patients and consumers who desperately want balanced healthy lives. “[Ads] can be dangerous, because most patients don't know for sure that the advertised drug will be particularly helpful to them,” comments Trisha Torrey, the Patient Empowerment Guide. She advocates Using Drug Ads to Benefit Your Health and says, “When you see or hear an advertisement or commercial for a prescription drug that might help your symptoms, then think of the ad as a starting point for some of your own research.” ~ Kimberly