"Only two countries permit DTC drug ads — the U.S. and New Zealand. Every other nation has concluded that its unwise and irresponsible to pitch potentially dangerous meds to people lacking the medical training to make smart decisions. Better to have patients discuss such things directly with their physicians."
However the last line brings up what is also a deeper issue in the current US healthcare system, all levels of health providers have this incredible pressure to spend less time with patients and this has been escalating for decades. The current profit-focused system (and this applies to most not-for-profit health systems as well because most are still driven by profit) makes it very difficult to spend appropriate time educating especially when that medication may very well not be appropriate.
The recent 'patient is always right' push by health systems, driven by Medicare reimbursement rates, also puts additional pressure on MD's to prescribe even when not appropriate for that patient. Advertising drugs on TV exacerbate this as well.
LA Times Source: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-drugadvertisi...
Curious though that it’s only US and NZ that allow this. Healthcare must be vastly different than the American system. I wonder what their rationale is..
US FDA approval process is the highest in the world, but drug costs are also much higher here than other countries, which the above article also covers and may contribute.
Drug companies use, and even in some cases rely on the over-prescription of medication to fuel profits. This is a great in-depth piece by HuffPost (I was as surprised as you at the Huffpost part) on how Johnson&Johnson illegally marketed Risperdal to fuel profits: https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/miracleindustry/americas...
And there is evidence a scenario much similar to the above is currently occurring with Adderall: https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a32858/drugging-of-the...
Hope you also find these interesting.
I don’t see how any reform is possible when the Big Pharma is so entrenched and invested in keeping the nation medicated and in debt.
My immediate thoughts(before reading the articles): Who benefits from a healthy populace and work force? Everyone is healthy enough to work and also sick enough to be the reliable constant consumer of Big Pharma.
2. I didn’t get the part about vaccination/SJWs. Can you elaborate?