Have you ever seen prescription drug commercials on a smart phone, tablet, laptop or television? It’s hard NOT to. They have proliferated like wildfire on a parched plain. If Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is confirmed as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, we might see some changes.
He has proposed cutting back, if not banning outright, the barrage of prescription drug ads on TV. There will be huge resistance to such an effort. The powerful pharmaceutical industry has come to rely on this marketing strategy. It reaches both patients and prescribers. Media are also likely to object to losing a a huge source of income.
Does Everyone Need Drugs?
If space aliens suddenly landed in the U.S. and connected to our commercials, they would assume that Americans are unbelievably sick. There’s Skyrizi for ulcerative colitis or plaque psoriasis. Rinvoq is advertised for eczema and rheumatoid arthritis, Jardiance has a catchy jingle for treating type 2 diabetes as does Ozempic.
Have you ever noticed how much fun people have once they start taking the advertised medication for their challenging conditions? This reader says enough already!
Are Drug Commercials Misleading?
Q. Drug ads on TV aimed at consumers are misleading. I was diagnosed with highly aggressive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). My feet, ankles, knees and wrists are most affected.
The ads for meds to help RA sufferers show unhappy, miserable people unable to do ‘fun’ things. Then after they take the advertised med, suddenly happy people are running around doing all kinds of things with their hands and feet.
Take my word for it: true RA victims could not engage in these activities with such energy. I consider this false advertising. For my RA, I take methotrexate and a powerful intravenous biologic.
A. We agree that most prescription drug commercials emphasize the benefits and downplay the risks. The visual images of people having fun distract viewers from the list of often serious side effects such as fatal infections, lymphoma or heart failure.
The Humira TV Commercials:
Don’t believe us, take a look at this Humira commercial for rheumatoid arthritis.
In the opening scene we see a rooster crowing with the voice over telling you “this is your wakeup call.”
The announcer then goes on to scare people with RA:
“the clock is ticking on irreversible joint damage. Ongoing pain and stiffness are signs of joint erosion. Humira can help stop the clock.”
Then you begin to hear about side effects. As the announcer mentions:
“Humira can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious and sometimes fatal infections including tuberculosis and cancers including lymphoma have happened as have blood, liver and nervous system problems. Serious allergic reactions and new or worsening heart failure.”
While the side effect information is being read you see people being active and smiling. They are doing yoga or playing with a soccer ball. The scene ends with women running on a beach as the sun is setting.
What About Those Really Scary Side Effects?
The companies and their ad agencies have figured out how to get around FDA requirements to disclose some really scary side effects. They do this by creating commercials that are full of appealing distractions.
A relatively new antipsychotic drug is being advertised as an add-on treatment for hard-to-treat depression. Rexulti (brexipiprazole) is also approved for treating schizophrenia and agitation associated with Alzheimer disease.
Here is the side effect information provided in one television commercial for treating depression:
“Rexulti can cause serious side effects. Elderly dementia patients have an increased risk of death or stroke. Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and actions and worsen depression in children and young adults. Report new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts or feelings, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions. Report fever, stiff muscles and confusion, which can be life threatening or uncontrolled muscle movements which may be permanent. High blood sugar which can lead to coma or death, weight gain, increased cholesterol, low white blood cells, unusual urges, dizziness on standing, falls, seizures, trouble swallowing, or sleepiness may occur.”
The text that appears on the screen warns:
“These are not all of the side effects.”
While listening to this long and alarming list, we are watching a woman celebrate her dog’s birthday with dog treats galore, special balloons and decorations and a bone-shaped cake. Her family arrives with a cute child and lots of smiles all around. Of course, the Corgi is a distracting presence at the center of the scene.
Distracting by Smiling:
Drug companies have perfected the art of distraction. Most drug commercials have a long list of scary side effects. The best way to divert attention from words like cancer, confusion, stroke, coma or death is to show people having fun and smiling.
Next time the announcer starts reciting side effects start counting smiles. Here’s our take on the smile distraction strategy:
Do NOT Trust People Smiling During Drug Commercials
Catchy Tunes and Earworms:
Have you ever heard the term “earworm”? It’s when a tune get’s stuck in your head and is hard to dislodge. As mentioned previously, the Jardiance commercial for type 2 diabetes has a very catchy song.
Here is the Jardiance jingle:
- “I have type 2 diabetes, but I manage it well.
- “It’s a little pill with a big story to tell…
- “Jardiance is really swell
- The little pill with a big story to tell”
Ads for Trelegy to treat COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) use a catchy tune reminiscent of the Jackson 5 song “ABC.”
Singing, dancing, smiling, dogs, children and exciting action serve to distract the viewer from the obligatory list of worrisome drug side effects.
The Slow Turkey Commercials!
One of the most amazing series of commercials involved turkeys doing some very un-turkey-like things! The catch phrase was:
“It’s tough to quit smoking cold turkey. So Chantix can help you quit slow turkey.”
See for yourself by clicking on any of these commercials and tell us you are not distracted by the strong visual images of the turkey doing its human-like activities.
“Paddle Board Turkey”
“Camping Turkey”
“Cold Turkey”
Is the FDA About to Clamp Down on Distorted Drug Commercials?
We have shared what a lot of people think about prescription drug ads with the FDA. We urged people to fight back!
Are Prescription Drug Ads on TV Driving You Crazy?
Some people at the FDA may have been listening. The agency has developed guidelines for television drug commercials. The new rules are supposed to reduce distraction during the presentation of drug risks.
In addition, these ads are supposed to use simple, consumer-friendly language. Unlike many current commercials, the adverse reaction summary should not be recited more rapidly than the promotional part of the ad.
Will the New Administration Shake Things UP?
As mentioned at the start of this article, if Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is approved as the head of Health and Human Services, he will have oversight of the Food and Drug Administration. Mr. Kennedy has stated his desire to eliminate TV drug ads.
Dr. Martin (Marty) Makary is a renowned surgeon at John Hopkins University. He has been a guest on our radio show a number of times.
- Show 1400: Exposing Blind Spots: Unmasking the Myths of Modern Medicine
- Show # 1250 Antimicrobial Resistant Infections Could Be the Next Pandemic
- Show # 934: What Are Hospitals Trying to Hide
Dr. Makary points out that many beliefs and medical practices are based on dogma rather than data. Hence the title of his latest book, Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong and What it Means for Our Health.
If Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Dr. Makary team up to restrict or eliminate prescription drug ads, many of our readers would cheer this move.
The pharmaceutical and television industries are likely to fight tooth and nail to keep these lucrative ads alive. They will doubtless cite the First Amendment free-speech clause to keep the commercials coming.
Congress will undoubtedly be deluged with messages from lobbyists representing these powerful interests. If you are fed up with drug commercials on television, you might want to let your legislators know your feelings before they get swamped by pressure from lobbyists and contributions from drug companies.
PS: Do you also dislike ads on websites like ours? We do not blame you. We wish we did not have to have any ads on www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Unfortunately, we cannot maintain this website without some revenue to offset the costs of bringing you an independent perspective on prescription drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements and home remedies. But we do have an option for you that would eliminate all ads. If you go to this link, you can browse our site ad-free by making a modest donation ($5/month). That’s the price of a fancy cup of coffee.
Please consider supporting our work by going ad-free. While you are at it, why not share this article and encourage your friends to sign up for our newsletter. It’s free and is a labor of love. Terry and I have been writing for 50+ years. It is getting harder and harder to be read and seen since drug companies control so much of what you read on the web and see on television. Thank you for your support.
