So I have an update on the protester. Seems a friend of a friend works at the law firm hired by the clinic to represent them when the protester sued. Apparently what happened was that the clinic offered/suggested a safer, more-up-to date procedure that this woman's husband declined. In writing. According to the clinic he was aware of possible side-effects, but decided to sign the waiver anyways and elected for the tacks.
The problem with the tacks/staples is that they can get snagged on muscle and cause incredible pain - and this is what was happening. She filed a lawsuit which was thrown out and she's been protesting ever since.
And ever since I learned this, her signs have been more along the lines of "What you don't know can hurt you."
Of course, now who do you believe? I dunno. That's when lawyers and people who work for the lawyers seem pretty sleezy to me. That's what got me thinking about pharmaceuticals. I used to work at a law firm and I have friends that are still secretaries there. One of the secretaries was having problems with a difficult coworker. She then went in about foot pain and told her doctor she was stressed about the coworker.
The doctor's solution? Antidepressants.
I told her she was crazy for taking them. She told me she didn't want to be labeled a "difficult patient" in her medical file. WTF - since when does a second opinion get you labeled a "difficult patient." She was also told by one of the lawyers she worked with that women were better medicated.
Yeah, big ol' WTF moment.
I'm so glad my sister decided not to be a pharmaceutical rep. After hearing what she was reading, most pharmaceutical ads make me nauseous if I think about them too much. I like the Rozerem beaver but there's no way I'd take that crap.
So I saw this:
Every pharma team I've worked with says, “Oh, we gotta dumb it down for the physician.” You mean the person who’s had generally 12 more years of college than I have? Yep. He a idiot too.
Sometimes he is. Generally speaking the doctor will get his information from the pharmaceutical rep and because so many medicines come out so quickly they don't have the time to do the research, sometimes the patient will be more informed of the drug they're asking about than the doctor. Oh, and your insurance is paying for only like 15 minutes max with the doctor... so hurry up and ask and have the nice long discussion the commercial tells you to.
Yeah it's messed up. I'd like to know what kind of perks my nurse practitioner is getting for pushing Yaz®.
Disclaimer: My opinions on the pharmaceutical industry and lawyers are my own and you can take them or leave them.
Lemmee clear my throat y'all.
What I mean by that is when you're dealing with pharma, it's one metaphor layed on top of another. In that case, that's where it should be simplified. Too often, the ad tries to do too much with so many messages of 'power' strength' or 'control,' and anyone, docs included, will get confused by that.
That's where I say they're smart. Tell 'em one message, one time. They 'get it.'
What they end up doing though is the opposite.
I'm even confused now.
Ah, I see your point (and agree with it). I went someplace completely different when I read that.