Blasting Zone

Prescribed to Commercials

After watching an episode of Intervention on T.L.C. I was in awe at a young man who was addicted to oxycodone. Oxycodone is used to treat severe pain, and is in the opiate family of drugs and narcotics. Then I got to wondering how someone can get their hands on it so easily and better yet, do you think it’s because of all the advertisements on television that is to blame of this new prescription drug abuse issue we’ve been having? Well I decided to dive into some research and maybe figure out what is wrong with advertisements, and I guess our countries new mentality of prescription drugs.

According to www.chaada.org, 46% of Americans use a prescription drug every day. However according to www.abcnews.go.com, In 2006 Harvard’s Pharmacy program’s advertising budget hit a new record of $4.2 Billion. There is no doubt in my mind that people watching primetime television and see a commercial for some sort of pharmaceutical drug, and they see how the commercial glorifies the product so much, they think why not. So then they go their doctor and they get prescribed whatever drug they want. According to N.Y. Times, big drug companies are getting paid to prescribe their drugs. Now let’s take a step back and look at this whole situation. Prescription pills more often than not, have some-what harsh side effects. So another point The Times brought up is that the doctors prescribing these pills, gives the patient a higher susceptibility rate for a stroke or heart attack. So in a way, the pharm. Commercial, after pharm. Commercial on prime time television, is causing you harm in more ways than you think.

What people will do for money amazes me almost every single day. The top 10 pharmaceutical companies earn $352.5 billion dollars annually. As long as their making loads of money, what do they care? But wait, isn’t a pharm. supposed to give you medicine, and help you when you’re sick? In theory yes, but they have to make money as well, and I guess they don’t mind getting people hooked on their drugs that “help” them in the process.

The next time you watch a commercial for a drug, take a second thought and ask yourself, do I really need this? Most of the time the drugs do help whatever your ailment is. So keep that in mind as well.