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Prescription Drug Advertising Essay

1624 Words7 Pages

Imagine going to the doctors and having them prescribe you every medication there is trying to relieve one 's symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, arthritis, wrinkles, headaches, chemotherapy,diabetes,erectile dysfunction, depression, fibromyalgia and pain. The United States and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. DTC has been legal in the United States since 1985; however, the advertising really took off in 1997 when the Food and Drug Administration relaxed the requirement that drug companies had to provide a detailed list of the drug’s side effects on the infomercials.These advertisements related to prescription drugs fill the air waves 24/7 and are targeted at the baby boomers that are now our older population. We have become tainted as a society to look for a quick fix to whatever ails us. Pharmaceutical advertising specifically targets the vulnerable and the elderly people, and these ads are written in a more technical manner above an eighth grade reading level that makes them difficult for the consumer to comprehend, and lures them to try new prescription drugs by stating “talk to your physician to try a free sample”. The elderly and the vulnerable segment of our population the ones that fall prey to the false promises the advertising avers. …show more content…

“Law enforcement and government officials are focused on the “war on drugs.” But illegal drugs are not the only problem society is facing. In today’s fast-paced, stress-filled world, millions are becoming increasingly dependent on prescription drugs. Often, people are looking for the “quick cure” for all ailments, from headaches to heart disease.” (Medicated). What they are referring to is that they are really not trying to help the problem of the prescription drugs epidemic, because if they were going to try to help it first things first they would have to get rid of all the advertisements on the TV for the prescription

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