Don’t let those drug companies manipulate you
Heartburn? Allergies? Atrial Fibrilation? Insomnia? These days there seems to be a drug to deal with any health challenge you face, and pharmaceutical companies are spending millions to entice you to buy their brands. TV, newspapers, magazines, web sites…. Prescription drug advertising is everywhere.
How simple it would be if we could just buy them without a prescription.
Be thankful that for most, we can’t.
Suppose your car tire goes flat on a bumpy road in a snowstorm. You exchange it with a temporary spare, but it needs to be replaced. At the store, you find a 12-inch, all-weather, all-terrain style tire, and it’s on sale! It seems perfect, so you purchase the tire and mount it on your car.
There’s one hitch. You didn’t realize your car requires a 15-inch tire. The moment you try driving on the new one, you will have to contend with a whole new host of problems you never anticipated.
And so it is with prescription drugs. Insisting your doctor give you exactly the brand you request may not be helpful. Reading an ad or watching a commercial doesn’t provide you with the information you need to make a good drug choice. You may be buying more problems than you’re fixing.
But there is a way to make that information work for you. Here’s how.
Advertising helps us with concepts. If you see an ad for a medication that addresses a health or medical problem you’ve experienced, regardless of whether it requires a prescription, then write down the name of the product and prepare to learn more about it.
Using the internet, the library, or in conversation with your trusted pharmacist, gather information about the drug’s indications (what it cures or what symptoms it relieves), its contraindications (conflicts with other medical problems you have, or food or other drugs that you may be taking that may conflict), and its possible side effects. Then do the same for similar and competing drugs.
Armed with your research results, visit your doctor. After exams and tests, explain what you’ve learned and ask his advice. He can help you understand your findings and ultimately the two of you can make the best choice for your body.
Don’t let those expensive advertisements manipulate you! But do use them to your best advantage, to learn about possibilities, improve your quality of life, and to foster a good relationship with your doctor.
If you or a family member needs help researching a new medication or understanding your options, ReAssured Advocacy can help. Call us today at 303-756-8436
Reprinted with permission from Trisha Torrey, Every Patient’s Advocate: www.EveryPatientsAdvocate.com
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