The argument for and against partially or wholly socialized medicine in the United States is a hot one; There are lots of reasons for it, and only the Rebublican's fear of Commie Cossack as an argument against it. However, the ultimate reason to give way to socialized medicine is it will also abolish a place in society for prescription drug advertisements. These need to stop.
As a Canadian, I never see prescription drug ads on stations like CBC or CTV or what have you. Why? Because Canada is a socialist paradise compared to our neighbors to the south. There's no need to push drugs on TV here, because we don't have to be suckered into buying them. In the states, however, it seems daytime television is watched only by the uneducated and the severely, monstrously ill. Every commercial break during The Price is Right is for some pill for erectile dysfunction or free scooters. I've always had a tenuous relationship with these ads before, but I saw something recently that just blew my mind.
This seems like a pretty standard asthma medication ad at first glance, but did you catch that odd bit? The part where one of the listed side-effects is a GREATER RISK OF ASTHMA-RELATED DEATH? To me, that's when I go back to the drawing board, if the medicine I'm making for a specific illness has the unfortunate side effect of increasing the risk of dying from from that malady.
She says it in such a callous way, too. She sounds so chipper about the fact that this could kill you from what you're using it to alleviate. Obviously she's been paid well. Though that's not so uncommon, talking about side effects worse than the disease in such a calming tone. What do these people think? I know they have to list the side effects, but do they think people will ignore side effects like "greater risk of asthma-related death" if it's said in a pleasing tone? Or, here's a novel idea; don't put drugs on the market with that many side effects, especially ones that are worse than, or, in this case, can cause death from the disease?
If this isn't a good reason to provide socialized health care, then I don't know what is.
- Silent G
