The first time I saw one of those long prescription drug advertisements that have become so common, I was horrified. And years later, I’m still horrified every time I see one. I feel like I’m living in a Twilight Zone when I see them. I say to myself, “This must be illegal. Someone has to stop this.” If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, they go something like this.
“Do you have trouble with sweaty palms? Try dermatraxerol.”
Then it cuts to people playing with children in a beautiful playground. Everyone is super happy. Then everyone bursts into song, and a couple of the happiest people turn to the camera and give a joyful testimony about how they used to suffer from sweaty palms, but now they are wonderfully dry after trying the once-a-week injection of dermatraxerol.
Then even more people turn to the camera and say that their lives have brought them into a whole new realm of joy since their sweaty palms have stopped…all thanks to this wonder-drug.
While the families are now playing some sort of wonderful ball game, a serious voice discloses some possible side effects. These may include stroke, heart attack, heart failure, blood clots, suicidal thoughts, severe depression, liver failure, kidney failure, blindness, paralysis, seizures, serious infections, life-threatening allergic reactions, internal bleeding, and severe breathing problems.
Then, to show you how much they really care about you and your health, they tell you to see your doctor if you have any concerns or questions. This is because the doctor knows everything about all the new drugs on the market. Actually, no. Doctors aren’t superhuman. They are ordinary people who have problems of their own. One of my doctors had serious health problems, and another tragically died of a heart attack.
Whenever I see these slimy advertisements, I ask myself what sort of crazy, naive person would take these drugs without concern about horrific side effects? And I don’t have to think too long to find the answer. The world is made up of thoughtless people who drink alcohol and smoke tobacco with no concern for the deadly side effects. They text and drive. They drink and drive. They step onto the road without looking both ways. They are the risk takers who end up saying, “I never thought this would happen to me,” as they lie on their deathbed.
So why haven’t these advertisements been stopped? Probably because they line so many pockets. The government doesn’t protest because they get billions of dollars in tax revenue. The television networks aren’t going to stop because advertisements are a massive source of income. And of course, the pharmaceutical companies make billions every year.
It all comes back to the Bible. It’s always right. The love of money is the root of all evil.
Simple.
