Drug advertising of Cox-2 Inhibitors
Dear Editor:
News reports are being broadcast that the FDA is set to begin hearings on a class of pain killers known as Cox-2 inhibitors, which go by the brand names of Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra. These drugs have been widely touted on TV and in the print media as prescriptive miracle drugs that will relieve pain due to arthritis and other body aches. The advertising always tells the viewer or reader to “ask your doctor” about this medication.
The reason for the upcoming hearing is because recent double blind studies have shown that these medications have caused double and sometimes triple the incidence of heart attack, kidney failure, stroke, and heart failure. Vioxx has already been removed from drug store shelves.
The manufacturers and the medical establishment have now stated that the pain killing effect of these drugs is no greater than Tylenol, Aleve and Ibuprofen. Of course there is one major difference between the prescriptive drug and the over the counter medication, and that is cost. Cox-2 inhibitors cost the patient about $3 a day and the over the counter medications cost the patient pennies a day.
So why do patients go running to their doctor and ask for the medication? Advertising is the only answer. Remember, the public is told to “ask their doctor” if they should be taking Cox-2 inhibitors. Needless to say, this has created a huge market.
Most people would blame the advertising that pushes these pills (and others for various diseases), and they would be right, but only partially. To me, the major blame belongs to the physicians who write the prescriptions. Instead of using their good judgment and keeping the benefit of their patient in mind, including cost, they listen to the patient’s request and write that piece of paper. Makes one wonder who is making the decision to prescribe and what the drug company does for the doctor in return.
News reports are being broadcast that the FDA is set to begin hearings on a class of pain killers known as Cox-2 inhibitors, which go by the brand names of Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra. These drugs have been widely touted on TV and in the print media as prescriptive miracle drugs that will relieve pain due to arthritis and other body aches. The advertising always tells the viewer or reader to “ask your doctor” about this medication.
The reason for the upcoming hearing is because recent double blind studies have shown that these medications have caused double and sometimes triple the incidence of heart attack, kidney failure, stroke, and heart failure. Vioxx has already been removed from drug store shelves.
The manufacturers and the medical establishment have now stated that the pain killing effect of these drugs is no greater than Tylenol, Aleve and Ibuprofen. Of course there is one major difference between the prescriptive drug and the over the counter medication, and that is cost. Cox-2 inhibitors cost the patient about $3 a day and the over the counter medications cost the patient pennies a day.
So why do patients go running to their doctor and ask for the medication? Advertising is the only answer. Remember, the public is told to “ask their doctor” if they should be taking Cox-2 inhibitors. Needless to say, this has created a huge market.
Most people would blame the advertising that pushes these pills (and others for various diseases), and they would be right, but only partially. To me, the major blame belongs to the physicians who write the prescriptions. Instead of using their good judgment and keeping the benefit of their patient in mind, including cost, they listen to the patient’s request and write that piece of paper. Makes one wonder who is making the decision to prescribe and what the drug company does for the doctor in return.
posted by Sam Schoolsky | 9:02 PM
1 Comments:
Of course in Canada we do not allow pharma's to advertise prescription drugs. We can only hope that this regulation stays firmly in place.
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