Today is Sunday; and, as is my pattern, I watched the morning program called “Sunday Morning.” I like it and its moderator, Charles Osgood, because they remind me of the kind of television show I’ve always liked best: the variety hour.
But this essay isn’t about variety shows. Rather it’s about the commercials that paid for “Sunday Morning.” As I ironed (a mindless task on the par of watching television), I decided to take notes regarding the commercials. It seemed like another mindless thing to do.
By the end of the hour and a half that “Sunday Morning” occupies, I’d come to the conclusion that we are a nation of hypochondriacs. Either that or we are suckers for allowing pharmaceutical companies to invade our lives, promise us nirvana, and make big bucks in the deal. If we took all the commercials in that hour and a half seriously, here is a composite of what the traditional American would look like:
We would need a sleep aid to get a good night’s rest. (Read Ambien® here.) Then we would need a soothing aid for our esophagus because we’d been neglectful of its tender nature. (Read Nexium ® here.) We’d also need a calcium supplement (Caltrate®) and a fiber supplement (Citrical ®) to get through the day. Then there are the allergies medications (choose from Claritin® or Benadryl®), the headache medicine (Tylenol®), the toothpaste for sensitive teeth (Sensodyne®), and the Icy Hot Patch® for back pain.
Finally, if all this information gives you heartburn, there’s Pepcid Complete®.
Don’t get me wrong; if a medication is warranted then I take it. However, it seems that the pharmaceutical companies have declared an advertising free zone in order to sell their products.
Time was when those same companies had sales reps who visited doctors’ offices and provided free samples in the hope of encouraging the physician to prescribe their product. But today, it’s the other way around. Television entices viewers to make note of specific drugs and then demand prescriptions for them from their doctors. It’s the tail wagging the dog.
On top of that, I’m willing to bet that the advertising dollars pharmaceuticals spend are reclassified for tax purposes under research and development. So it’s a win/win situation for the drug companies, but probably not a win/win for the general public.
This said, I still like “Sunday Morning,” but it makes me even more vigilant about drug companies.
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