In an historic vote, the American Medical Association (AMA) called for a ban on all direct-to-consumer advertising for drugs and medical devices. The vote came after many physicians testified about the negative impact direct-to-consumer advertising has on their practices and patient relationships. I can see why…
“Hey Doctor, I was thinking that I might need either that etherial green moth drug or that snuggly white cat sleep drug, along with that drug that will make me ready for intimacy when my wife and I find ourselves in side-by-side bathtubs on a beach. My wife needs that wind up doll drug, please.”
Now, what began as a 15 minute appointment to address an entirely different issue, has been totally derailed and the litany of potential side effects must be relayed and need for these drugs refuted. Thank you Big Pharma.
I personally think a ban on prescription drug ads would make every television viewer a happier, less paranoid person with fewer reasons to be a hypochondriac.
Having established that the majority of doctors in the AMA dislike drug ads, both on TV and in print form, and guessing that I’m not alone in my abhorrence of them, the next looming question is:
“Why in the world do I see pharmaceutical drug advertisements on the TV in the waiting room of my doctor’s office?”
While it will likely take an act of Congress to officially ban all direct-to-consumer drug advertisements from TV, smart and conscientious healthcare providers can begin providing their patients with valuable patient education and practice messages sans the pharmaceutical ads by simply switching to Mediplay. Mediplay transforms the TV in the waiting room into a powerful patient education and communication tool. It turns the wait time into an extension of the appointment time, relaying important information that actually benefits patients and promotes the practice.
Mediplay. Your Ad-Free Waiting Room Network.