It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy. ~Chinese Proverb

When I was a child, they banned the advertising of cigarettes on television.  Hard liquor had long been under a self ban from the boob tube, although beer and wine commercials could be seen during evening programing.  In the beginning of this century, television reviewed their alcohol policy and decided the money to be gained far outweighed any moral implications.  Cigarette ads still aren't shown on television, but there is something even worse spreading like a virus on the advertising airwaves.

I am talking about direct to consumer advertising of name brand prescription drugs.  I challenge you to watch one hour of commercial television and not be bombarded by any number of ads for boner-pills, downers, and uppers.  But they aren't called that.  They have the much more clinical names like erectile dysfunction, sleep aids, and anti-depression medication. All of them urge the listeners to ask their doctor specifically for this or that drug by name.

I know... there are legitimate diseases out there and an educated consumer should be involved with their physical health and well being.  But these commercials are not out there to educate you.  They are there to scare you  and make you paranoid.  "Do you open and close your eyes constantly.  You could be suffering from DES, or Dry Eye Syndrome.  Studies show that nearly everyone will suffer from this and not even be aware of it.  But with this new pill taken twice daily, you will never have to worry about that ever again.  Ask your doctor..."

Listening to the possible side effects can be even scarier.  I think I'd rather have the disease than the cure.  But that's just it.  These aren't cures, they are coping mechanisms and symptom covers.  One can take so many DTCA (direct to consumer advertised) medications, that they forget what their initial problem was.  You may start out with just a general feeling of blah, but the pill you take for that makes you nauseous so you take another pill...which gives you the jitters, so you take another pill but it makes you angry so there is yet another pill to take to mellow you out....which was your complaint in the first place!

Maybe what I'm really mad about is the fact that so many people believe they can make life better if they swallow a pill.  Addiction to prescription drugs seems to be on the rise.  Add to that the fact that most pharmaceutical companies aren't as interested in helping their fellow man as increasing their profit margins.  We are once again besieged by snake oil salesman....but these guys have a wider audience thanks to television.

Gone are the days of Jonas Salk, the doctor credited with bringing the Polio epidemic to an end.  He chose not to profit off of his discovery.  It was more important to help others than to take advantage of their pain and suffering.  I doubt his portrait hangs in GlaxoSmithKline or CIALIS®'s front office.