Are Americans REALLY that sick?

[Gofirstclass]

OK, I'll admit that I don't watch much TV. During the week I turn it on at 5:00 p.m. to catch the local news and watch it until about 7:30. Weekend watching is almost zero. So granted my "ad survey" is somewhat limited in scope.

Now this "survey" I've done is regarding drug ads. I'd venture a guess that over 75% of the many ads on the boob tube are drug ads. Many are for illnesses I've never even heard of. Oh, occasionally an ad pops up for a local roofing company or a real estate firm, but those are grossly outnumbered.

So that makes me wonder--Are Americans REALLY that sick? Or are we a nation of hypochondriacs that buy whatever we see on the screen that sounds like it might work to make one feel better?

What say you?

 

[techmitch]

OK, I'll admit that I don't watch much TV. During the week I turn it on at 5:00 p.m. to catch the local news and watch it until about 7:30. Weekend watching is almost zero. So granted my "ad survey" is somewhat limited in scope.

Now this "survey" I've done is regarding drug ads. I'd venture a guess that over 75% of the many ads on the boob tube are drug ads. Many are for illnesses I've never even heard of. Oh, occasionally an ad pops up for a local roofing company or a real estate firm, but those are grossly outnumbered.

So that makes me wonder--Are Americans REALLY that sick? Or are we a nation of hypochondriacs that buy whatever we see on the screen that sounds like it might work to make one feel better?

What say you?

Off topic Mike sorry, but I gotta ask. You watch your local news for 2.5 hrs.?

 

[Gofirstclass]

Naw, local news for .5 hours then national news for .5 hours, then another local news for .5 hours then Inside Edition, two game shows then it gets turned off.

 

[Carpediem44DB]

I often wonder the same, The commercials seem ridiculous as if I had any of the conditions or ailments for which the drugs are being advertised, would not my Dr know what is best prescribed? It is like the drug companies expect me to go to my doctor and demand to be prescribed their product over another. Frankly I don't appreciate being forced to watch two dudes kissing and holding hands while the narrator on the advert describes how this drug here makes it safe to have bum sex! We are a sick nation for sure!

 

[Henry Boyd]

I often wonder the same, The commercials seem ridiculous as if I had any of the conditions or ailments for which the drugs are being advertised, would not my Dr know what is best prescribed? It is like the drug companies expect me to go to my doctor and demand to be prescribed their product over another. Frankly I don't appreciate being forced to watch two dudes kissing and holding hands while the narrator on the advert describes how this drug here make is safe to have bum sex! We are a sick nation for sure!

I disagree. The pharmaceuticals aren’t trying to educate the general public, just the specific people who need the medication they are selling. The reality of today’s medical care in the US is that the only advocate the patient has is the patient himself. If for example, you need to start with a blood thinner, odds are the doctor will reach for warfarin. That is unless the patient says, “I saw this tv commercial about Elequis, why not that?”. That in turn leads to a discussion of the merits of each. It may be that Elequis is the better choice because the frequent blood tests required for warfarin are an economic hardship, (or they just hate needles).

My experience with cancer and an organ transplant is that you, the patient, are your best advocate. You’re the only one in the room who is going to question the doctor. Doctors for the most part are creatures of habit and unless you prod them they’ll give you what they’ve given everyone who preceded you.

The other thing is that generics and even brand name drugs do not work exactly the same for everyone. I know from dosage testing that some versions of the anti rejection drugs I take work better than others. As a result, my pharmacy has a list of unapproved generics from my doctor that are not to be given to me.

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

Who watches cable TV anymore? I pulled the plug on that years ago, and the commercials were the main reason! Stream anything you feel is worth watching.

 

[El Capitan]

There’s a ton of profit in pharmaceuticals. Healthcare today is all about 3 things.
1. Diagnostic imaging
2. Surgery
3. Drugs

Damn shame but drug companies are marketing direct to consumers.

 

[Pirate Lady]

I work from home not cause Covid, but because my company is 800 miles away, the tv is on from time i get up (6am) til sleep (1 or 2am, i don’t sleep much). During the day its all pharma, lawyers, credit repair, medicare. Caters to folks at home daytime (retirees, crooks, bums). Do you know that Law & Order is on always on some channel from 6am - 1am?

 

[MonacoMike]

So that makes me wonder--Are Americans REALLY that sick? Or are we a nation of hypochondriacs that buy whatever we see on the screen that sounds like it might work to make one feel better?

What say you?

We are a nation of obese unhealthy people. I read recently that by the time a patient is on a half dozen meds or more, additional drugs are needed to combat the symptoms of those drugs. We are fat and lazy and do not want to eat good food because it is expensive and time consuming to prepare, we prefer just to take a pill and big pharma is happy to oblige us. The average American's body is a literal wreck.

Then there is the demographic that watches TV. What are you doing in that demo? LOL!!!

Follow the money...

 

[Pirate Lady]

Who watches cable TV anymore? I pulled the plug on that years ago, and the commercials were the main reason! Stream anything you feel is worth watching.

I do, i cant get Law & Order streaming.‍

 

[Pirate Lady]

We are a nation of obese unhealthy people. I read recently that by the time a patient is on a half dozen meds or more, additional drugs are needed to combat the symptoms of those drugs. We are fat and lazy and do not want to eat good food because it is expensive and time consuming to prepare, we prefer just to take a pill and big pharma is happy to oblige us. The average American's body is a literal wreck.

Then there is the demographic that watches TV. What are you doing in that demo? LOL!!!

Follow the money...

When you are home all day every day with the cat you need background noise, hence the tv.

 

[Golfman25]

We are a nation of obese unhealthy people. I read recently that by the time a patient is on a half dozen meds or more, additional drugs are needed to combat the symptoms of those drugs. We are fat and lazy and do not want to eat good food because it is expensive and time consuming to prepare, we prefer just to take a pill and big pharma is happy to oblige us. The average American's body is a literal wreck.

Then there is the demographic that watches TV. What are you doing in that demo? LOL!!!

Follow the money...

Unfortunately a lot of good for you food tastes like dirt.

 

[Golfman25]

I'd say follow the money. If they get the patient to recommend it to the Dr. -- cha ching.

 

[MonacoMike]

I work from home not cause Covid, but because my company is 800 miles away, the tv is on from time i get up (6am) til sleep (1 or 2am, i don’t sleep much). During the day its all pharma, lawyers, credit repair, medicare. Caters to folks at home daytime (retirees, crooks, bums). Do you know that Law & Order is on always on some channel from 6am - 1am?

When you are home all day every day with the cat you need background noise, hence the tv.

I am confident I can find a much more pleasing background than that, maybe the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard for instance...

 

[MonacoMike]

Unfortunately a lot of good for you food tastes like dirt.

Are you going by the 'recommendations" of government that are bought and paid for? That food sucks!!!

 

[jmauld]

I often wonder the same, The commercials seem ridiculous as if I had any of the conditions or ailments for which the drugs are being advertised, would not my Dr know what is best prescribed? It is like the drug companies expect me to go to my doctor and demand to be prescribed their product over another. Frankly I don't appreciate being forced to watch two dudes kissing and holding hands while the narrator on the advert describes how this drug here makes it safe to have bum sex! We are a sick nation for sure!

This is why I have already stripped one TV from my boat and may consider taking out the other three. I don't watch a lot of TV, I'd rather be skimming through this site or learning how to do some stupid new skill that I will never find a use for. Which I do use YouTube, and it's also starting to become overrun with stupid ads.

 

[jmauld]

When you are home all day every day with the cat you need background noise, hence the tv.

I also work from home. I enjoy the quiet before the neighbors get home, let their dogs out to bark and start playing that god awful noise that people call music these days.

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

I often wonder the same, The commercials seem ridiculous as if I had any of the conditions or ailments for which the drugs are being advertised, would not my Dr know what is best prescribed? It is like the drug companies expect me to go to my doctor and demand to be prescribed their product over another. Frankly I don't appreciate being forced to watch two dudes kissing and holding hands while the narrator on the advert describes how this drug here makes it safe to have bum sex! We are a sick nation for sure!

Yep, I see the same commercial every day when I’m watching the morning news and having my coffee and breakfast. Makes me lose my appetite.

 

[Pirate Lady]

I also work from home. I enjoy the quiet before the neighbors get home, let their dogs out to bark and start playing that god awful noise that people call music these days.

My neighborhood is all older folks, no kids, love it. Quiet as a church.

 

[jmauld]

My neighbors are mostly older and I’m fairly sure they all start drinking on the way home.

One of my neighbors just decided to start building a pickleball court across the water from me. Fortunately the city put a stop to it, since they didn’t pull a permit. It gives me a few months to fight it.