# Medical practitioners of the Dope: Do people really ask for advertised prescription drugs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2024, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995 "2024-02-02T00:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/21 "2024-02-02T13:41:16Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Slightly off-topic, but there’s good evidence that very few people stay on Ozempic / GLP-1s for long. They try it, they lose some weight, then they lose interest or the side effects are troubleseome, and they get off it. Anecdotally, they try it, love that they are no longer obsessed with food, and then their insurance stops paying for it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/22 "2024-02-02T14:14:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Even the non-existent “ **Brandexx** ” has them listed, I bet Well, **Brandexx** has already elevated my cynicism to dangerously high levels! This menace should be banned! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/23 "2024-02-02T14:19:07Z")
I took **Brandexx** and it turned me into a newt ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/24 "2024-02-02T14:45:51Z")
At one point in my military career, I was assigned to a tiny army post with a one-doctor clinic, and this doctor confirmed the long-standing joke: “Where does the US Army Medical Corps get it’s doctors? They wash out of veterinary command.” Anyway, my observation of this joker was that if you could diagnose, he’d be happy to prescribe. This was a dude who definitely would have gone for the “ask your doctor” schtick. I’m glad I never needed actual medical care in those three years. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/25 "2024-02-02T15:00:44Z")
As a patient, I’ve asked both my PCP and my psychiatrist about certain medications I have heard about. In both cases, I was treated with respect and, with the psychiatrist, it was mentioned as a reasonable avenue of treatment, but it was considered with several other drugs. I have no qualms in asking my doctors about medications, what they do, and what their opinion of them is. It’s not something I particularly do often. In any case, I did not end up using either of the drugs I enquired about, as I personally try to avoid medication if there’s another possible solution. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/26 "2024-02-02T15:01:27Z")
I read somewhere that if the drug is an unambiguously indicated, there’s no need to advertise. A lot of advertising for the drug is thus a bad sign. Yesterday, the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, previously sold in the U.S. despite a narrow approval vote, was withdrawn. I don’t know if it was advertised, but I read a [book on Alzheimer’s written by the leading expert from the big local health system](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250218742/theproblemofalzheimers), and I am sure they wouldn’t have advised it on their own. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/27 "2024-02-02T16:09:11Z")
I remember seeing the Jardiance commercial and it saying that one side effect was gangrene of the taint, and wondering “How bad must your diabetes control be, that you’d consider a drug where they call out that specific side effect in a commercial?” ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/28 "2024-02-02T16:13:10Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > This time he was complaining about all his overweight patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes are not concerned about dieting because of the Ozempic Effect. If they have “good” insurance (usually means Union or Government employment) they are demanding that they go on a GLP-1. I think your doctor is a bit behind the times; obesity isn’t medically considered a failure of will anymore, but something rather more complex. That’s why stuff like Wegovy and Zepbound are so popular- they apparently affect your sensation of hunger, as well as slow your digestion, making you feel full longer and not have weird cravings. It’s not like fat people _choose_ to be fat- there’s a lot more to it than that in every respect. Your doctor ought to be excited that those patients are at least motivated to do _something_ about their weight, even if it is just take a drug. After all, losing 20-40 pounds is a net positive to one’s health, even if it’s maybe not in his preferred method. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I read somewhere that if the drug is an unambiguously indicated, there’s no need to advertise. A lot of advertising for the drug is thus a bad sign. I kind of feel like the advertisement is more for situations where someone is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and then has a whole slew of options in various categories as far as treatment is concerned. If they can push 1% to ask for Jardiance versus metformin, they probably profit by it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/29 "2024-02-02T16:31:50Z")
I saw a nutritionist recently, and she volunteered that most of her new patients are looking for Ozempic, but she didn’t think i was a good candidate for it. I agreed and confirmed i hadn’t been looking for Ozempic (I’m borderline obese, but my appetite works fine. And i don’t want to risk breaking that.) So i assume that a lot of people are asking their doctors about Ozempic right now. Hardly surprising, as it’s basically a new drug that works for a common problem. I’ve asked doctors about drugs before. Mostly OTC stuff that isn’t advertised. (“Should i be taking NSAIDs when this happens?”) I asked my doctor about taking estrogen, although he had mentioned it months earlier as an option, so dunno if that counts. I once had a doctor say something along the lines of > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > the doctor asked where I went to medical school. I should have left, and found a new doctor. (Although i did need that endoscopy.) I think that’s a red flag. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/30 "2024-02-02T16:53:57Z")
In quite a few of these commercials, you have no idea what the drug is for. There’s one with Whoopi Goldberg, and, I swear, it’s 10 seconds long and consists of her sitting in a chair, she says **Ask your doctor about Rasputin** ; a long shot of her sitting in the chair, end of commercial. Symptoms? Cures what? Side effects? Whistle for it. On the other hand, the girl with IBS who has a toilet for a driver’s seat in her car is just pathetic. According to Dr. Gregory House, she should take up smoking. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/31 "2024-02-02T17:34:00Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I remember seeing the Jardiance commercial and it saying that one side effect was gangrene of the taint, and wondering “How bad must your diabetes control be, that you’d consider a drug where they call out that specific side effect in a commercial?” I think Jardiance is a pretty diabetes medicine. I know multiple people who take it. IANAD, but my understanding is that if any side effect pops up during trials, it has to be listed. So even if it only happened to one person, it’s still a possible side effect. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/32 "2024-02-02T17:59:00Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > On the other hand, the girl with IBS who has a toilet for a driver’s seat in her car is just pathetic. According to Dr. Gregory House, she should take up smoking. I’ve long thought that there ought to be a certain element of pride associated with acting in commercials. If no person would consent to being the face driving the toilet seat car, we’d all be spared from that ad. It’s only a shortage of personal pride that let that woman subject herself to that humiliation. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/33 "2024-02-02T20:28:23Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I took **Brandexx** and it turned me into a newt No, that was Gandalf. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/34 "2024-02-02T21:00:17Z")
Anyway, I got better ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/35 "2024-02-02T21:50:08Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I know twenty five years ago people were demanding cholesterol reducing drugs, rather than controlling it with diet and exercise. My cardiologist was discussing statins with me one time. He said before those drugs, he’d have patients come in to have their clogged arteries treated; they’d be back in a few months for the same problem; they’d die. When statins became prevalent, the number of revolving-door patients dropped drastically. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/36 "2024-02-02T21:54:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I have no qualms in asking my doctors about medications, what they do, and what their opinion of them is. Same here, and not in a “You must prescribe this!” but as “What about this medicine? Will it do me any good?” I’ve always had good discussions about that. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/37 "2024-02-03T00:31:26Z")
Newt Who? I never saw that listed as a side effect. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/38 "2024-02-03T00:41:55Z")
New Who is good, Tenant is my favorite doctor… ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/39 "2024-02-03T00:44:08Z")
How appropriate to the thread. Did you ask any questions about advertised drugs? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2024, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-practitioners-of-the-dope-do-people-really-ask-for-advertised-prescription-drugs/996995/40 "2024-02-03T00:45:18Z")
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