# The use of this product... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 28, 1999, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108 "1999-10-28T16:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/1 "1999-10-28T16:13:00Z")
Okay, I think it’s great that the warnings are included on the TV ads for drugs. But they can certainly be both alarming and amusing. First one I noticed was Propecia, in which the stern whisper warns: “Pregnant women should not _handle_ broken tablets…” Sounds like pretty toxic stuff, doesn’t it? There are others in which the list of side effects is so long that I forget what the _desired_ effect is. Last night I saw one for a “fat blocker” that was recommended only for the severely overweight. Among the side effects were “oily stool, diarrhea, sudden and uncontrollable bowel movements…” I’m picturing these poor souls in public. What a nightmarish concept, and just in time for Halloween! Imagine the movie: **Night of the Morbidly Obese with Explosive Oily Diarrhea** ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/2 "1999-10-28T16:16:00Z")
Don’t do that, I’m at work and people already think I’m nuts. _wiping keyboard_ Why do most of the side effects always seem worse than what they cure? ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/3 "1999-10-28T16:21:00Z")
## I, too get a kick out of these ads. I saw the “oily uncontrollable stools” (or whatever it was) and had a good hard laugh. That Propecia (the pregnant women shouldn’t handle broken tablets) is my favorite. Even if I were a man, I wouldn’t put something in my body that members of the opposite sex can’t even TOUCH without alarming side effects. A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes. [Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Frankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Frankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankie)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/4 "1999-10-28T16:31:00Z")
IRIC, the reason pregnant women aren’t supposed to even handle tablets is because it causes deformities to male fetuses. (Following is the reason I will never, ever take that medicine even though i am going bald. Oh well thats another thread!) Propecia causes male fetuses penises not to develop properly. Really improperly. -Frankie ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/5 "1999-10-28T16:42:00Z")
Yeah, and when these fetuses grow up they watch a lot of “Ally McBeal” * * * Back off, man. I’m a scientist. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/6 "1999-10-28T16:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Propecia causes male fetuses penises not to develop properly. Really improperly. And how on earth did they figure this one out? Who were the unlucky guinea pigs for this experiment? Wait, don’t tell me. I don’t think I even want to know. * * * Jeremy… I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine - Kurt Vonnegut ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/7 "1999-10-28T16:48:00Z")
The one I loved was the recent commercial for Paxil in helping people deal with social anxiety disorder. It mentioned that side effects may include nauseau, diarrhea, sexual dysfunction, and other things. And this differs from social anxiety because . . .? * * * “I love God! He’s so deliciously evil!” - Stewie Griffin, _Family Guy_ ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/8 "1999-10-28T16:57:00Z")
My brother was involved in one of the test studies for Propecia before it hit the market (BTW, the stuff actually does work). He was told, though, not to even consider having children while he was taking the drug. He got out of the test when he proposed to his girlfriend. He was off it for over a year before she got pregnant, and their son was born in February of this year, quite normal. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/9 "1999-10-29T05:10:00Z")
Good one, Alphagene. ROFL ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/10 "1999-10-29T05:17:00Z")
IANAL, but I suspect that there’s a strong element of CYA in these recitations of side effects (in what is, after all, the video equivalent of “fine print”). Readers of Terry Pratchett’s _Reaper Man_ may recall that the uncle of one of the characters ate a meal liberally flavored with Wow Sauce (among the ingredients of which are saltpeter and sulfur), took a charcoal digestive biscuit, lit his pipe, _and was never seen again_ (in one piece, anyway). Were Wow Sauce to be advertised on TV, I’m sure that the voiceover would say something to the effect of, “May cause violent explosions and/or sudden disappearances in smokers”. Perhaps Melin or someone of similar expertise could comment on the legal ramifications of saying or not saying such things. * * * “Kings die, and leave their crowns to their sons. Shmuel HaKatan took all the treasures in the world, and went away.” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 1999, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/11 "1999-10-28T23:33:00Z")
My favourite warnings come for the alergy medicine that is supposed to be non-drowsy. The first potential side-effect that they mention is possible drowsiness. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/12 "1999-10-29T05:19:00Z")
They all seem to cause the dreaded “dry mouth,” too. My favorite was the ad for the genital herpes medication - “It’s about _suppression_.” ---
**Author:** ![Byzantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@Byzantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Byzantine)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/13 "1999-10-29T05:33:00Z")
Gee, they never mention that if you take that shit your odds for GETTING a woman pregnant decline dramatically! Yep, you get hair but your penis goes south for the winter (and summer, spring and fall). Oh, gee, did we not mention that IMPOTENCE was a side effect? So like, I have hair and I attract women but I can’t perform… hmmmmm. I’d rather have him bald! Hey, I like long hair (TennHippie is a babe in case you didn’t know!) But I’d rather have you bald as my ass then have your head full of hair and your penis broken. ## But hey, that’s just my bag. Best! Byz ---
**Author:** ![meredith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@meredith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meredith)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-use-of-this-product/10108/14 "1999-10-29T05:58:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I suspect that there’s a strong element of CYA in these recitations of side effects I’d have to agree. I was on Paxil for a while and one of the reasons that the doctor chose this particular med was because of its lack of side effects.