# Why are some drug companies so coy about their product's use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110 "2004-05-08T00:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/1 "2004-05-08T00:24:27Z")
Seems like when some drug companies advertise their product, they forget to say exactly what ir’s for. Just, “ask your doctor if ano-cane is right for you.” Why is that? That seems like poor advertising strategy: how would the people that need the drug know that it’s available? I can’t believe drug companies are that dumb, so there must be some other over-riding reason. Is it a legal reason? Ethical? Sensitive topic? What? ---
**Author:** ![jkusters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jkusters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jkusters)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/2 "2004-05-08T00:41:59Z")
My understanding is that if they say what the product is for, they also have to list all of the side-effects. If that is the case, the side effects for the product you’re thinking about are probably too scary to announce. “New ano-cane! Shrinks hemorrhoids! (May cause spontaneous internal bleeding, extra limbs growing from the forehead, and undeath.)” JOhn. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/3 "2004-05-08T00:42:05Z")
By law, if they tell you what the drug is for, they must also tell you about all the possible side effects. When those side effects include nausea, hair loss, impotence, delusions, and seizures, they’re not real anxious to trot them out. So, they settle for establishing some name recognition. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/4 "2004-05-08T00:45:22Z")
Oho! Well that makes mucho sense. Thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![RayMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@RayMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RayMan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/5 "2004-05-08T00:50:23Z")
[This website](http://www.fda.gov/cder/handbook/adverdef.htm) has information pertaining to advertising and labeling requirements the US FDA mandates for prescription drugs. > [@](#): > > Q. Are there exceptions to the advertising regulations? > > Yes, there are a few exceptions but only to the requirement to provide a true statement of information in brief summary as required under 21 CFR 202.1(e)(1). 21 CFR 202.1(e)(2) describes which ads are exempt: > > 1. Reminder advertisements - advertisements which call attention to the name of the drug product but do not include indications or dosage recommendations for use of the product, or any other representation. Reminder ads contain the proprietary name of the drug and the established name of each active ingredient. They may also contain additional limited information, such as the name of the company, price, or dosage form. So, apparently these ads you refer to are “reminder advertisements” that avoid having to mention all kinds of nasty side effects if all they do is mention the name of the drug. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/6 "2004-05-08T00:51:40Z")
In a way it makes sense, **zut** , but you’re essentially correct - it’s incredibly stupid advertising. Somehow, I just can’t imagine going to my doctor and saying (without having any idea what the stuff is for), “Gee, doc, do you think I should be taking Zovoovaz?” He’d think I was an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lodoen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@Jeff\_Lodoen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lodoen)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/7 "2004-05-08T00:55:03Z")
I noticed that ads for “Crestor” in March were very unclear on what it did. Just Patrick Stewart talking about people doing all they could but not getting there. That could be anything… but the drug has the -statin suffix and that says cholesterol. Weeks later a new round of ads run and we finally hear about what it does and the sides. So, is there a time period a drug can be advertised but only if NO info is provided? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/8 "2004-05-08T00:58:45Z")
There’s also the issue that sometimes they’re not FDA-approved drugs **at all**. So they can’t specifically say what they’re supposedly for. Those 50s-style **Enzyte** commercials are an example of this. They get away with the phrase, **Natural Male Enhancement** because its so vague. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/9 "2004-05-08T01:20:05Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > There’s also the issue that sometimes they’re not FDA-approved drugs **at all**. So they can’t specifically say what they’re supposedly for. Those 50s-style **Enzyte** commercials are an example of this. They get away with the phrase, **Natural Male Enhancement** because its so vague. And notice they pointedly call it a _supplement_. I believe the regulations amendment happened during the Reagan Years (or was it Bush I) that as long as you did not actually claim to treat a specific-DRG condition, “supplements” were not subject to the same rules as “drugs”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/10 "2004-05-08T01:24:53Z")
“Ano-cane”, hmmm? I understand Michael Fay took a dose of that. He didn’t care for it, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/11 "2004-05-08T01:29:31Z")
I’m more worreid about these new vitamin suppliment ads that mimic the look and feel (not to mention the packaging) of real, actual drug ads… like the “Altovis” commercials. Altovis is made by a company called “Wagner Nutraceuticals”… So how good could that vitamin suppliment be??? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/12 "2004-05-08T01:32:40Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > And notice they pointedly call it a _supplement_. I believe the regulations amendment happened during the Reagan Years (or was it Bush I) that as long as you did not actually claim to treat a specific-DRG condition, “supplements” were not subject to the same rules as “drugs”. For that, we can thank Sen. Orrin Hatch, and his Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), 1994 (during the Clinton Administration, surprisingly). Now, class, guess which state is the home to the largest producers of dietary supplements? ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/13 "2004-05-08T07:05:54Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > In a way it makes sense, **zut** , but you’re essentially correct - it’s incredibly stupid advertising. Somehow, I just can’t imagine going to my doctor and saying (without having any idea what the stuff is for), “Gee, doc, do you think I should be taking Zovoovaz?” He’d think I was an idiot. Well, not so stupid. People DO go to their doctors and say “doc, I need that purple pill…and err, what’s it for?”. I mean how can people resist wanting to live a happy life with flowers and oceans and hugging grandchildren, like the ad says? And the more people that ask about them the more exposure the drug gets, which is always a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-drug-companies-so-coy-about-their-products-use/244110/14 "2004-05-08T12:25:44Z")
> [@Bob55](#): > > Well, not so stupid. People DO go to their doctors and say “doc, I need that purple pill…and err, what’s it for?”. Sadly, H.L. Mencken was probably right: > [@](#): > > “No one in this world, so far as I know, has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people.”