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Patients, doctors should determine remedy together |
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Saturday, 24 July 2010 |
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Assistant Managing Editor
Don’t believe every endorsement heard or seen, a county medical professional says.
Showing ads dating back to the early 1900s, Auglaize County Medical Director Dr. Juan Torres pointed out recommendations that included ingesting a tape worm to lose weight, baby syrup with heroin and Camels as the preferred cigarette brand for physicians.
Obviously those turned out not to be the right solutions in the end, Torres said.
“We see it in TV every day,” Torres said. “Commercials encouraging us what brand and treatment to use for everything from erectile disfunction to heartworm medication.”
But he said the purpose of the commercial is to get patients to demand certain brands from their physicians and that isn’t the right way to decide what kind of medication should be prescribed.
“Treatment should be decided between the doctor and patient, not by whatever ad looks or sounds the best on TV,” Torres said.
He encouraged patients to talk with their physician about their concerns and listen to their suggestions before assuming something they’ve seen in the media is the best treatment option.
According to Consumer Reports, even when “doctors” endorse products in advertisements, many may not be endorsing products within their area of expertise or may not be practicing physicians in the United States but rather, paid endorsers.
In an investigation they conducted, an obstetrician-gynecologist was endorsing Heavy Air shoes for weight loss and a psychiatrist was pitching fat-burning supplements. A non-practicing physician in Mexico endorsed penis enlargement cream.
Many physicians say they are approached often to endorse certain products, according to Consumer Reports, which recommends being skeptical of medical professionals’ endorsements because they are paid appearances.
The American Medical Association has no policy prohibiting physicians from giving paid endorsements, though it has guidelines for participating in advertising. Physicians are urged to use their judgement because of the impact it may have on patients.
Ads that say a product was recommended by a leading specialist with no identification must have a specialist on record saying he recommends the product, according to the Division of Advertising Practices at the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates advertising.
It’s at the company’s discretion however who that physician is and what makes him or her a “leading” specialist.
The same holds true for something that is recommended by four out of five physicians. Manufacturers can survey any type of physicians they chose, as long as they keep records.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 26 July 2010 )
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