This article is especially pertinent for me. I was in the hospital for 9 days in June '26 for emergency laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. My gallbladder exploded when they tried to removed it. The Doctors said if I had waited another day, I probably would not have survived. I was administered massive doses of antibiotics, muscle relaxants and constant monitoring of drains. I insisted that the pain medicines be just the most potent Tylenol, I didn't want to come out of the hospital with drug dependency.
Prior to the hospital stay I had been on Ozempic for 1 1/2 years. My doctor put me on it to control my blood sugar (type 2), gradually increasing the dose. It worked miraculously!! She did not tell me I would lose weight, which was a delightful surprise. But then I began having problems - pain in the pancreas area and real loss of appetite and then my stomach stopped and I started vomiting stuff I don't have the heart to describe. I stopped taking the drug. Then I quit eating altogether. I finally told my husband to call the ambulance.
While in the hospital I had the experience of entertaining 2 nurses and 3 doctors on rounds. I asked them a question: "Have any of you had gallbladder surgery?" Both nurses said, "Yes!" All 3 doctors admitted they had prescribed Ozempic. Another doctor passing by my room overhead us talking and joined the conversation. We had a lively discussion. All 4 doctors said their patients had had serious side effects. I asked what is in these drugs?! Then the 4th doctor explained the main active ingredient in Ozempic - gila monster venom. He said, "I think I need to talk to the rest of the staff." Without exception all those present were astonished. I said that I would never have used the drug if I had known.
Here I am in November still recuperating from my surgery in June. Thankfully, my stomach is not paralyzed. I'm feeling better every day but I'm still in rehab.
After all the lies about COVID, it's very hard to speak positively about pharmaceutical companies or the FDA or the government. I don't think I'll ever trust again.
The advertising industry and most of the media is all in on this due to the huge profits they make.
Politicians have their hands out too.
You're absolutely right, but with the beneficiaries of this having so much at stake, you have almost no chance to make a meaningful impact on this problem.
The very people who might be on your side in other causes, would have their life blood sucked out by a ban, or even meaningful restrictions.
See if you have any luck getting this on 60 Minutes, or any others who profit.
Thankful that these lousy ads are still drawing ire. I had hoped they'd be banned on day one of this administration, but I suspect Trump and Kennedy heard from too many in congress that they still needed the money that these pharma syndicates deliver. Maybe after the midterms.
Besides being monotonous, and beyond the nausea of seeing celebs selling of their souls... the elephant in the room (and DB touches on it with his/her 60 minutes reference) is the fact that these ads have proven to be literal hush money paid by the millions to the networks that run them. They represent a very significant share of ad revenue and are a cash cow to these struggling networks, whose news divisions will never stab the monster that feeds them. It must somehow end!
The other thing these pharma companies are buying by saturating networks with their add dollars is media silence and commodification of news. Networks treat information as a product to maximize advertising revenue rather than serving the public by exposing the truth. Anderson Cooper 360 - brought to you by Pfizer!
I would also like to know what the correlation is between advertising deregulation in 1997 and the drug prices. Did prices skyrocket right after deregulation?
Drug companies aren't held accountable for anything. Looking forward to the Nederlands bioweapons trial of Bourla (Pfizer CEO), Gates, Rutte, and von der Leyen this month. I agree, Rick, the networks literally don't have many things to advertise - cars, trucks, and drugs!
This article is especially pertinent for me. I was in the hospital for 9 days in June '26 for emergency laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. My gallbladder exploded when they tried to removed it. The Doctors said if I had waited another day, I probably would not have survived. I was administered massive doses of antibiotics, muscle relaxants and constant monitoring of drains. I insisted that the pain medicines be just the most potent Tylenol, I didn't want to come out of the hospital with drug dependency.
Prior to the hospital stay I had been on Ozempic for 1 1/2 years. My doctor put me on it to control my blood sugar (type 2), gradually increasing the dose. It worked miraculously!! She did not tell me I would lose weight, which was a delightful surprise. But then I began having problems - pain in the pancreas area and real loss of appetite and then my stomach stopped and I started vomiting stuff I don't have the heart to describe. I stopped taking the drug. Then I quit eating altogether. I finally told my husband to call the ambulance.
While in the hospital I had the experience of entertaining 2 nurses and 3 doctors on rounds. I asked them a question: "Have any of you had gallbladder surgery?" Both nurses said, "Yes!" All 3 doctors admitted they had prescribed Ozempic. Another doctor passing by my room overhead us talking and joined the conversation. We had a lively discussion. All 4 doctors said their patients had had serious side effects. I asked what is in these drugs?! Then the 4th doctor explained the main active ingredient in Ozempic - gila monster venom. He said, "I think I need to talk to the rest of the staff." Without exception all those present were astonished. I said that I would never have used the drug if I had known.
Here I am in November still recuperating from my surgery in June. Thankfully, my stomach is not paralyzed. I'm feeling better every day but I'm still in rehab.
After all the lies about COVID, it's very hard to speak positively about pharmaceutical companies or the FDA or the government. I don't think I'll ever trust again.
The advertising industry and most of the media is all in on this due to the huge profits they make.
Politicians have their hands out too.
You're absolutely right, but with the beneficiaries of this having so much at stake, you have almost no chance to make a meaningful impact on this problem.
The very people who might be on your side in other causes, would have their life blood sucked out by a ban, or even meaningful restrictions.
See if you have any luck getting this on 60 Minutes, or any others who profit.
The words at the bottom of the screen during the Serena ad were so teensy it was ridiculous.
Agree! Risk information must be as audible and readable as the promise, not buried in fine print.
Thankful that these lousy ads are still drawing ire. I had hoped they'd be banned on day one of this administration, but I suspect Trump and Kennedy heard from too many in congress that they still needed the money that these pharma syndicates deliver. Maybe after the midterms.
Besides being monotonous, and beyond the nausea of seeing celebs selling of their souls... the elephant in the room (and DB touches on it with his/her 60 minutes reference) is the fact that these ads have proven to be literal hush money paid by the millions to the networks that run them. They represent a very significant share of ad revenue and are a cash cow to these struggling networks, whose news divisions will never stab the monster that feeds them. It must somehow end!
The other thing these pharma companies are buying by saturating networks with their add dollars is media silence and commodification of news. Networks treat information as a product to maximize advertising revenue rather than serving the public by exposing the truth. Anderson Cooper 360 - brought to you by Pfizer!
I would also like to know what the correlation is between advertising deregulation in 1997 and the drug prices. Did prices skyrocket right after deregulation?
Drug companies aren't held accountable for anything. Looking forward to the Nederlands bioweapons trial of Bourla (Pfizer CEO), Gates, Rutte, and von der Leyen this month. I agree, Rick, the networks literally don't have many things to advertise - cars, trucks, and drugs!