Fake drug, fake illness

[Bob Collier]

A couple of very interesting commentaries on disease mongering and the alphabet soup mentality of modern medicine passed on to me today:

Fake drug, fake illness - and people believe it!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070216/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_drug_fake

A new epidemic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoppJOtRLe4

[clarsct]

Of course they do.


Could you imagine a world where nobody believed a word they heard, in a literal sense?

We would cease to function. All science would be impossible, for no one would ever believe what you did unless they were standing right there beside you when you did, or they conducted the experiments themselves. We'd still be living in Bronze Age technology.

Skepticism is about striking a balance. It is about being able to critically evaluate data, then make as informed decision as possible.


These people are simply playing upon that to make a point, and a fairly valid one. It raises awareness. But at the end of the day, one must believe something.

[Grimoire]

This reminds me of the first time I saw an ad for a drug to treat restless leg syndrome. I thought that the drug companies were just making stuff up; fear mongering. I decided I would look it up. Turns out, it is a real problem for some people, and can have a serious negative impact on their lives. Who'da thunk it?

[fuelair]

This reminds me of the first time I saw an ad for a drug to treat restless leg syndrome. I thought that the drug companies were just making stuff up; fear mongering. I decided I would look it up. Turns out, it is a real problem for some people, and can have a serious negative impact on their lives. Who'da thunk it?

Most - possibly all - diseases id'ed by real medical/psychiatric professionals are real. The question more often - especially in the psychiatric ones - is how important these diseases actually are and what is their true effect on quality of life. For many, it is insufficient for some of the treatments/legal decisions/ effects promulgated around/about them. And, yes fear-mongering is involved here - not to mention LOTS of money and prestige.

[strathmeyer]

This reminds me of the first time I saw an ad for a drug to treat restless leg syndrome. I thought that the drug companies were just making stuff up; fear mongering. I decided I would look it up. Turns out, it is a real problem for some people, and can have a serious negative impact on their lives. Who'da thunk it?

I also remember seeing commercials and thinking, "Oh, ****, I could have that!" and then looking it up and finding out it was something I couldn't possible have, like it was something only old people or women get. As if they couldn't have mentioned more actual information about the actual disease in their ad, instead of collectively wasting personal time.

[Zep]

Well, DUH! This has been around for over 200 years. It's called "HOMEOPATHY!"

[casebro]

Havidol is quackery. I tried it, and I still have all the symptoms. Plus it gave me anal leakage. I think Big Pharma is misrepresenting them selves.

Can we parse "Dysphoric Social Attention Consumption Deficit Anxiety Disorder (DSACDAD)" ?

"I feel so bad about not geting enough attention that I'm getting anxiety"?

Do you think that talking about my anal leakage would be good therapy? In a "let it all out" sort of way? I'm tired of trying to hold it all in- after all those times when peoople accused me of being anal retentive...


Perhaps it's time to talk to my doctor about 'Panexa'?