| Drug Advertising - Fact or Fiction? |

By: Shane Ellison, M.Sc.
Copyright © 2005, All Rights Reserved

The drug industry spends twice as much on advertising as on research. These advertisements are false propaganda driven by corporate greed rather than the health interests of the American people.

Several facts substantiate this. The FDA sends out approximately 100 letters each year to pharmaceutical companies demanding that they change their television commercials due to false claims. In these letters, the FDA concludes that the given pharmaceutical company is in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This is due to overstating benefits, displaying inaccurate safety profiles, and minimizing the risk of side effects.

Specifically, Schering has been cited 10 times since 1997 due to false claims made by advertisements for Claritin. Further, the manufacturers of Celebrex have been cited three times for implying that the drug was more effective than demonstrated. Vioxx, despite its known dangers of increasing stroke and heart attacks, was deceitfully marketed by Merck. The list goes on, and is well documented in my book, Health Myths Exposed.

False advertising is the norm among many industries and as such is a non-issue. The pharmaceutical industry however is different. The end result of their false advertising, over the last 30 years, has been the unprecedented number of fatalities averaging one death every 5 minutes. These deaths, as reported by the Journal of the American Medical Society are a direct result of so-called "proper usage" as prescribed by doctors.

And you thought terrorism was a threat? As of today not a single pharmaceutical company has ever been taken to court over false advertising!

The reliance of drugs, surgery, and high-tech equipment for healthy living is killing us and according to the latest statistics, most of us will be overdosed on FDA approved drugs before we will ever need the expertise of an emergency room doctor. Take the power back! Start with a war on FDA approved drugs by learning about natural alternatives and proper diet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He understands that Americans want and deserve education rather than prescriptions. He is the author of the controversial and shocking book Health Myths Exposed. To learn more visit www.healthmyths.net. You can get his free eBook What You MUST know about Cholesterol Lowering Drugs at www.health-fx.net.