Do you feel lucky?

• *SUICIDE IS A KNOWN RISK OF DEPRESSION, AND SOME OTHER PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS
• *ANTIDEPRESSANTS MAY INCREASE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR BEHAVIORS IN SOME CHILDREN, ADLOESCENTS, AND YOUNG ADULTS ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF TREATMENT OR WHEN CHANGING THE DOSE. NO INCREASED RISK HAS BEEN SHOWN FOR ADULTS OVER AGE 24, AND THE RISKS DECREASED FOR THOSE OVER 65.
• *ALL PATIENTS STARTING THERAPY SHOULD BE MONITORED APPROPRIATELY AND OBSERVED CLOSELY FOR WORSENING DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR BEHAVIOR, OR UNUSUAL CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR.
• *(DRUG NAME) IS NOT APPROVED FOR CHILDREN UNDER AGE 18.

I stumbled upon this little treasure while checking my homepage news. It came up in the form of an advertisement. I have ranted on, all too often, about the scam that is the pharmaceutical industry, and here again, is another shining example of the staggering ignorance of the American consumer.

I want you to read that entire insert warning, and by the way, it is NOT the entire warning label, you can open a link on the ad to find the rest. I didn’t feel the need to read any more, it is pretty clear with the information already provided. Did you read it? Did you find any possible contradictions, or red flags that MAYBE, just maybe, this isn’t the best idea?

So, here is what I am thinking. This is an advertisement. It’s purpose is to entice you to visit your physician, and request the drug. Now, let’s say that you missed the whole list of dangers, and you missed the warnings of heightened suicidal thoughts, then you skimmed over the caution to not take this drug if PRETTY MUCH anything else is wrong with you. By the way, you can’t even take aspirin while taking this drug. Now, you walk into your doctor’s office, and tell him that you are “depressed”. He says, “What seems to be the problem?” You drone on endlessly about the horrid conditions of your life. These conditions are, of course, the same things that everyone else deals with, but you just want that magic pill to make it all better. Then you tell him that you are having trouble sleeping, and you are entertaining thoughts of suicide. Now, at this point, he is running behind on his next appointment. We have all had this happen, he looks at his watch and closes your file. It’s prescription time! He half heartedly suggests that you seek another professional’s assistance, and gives you the name of his fraternity brother who just happens to be a psychiatrist.

He doesn’t stop there. He also gives you a prescription for your new “happy pill”. He has read your file, and he sees that you are not taking any medications that should interfere with the prescription that he just gave you, at least you hope that he has. You toddle off to the pharmacy with a new found spring in your step. Finally, you are going to be able to lift that weight off of your shoulders and feel good again. You hand your treasured little piece of white paper, that holds the key to your new life, over to the pharmacy technician. That’s right, I said “technician”, not pharmacist. She tells you that it will be a 20 minute wait. So, you wait. When they finally call your name, it is like angels singing. You walk up, and she asks you if you have any questions for the pharmacist. You think to yourself, “Why would I need that? My doctor gave it to me, it should be fine!” So, you say, “no”.

Here is where you need to stop, and think. Read the damn insert, people! Does it, in any way, suggest that this pill is going to fix the misery that is your life??? NO! This is a drug for someone who has been extensively tested, and found to be someone whose brain is misfiring, and needs a tune-up! This is NOT for someone who just has a crappy life because of stupid decisions and family members that suck the life out of you! So, why the hell are they advertising it to YOU? Good question. I would also like to know that answer. I think that you are smart enough to figure out WHY a big business would target the general consumer with something that clearly states that it is, not only dangerous, but can HEIGHTEN the very feelings that you are trying to repress. MONEY! Do you really think that big pharm. Cares about whether or not you want to eat the end of a rifle? Nope, they care about their bottom line. The more people that they can gather up to go into their doctor’s office and request it, the better for them. They KNOW the risks. They KNOW approximately how many people they can kill. They KNOW that it will lie squarely on the doctor’s shoulders, up to a certain amount of injury or death. They KNOW what the risks are to their consumers AND their bottom line. They take that risk, and shovel it down our throats. YES, they have risk assessment professionals that will tell them how many people can die! They weigh the profits against the losses through lawsuits, and when the profits outweigh the losses, they market it. The risks are low enough, that the FDA pushes it through, and the next thing you know, YOU are the one playing Russian roulette.

Now, back to the warning label. This lovely little piece of paper that you don’t read, and throw in the trash is their insurance policy. It is their “disclaimer”. It is their protection, NOT YOURS! Now use some damn common sense, please. If you are taking a pill because you have feelings of killing yourself, and the warning label tells you that it can increase those feelings, I have to ask you, do you feel lucky today?


http://www.cymbalta.com/depression.jsp