Living in the US one can't really avoid the barrage of advertising and general "push" concerning health and the  plethora of drugs that seem to be absolutely crucial for one's continued miserable existence. Some of these are rather cleverly disguised as promotions for helpful websites and services that advise you about whatever ghastly bloody condition is the plague de jour, but the ad more often than not ends with the logo of a drug company. June and I have great fun trying to guess the name of the pharma-chem company that's behind each one - I have a preponderance for BMS, she's more of a Pfizer gal... by now we should know them all, perhaps we need some "MemoRise" (see - it works...)

My most recent favorite has been a "two-parter" for some ghastly thing known as HPV (human papillomavirus). The first part was some pseudo-campaign to "tell someone" that women can get this "which can lead to cervical cancer if left untreated". Argh! Cancer from a virus? Who knew? Much (justified) fear, uncertainty and doubt. Actually the commercial didn't mention that HPV also causes genital warts and I suspect that any thinking person having one of those pop into their lives may well do something about it. But what the hey, tell someone, right? Hey! Someone! Ask the Center for Disease Control (CDC) about it.

Hot on the heels of this was another campaign which was named "One less" aimed specifically at women, developing cancer of the penis via the same problem seems to be less interesting for some reason. Being "one less" by virtue of being vaccinated by having several injections of some chemical or other. However it seems this is only really effective if the recipient is no younger than 9 years old and no older than 26 and hasn't already contracted this awful bloody thing via sexual contact - it's an STD, that's how you get it.  Both of these campaigns were produced by the only pharma-chem that currently has (had?) approval for the vaccine. Think about all that for a while, then go read what the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Bioethics has to say about it all - they're far more erudite and qualified than I anyway.

Anyway, staggering finally to the point - common throughout all such commercials seems to be the phrase "talk to..." or "ask" your doctor about <xyz>. The <xyz> changes depending on the message i.e. "talk to your doctor if you have (a list of other seemingly unrelated conditions) before taking (drug). I do understand that in this litigious world we live in they have to protect themselves or, God knows, the potential recipients of the pill, potion or plunger, BUT doesn't all this "asking" and "talking" presuppose that the individual goes to their doctor with any clue as to their condition AND the name of the drug that will cure their ills? That being the case your doctor isn't your advisor, counsel and potential healer, (s)he just became your pusher/supplier.

So, I call bullshit on these commercials and "campaigns" sponsored by the those companies that wish you to take their drugs, for profit. YES - go talk to your doctor. Tell him/her you have a lump where you shouldn't have one or whatever is symptomatic of your discomfort. S(he) will tell you what it is that causes it and will recommend (prescribe) what you need to do about it. I did - I went to complain about my knee hurting. Turns out I was damn-nigh diabetic - go figure?

.. and by the way - just wear a damn  condom if you're not sure, know what I mean?

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