Flotsam and Jetsam II – Spectator at a Health Care Debate

Many of the passing events during my blogging hiatus I had observed while lurking over at Scienceblogs. For example, there was this little call-and-response between Revere and Orac about whether or not drug quackdom extends to pharmaceutical manufacturers, whether or not physicians serve as “pharma shills” and other associated whatnot concerning drugs. I come down on Revere’s side in this matter; further evidence offered by Revere of how Big Pharma marketing practices are perverting the concept of evidence-based medicine are with this post concerning another side effect associated with the use of Viagra. Just an aside: now, I’m pleased that because of erectile dysfunction, that at least on TV, you get to hear something about middle-aged guy sexuality. But it was painful to watch the “Viva Viagra” ad, with the middle-aged garage band guys singing about their limp wieners. The problem with prescribing PDE inhibitors is that erectile dysfunction can be a symptom for some major underlying lifestyle health problems. This makes me wonder if the physicians prescribing Viagra are also prescribing lifestyle changes for their middle-age male patients. Sex is better when you’re fit, but spinach, olive oil and gym memberships don’t generate revenue for pharmaceutical companies. While Viagra is evidence-based and pharmacologically active, it is still being marketed in a manner designed to strip mine the assets (either through their insurance or personally) of unhealthy people, without accomplishing any other preventive health benefit beyond the ability to get laid once in awhile. I think the “quacks in business suits” argument applies here.