-John Cook
Alright, contrary to the title, I do NOT intent to write this entire entry about drugs. And, many may be disappointed to know (if indeed they have read this far), the drugs that I will write about are legalised, albeit prescription, drugs. Infact, I'm probably going to jump topics a bit. Oh... gosh, I need to go do a drug round (I'm a nurse (well, student-nurse)). How Ironic. I'll be back.
Ok, where was I? Oh yes, drugs. I recently had the joy of writing an essay on the topic of pharmaceutical company ethics. It was perhaps the closest thing to fun I have ever had in pursuit of the academic side of my studies. One of the topics I covered was advertising, and since the essay I have been constantly noticing the plethora of ridiculous ads for miracle-cures for everything. You get some good ones on television, such as the prostate one with the guy and the dripping tap and ALL THOSE uncomfortable winces, and I'm sure I've seen some good ones in the papers, but if you want really hillariously over-the-top drug advertising, you can't go past the MIMS. (I tried to find out what MIMS stands for, but the book itself doesn't say, the web-page is equally un-helpful and the google definitions say that MIMS is "an American rapper from Washington Heights, Manhattan").
The MIMS Is the book that appears on every hospital drug trolley in Australia. It is the source of all information for nurses and doctors on every drug, and every name of every drug (because each one has at least three). I guess it makes sense then that it is the place that drug companies really let loose with the ads. Who better to advertise to than the people who write the prescriptions? One of my favourites features a picture of an apparently golden, excessively muscley topless man with the word "power" in big letters next to him. It's for Lipitor, a drug used to treat high cholesterol and high blood pressure, apparently side effects may include jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and insanely-huge-muscles (I kid).
However, by far my favourite is Olmetec. Olmetec is a blood pressure medication, and the advertisement reads "TARGET BP. KNOCK IT DOWN". The picture background, spanning over half a page of the drug guide, is that of the Berlin wall being knocked down. I kid you not, a direct connection is being drawn between lowering your blood pressure and the fall of oppressive government, the collapse of the iron curtain, and German reunification. WHAT!??!!? So, if one was to read a bit far into it, the oppressed East Germans are comparable with people suffering high blood pressure, the wall (and, by extension, the Communist regime) is equated with high blood pressure? Well, makes sense to me.
Now I did mention at the beginning of this rant that I would talk about something other than drugs. I lied. Sorry, it's getting late and I have patient-notes to write. My next blog (if indeed it ever happens) will hopefully be more of an attempt at introducing myself and the reason (if there is one) for this blog, but until then, you wayward internet traveller, cheerio.
John
