Pricier Meds, Worse Side Effects and Nocebo effect (kidney, thyroid, surgery)

[jaminhealth]

A friend just posted this one on another health group. I don't think it's been posted here but I can't keep track of all the links posted.

Pricier meds mean worse side effects, thanks to

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by jaminhealth

A friend just posted this one on another health group. I don't think it's been posted here but I can't keep track of all the links posted.

Pricier meds mean worse side effects, thanks to

Did you read that article? You do understand that it doesn't say there are worse side effects from pricier meds?

[genesiss23]

There was another study about the placebo effect and brands. In this one, the brand placebo worked better than the generic placebo.

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by genesiss23

There was another study about the placebo effect and brands. In this one, the brand placebo worked better than the generic placebo.

Placebos are fun. Big pills work better than little ones, colored pills better than white ones, capsules better than tablets, shots better than pills, and sham surgery best of all. Two doses work better than one.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by suzy_q2010

Placebos are fun. Big pills work better than little ones, colored pills better than white ones, capsules better than tablets, shots better than pills, and sham surgery best of all. Two doses work better than one.

And of course the more you pay for them, the better. Because of course, you know you always get what you pay for.

[ArmLizzie]

Marketing, marketing, marketing. The word "supports" has become a catch-phrase for "this works good, you totes want to stock up." Supports bone health, supports kidney function, supports memory health. Pro-tip: regular excercise supports bone health. Drinking water and not over-drinking booze supports kidney function. Doing math and playing memory games supports memory health. All of these things are FREE.

Basically - they could have an unimpressive looking white pill in a plain boring bottle, but if the label says it SUPPORTS something - people will buy it. Even if is just made out of powdered wall board compressed with a drop of vanilla flavoring.

[Mikala43]

I view people who take supps the same as those who take Rx, from the stand point that they want a pill to fix things, instead of diet and exercise.

Neither are a best first course of action.

But that is not on topic for the OP.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I view people who take supps the same as those who take Rx, from the stand point that they want a pill to fix things, instead of diet and exercise.

Neither are a best first course of action.

But that is not on topic for the OP.

IMO, supplements ( some, anyway), might be helpful in addition to the diet and exercise. I don't believe supplements, whatever their effectiveness might be, can work independently of those other things to maintain one's health.

So I exercise regularly, try to maintain a healthy diet, and take krill oil to help with healthy lipid levels, vitamin D, calcium supplement and an old lady multivitamin just in case. Unfortunately these measures have not eliminated some need to take prescription drugs for chronic conditions I also take prescription eye drops for glaucoma, two prescription drugs for control of hypertension and cardiac arrthymias I have had most of my life, but that's it. And contrary to some of those disparaging claims made about doctors and traditional medicine on these health forums, my cardiologist has actually decreased the number of prescription drugs I've taken. He cut two of them out altogether, advocating, instead, the role of diet and exercise in maintaining health.

[jaminhealth]

Originally Posted by ArmLizzie

Marketing, marketing, marketing. The word "supports" has become a catch-phrase for "this works good, you totes want to stock up." Supports bone health, supports kidney function, supports memory health. Pro-tip: regular excercise supports bone health. Drinking water and not over-drinking booze supports kidney function. Doing math and playing memory games supports memory health. All of these things are FREE.

Basically - they could have an unimpressive looking white pill in a plain boring bottle, but if the label says it SUPPORTS something - people will buy it. Even if is just made out of powdered wall board compressed with a drop of vanilla flavoring.

Oh yeah that marketing marketing, I'm now void of seeing all those pharma TV ads as I've pulled the plug out of cable tv...don't miss it for a second and for sure not the glorious drug ads!!! Or am I the only one who sees pharma doing their job with advtg? The U.S. and New Zealand are two countries who allow this.

And then there are the drugs one gets and the long list of possible side effects, with varying degrees of possible side effects. I have NOT met a drug that doesn't give the added benefit of side effects..maybe my thyroid.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by ArmLizzie

Marketing, marketing, marketing. The word "supports" has become a catch-phrase for "this works good, you totes want to stock up." Supports bone health, supports kidney function, supports memory health. Pro-tip: regular excercise supports bone health. Drinking water and not over-drinking booze supports kidney function. Doing math and playing memory games supports memory health. All of these things are FREE.

Basically - they could have an unimpressive looking white pill in a plain boring bottle, but if the label says it SUPPORTS something - people will buy it. Even if is just made out of powdered wall board compressed with a drop of vanilla flavoring.

Where can I get some of those vanilla flavored powdered wall board pills?

They *might* be a good placebo for something You market the stuff right, it might gain a lot of advocates who swear it's kept them healthy for 97 years!