Finally, an antidote to TV drug ads

If you watch any TV, you've seen the barrage of advertisements for prescription medications. They always start by showing someone in distress—from insomnia, allergies, erectile dysfunction or other medical condition. But after taking the drug, the person is either sleeping soundly or running through the fields, depending on the original ailment,  while the announcer reads a scary list of side effects in a voice so soothing that they almost sound fun.

The problem with such "direct-to-consumer," or DTC, advertisements is that they may generate excessive demand because people go straight to their doctors asking for this or that specific medication. In a 2006 survey by our National Survey Research Center, 78 percent of doctors said that patients asked them at least occasionally to prescribe drugs they had seen advertised on television, and 67 percent said they sometimes did so. And don't expect the ad barrage to let up.  While Congress recently gave the FDA more authority to regulate ads, it rejected a measure that would have allowed the agency to place a moratorium on ads for new drugs that raise safety concerns. The U.S. is one of only two countries in the world (the other is New Zealand) where such ads are legal. 

Well, starting this month, Consumer Reports is introducing an entertaining new online video series that will track and report on such ads. The videos are hosted by Associate Editor, Jamie Hirsh, and produced by the ConsumerReports TV News crew. This first installment concerns an interesting class of medications that are approved to treat something called "restless leg syndrome." That condition may sound fanciful, but it's a real problem. Something like 3 percent of Americans suffer from RLS, which is characterized by an uncontrollable impulse to keep moving your legs even when you are trying to go to sleep—which obviously could make sleep difficult.

Several years ago, doctors discovered that drugs that were originally developed to treat Parkinson's disease could provide meaningful help to people who suffered from moderate to severe forms of this condition.  But the drugs have serious side effects - one of the more bizarre involves a propensity for uncontrolled sexual or gambling impulses, as our video mentions. And while these medications may provide welcome relief to some RLS patients, the ads could leave anyone who ever suffered fidgetiness when trying to go to sleep to wonder whether he or she has RLS and should seek treatment.

We leave the rest to the video to explain, and we urge you to check back next month for the next installment in this fun and informative series!—Kevin McKean, Editorial Director

Learn more
Find more information on drugs commonly used to treat RLS in Consumer Reports' Medical Guide:

• Ropinirole (brand name Requip)
• Pramipexole (brand name Mirapex)

Comments

[Meg]

First, I agree with the posts that say the video is making fun of restless leg syndrome. However I also agree that drug companies should not be spending so much money advertising drugs - no wonder drugs are so expensive. I have mild restless leg syndrome (arms too) on occasion - and can't imagine having it all the time. It's really something that's just hard to describe if you haven't experienced it. This is one thing where an advertisement like what was shown might make someone realize the problem they've had actually had a name and look up more information about it and possibly find alternative treatments for it just by knowing what it's called. I know I was surprised to read the problem I've had since when I was a child actually was a real thing the first time I found out it had a name. Sometimes making people aware of something like this, is a good thing. I also suspect the percentages may be skewed because who knows how many people (like me) never sought a doctor's advice about it because it was only occasional and not really bad - and usually for me walking around a bit, stretching and taking a vitamin usually takes care of it so it's not something I'm going to report to a doctor that I have - so I wouldn't be included in the percentages.

[Susan]

Whether you love or hate pharm ads, whether you do or do not have RLS- this piece from Consumer Reports was amazingly and diasppointingly SARCASTIC, RUDE, CONDESCENDING and INSULTING. It was such an unnecessary way to approach this whole concept of "informing" the public about these types of ads- and you ended up looking so unprofessional and uncaring to anyone who has RLS or knows someone who has it. I certainly hope any future installments of this new video series will take a completely different tone.

[Roy Ward]

After suffering with RLS for over 10 years, I found the video concerning REQUIP extremely sarcastic and insulting. I have been taking prescription medication for Restless Legs for the past three years and now get a descent nights sleep. Before the medication, my wife often found it necessary to find an alternate location for her sleep as my leg movement would keep her awake.

Before your organization redicules a medical condition get the facts correct.

[mommy]

This report by CR made me sick to my stomach with its sarcastic tone and words. Although it was mainly targeting the Requip ad, it began obnoxiously, before the drug was even mentioned which would put any RLS patient on the defensive.

I am a subscriber to CR and I have suffered from RLS for years. I do not take Requip because the nausea was too much, but I'm glad I my doctor and I had the option to try it and see if it was a good fit for me, as I was concerned about the addictive properties of the drug I has been taking, but Requip was not the solution for me.

It has been argued that only 1.3% of the population (or some low number like that) benefit from this drug. Well, I say, if you're in that 1.3% I am happy for you that you have found a solution to this maddening condition.

I think the infomation covered by CR is valid, however the condescension overwhelmed any beneficial aspects of the information.

[Hunt Downing]

I am writing to support Shelley Skelton on her views of this sarcastic report. I understand that the purpose of the video is to attack the drug ads and not the condition; the sarcastic and demeaning tone of the video, however, creates the definite impression of attacking the condition. I'm sure that those who are unaware of the seriousness of this debilitating disease found the video "fun" and "entertaining." And even if only 3% of the population suffer from that represents NINE MILLION people in the United States. I think this very unprofessional video undermines, at least for me, respect for the very serious and important purpose of an organization like Consumer Reports. I will immediately cancel my on-line subscription to CR.

The ads for Requip and now Mirapex are, like 90% of TV ads, very annoying. They have, however, served to legitimize a horrible disease that most people -- including doctors -- had never heard of. Before the Requip ads, I was never able to find a doctor who knew about RLS. I had to research the condition on the Internet, then find a doctor who was willing to work with me on trying the medications that were showing promise as treatments. We ultimately settled on Requip, which I took for many years without serious side effects.

Now let me try a little sarcasm: For those who don't like the Requip ads, most all TV remotes now have a "mute" button. I use mine frequently.

P.S. For up to date and ACCURATE information about restless legs syndrome, please visit The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation Web site at http://www.rls.org.

[Claudia]

Ummm, yes they do make fun of RLS with their snarky, belittling tone throughout the video. If they were talking about, say, cancer or some other more socially prominent (i.e.: acceptable) disease they would have NEVER used such an approach and would have exercised the upmost caution in the portrayal of its sufferers and the overall condition.

For shame, Consumer Reports. Way to marginalize a population!

[Roger Winters (RLS Support Group Leader-Seattle)]

Some things are very clear and undeniable in your report about RLS and the ads for Requip. To those who have no knowledge or experience with it, "Restless Legs Syndrome" sounds funny. It is an unusual name for a condition. Can it be re-named today so it might be taken more seriously by those ignorant about it? No. Why should the label used for years and years be changed because it struck your reporter as "funny?" I suspect your RLS-ignorant reporter jumped on this condition precisely because it would be easier to ridicule than erectile dysfunction or depression. But, hey, it's the label used by the doctor who diagnosed me in 1989. Medicine gives other conditions tongue-twisting Latinate derivatives that put us in awe; unfortunately this one, though labeled accurately and descriptively, triggers giggling among the immature and thoughtless high schoolers who don't know better - er, I mean, Consumer Reports reporters who don't know better!

I was lucky to learn 18 years ago I had RLS, a real condition, and that it could be treated! I wasn't dismissed as imagining things or classified as mentally ill and institutionalized for not being able to sit still! That, and worse, happened to many people because, until Requip advertising began, most doctors were dumb as dirt regarding the reality of this condition!

It might be a public service for you to debunk ads for medications - IF AND ONLY IF the conditions being "treated" by the medications don't really exist, have no health impact, and were created out of whole cloth in order to sell random compounds discovered in a pharmaceutical company’s laboratory.

One might say it is "The American Way" to advertise with the intention of getting people who neither want nor need your product to use it, because it will drive up sales and therefore your profits! You might have done better to focus on other things that didn't used to be advertised - lawyers, for example - wondering whether they are responding to real problems people have or needlessly stirring up trouble so they can make money from it.

As annoying as ALL commercials are, they're all basically the same - "Use our product and be happier and better off!" We, the people, are frustrated by what we see as too many commercials and too many useless products. On the other hand, we rebel at any suggestion that the capitalist roots of our economy should be done away with, so we can watch TV without interruption!

Have you considered that even the marginal medical products that may have been invented and that are being advertised might promote dialogue with one's doctor about one's health? The doctor can reassure the patient that she/he doesn't have the advertised condition and deal with the similar condition (or, if true, the hypochondria) that is really happening with the patient. Perhaps the ad can be an education for the doctor that there is an actual condition that goes with what the patient has been complaining about for some time! That's been the benefit of Requip ads for millions of us with RLS who don't use Requip, but have other remedies from which to choose.

I think Consumer Reports does a disservice here by targeting television ads by big drug companies when they could do ever so much more of a service by helping to debunk all of the "snake oil" remedies, get-rich schemes, and "miracle" products being hawked on the endless "pre-paid commercial programs" run when TV channels have no programming of their own to air.

You'd do people with RLS a great service by pointing out there is no "magic bullet" in a topical cream to rub on one's calves or in putting a potato into one's bed (as some have "seriously" proposed) or in following some other "remedy" that was actually just plucked from the air and touted as the long-awaited "cure" for a condition that really does drive people to distraction.

I wish there were a way of replicating for your reporter the disruption to life itself that comes from regular daily biological actions that we cannot control, wish away, exercise to death, or otherwise get rid of without actual medical treatment. Let your reporter sleep only from 3 am to her "normal" time to get up - let her find it difficult to "make up" for lost sleep through "naps" that cannot replicate the sleep cycle that requires us to be in bed for hours nightly. Let her function with under 6 hours of sleep (much of it spent involuntarily kicking due to Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, a condition which many who have RLS also have), most of which isn't "normal" sleep progressing through the "stages" we've learned necessary for a "healthy" sleep cycle. Then let her re-think and re-do her report about RLS. (Your denying that she used ridicule and sarcasm about the disease is unbelievable, since she was so obvious about it!)

The pharmaceutical companies are after the almighty dollar, that's for sure. This is the USA. They're supposed to be praised for their profit motives and capitalistic entrepreneurial spirit. The same applies to the "snake oil" sales people, to whom you are not paying attention in this campaign.

This is a most uncharacteristic departure for Consumer's Union, to make fun of people for having an ill-named medical condition and for needing a drug like Requip. You make us out to be fools who have been hoodwinked into buying products that have "side effects" we should want to avoid more than we should want to be relieved of our “funny” condition.

Well, by god, if we could do without Requip or Mirapex or opiates or the many other products used to help us, we certainly would! But we are trapped, not by a greedy pharma company's desire to get into our wallets, but by our very own brain chemistry impacting us in ways that research is only beginning to uncover. We get to live with this every single day, every night. We are reminded of our problems with it every time we go to a movie, take a flight, or try to relax with a crossword puzzle at home in the evening, or greedily desire to go to bed and sleep normally for 8 or 9 hours.

Our suffering is your idea of "entertaining" the subscribers to Consumer Reports. Well, I just don't know what I'd do to get through the day without ridiculing some other people's problems! Thanks so much for giving America that much more mirth!

I'm awfully sorry to resort to sarcasm - a very low form of humor - but since Consumer's Union has made it respectable, I figure we can all go to town with it!

[Rick Loebick]

When I witnessed your ad concerning Restless Leg Syndrome, I couldn't believe it! I, who is an avid Consumer Reports reader and user! In fact, I spend a considerable amount of time comparing and buying Consumer Reports Studies! They are dead wrong about this! I have a severe case of Restless Leg Syndrome and I acquired it around 1997 when I was 46 years old. It was not as bad as it is now but it progressively became more pronounced! It was around 2001 when I was up in the evening because I could not rest for my flailing legs. When I saw for the first time a commercial that had a possible remedy for my affliction! I was ecstatic! It was an unbelievable success! It worked! Trust me, On this one, trust me, a placebo would not have worked! Muscle relaxants didn't work my guess is I was even skeptical of Requip! It worked! Period! You have taken the wrong drug on TV! I am here to swear to you! let me try real hard to explain "The Strange Feelings" you are unclear about? The feeling to me is that of an impulse to want to jerk your leg. Play along here and do your best to imagine instead of building it in your mind that your on to something with Restless Leg Syndrome and Requip! Imagine you are in a contest. You know by the elimination of competitors that you (let's say)Hold the winning number and waiting is getting intense! just two more to go and I know I got the winning number for that big prize! This feeling comes over you where you just can't wait to spring forward and collect your prize you are so excited! That sensation to spring forward with some help of adrenalin and excitement, the very same sensations only you are becoming relaxed for the evening and possibly going to bed! There's no adrenalin or excitement! Your legs just want to move when your mind is half asleep! It is frustrating and in some cases so disturbing, I have called off work because of not sleeping AT ALL! Look, rethink this, it is possible YOU COULD BE WRONG! This drug is expensive! I get little or no help at all from my Health Provider. As time goes on with Requip one may have to increase the dosage or get a prescription for a higher milligram tablet to do the job. That in itself is minor compared to what it does! Remember the name Restless Leg Syndrome is just a name! It is a so called form of a Parkinson's disease! Look at this more closely please! We are not making this stuff up! It is a horrible disabling problem and I will tell you another thing about this syndrome, It affects the arms as well! Not for everyone and not all the time but it does. The damage this syndrome causes my knees from over extension of the flailing jerk that occurs, was mostly affecting both legs, not at once but one at a time usually. Recently it seems to affect my left leg the most. That knee is so damaged from the involuntary jerking, It is in pain all day now and walking is getting harder with it! You don't believe me? Then try me in your study!! Find out what it is really like! You cannot make this stuff up or play act this syndrome! Be more respectful to those who suffer with this! The Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation has been a positive force in this and there are a couple of drugs/remedies that seem to be working so look at the success instead of the skepticism! Please!

[Richard Underwood]

I will as an RLS sufferer that is sever enough to require medication although not the brand in question, ask a question of the forum. Are all people uneducated imbeciles that take everything they see as gospel? I don't watch TV so don't have to suffer through the ads however I do do research though the internet and other sources and take this to my Doctor. He is a busy guy and even he isn't proficient enough to keep up to date on all the new medications. He then has an opportunity to research the product at he leisure and decide if it will be of any benefit to me. Maybe it is different in Canada but if I want the 'real' scoop I talk to my pharmacist. I guess the point I would like to make is if CR wants to do some good, take on the ads in a generic format. That way they don’t misrepresent serious illnesses and justifiably upset a lot of people who take those illnesses and any relief seriously. And for the masses out there, if you believe what you see regardless of who presents it without doing additional research you deserve what you get.

[David]

All of you criticizing this are just industry shills and PR hacks.

It's incredibly obvious what you're trying to do.

[Doug]

I have enjoyed consumer reports over the years, but am disappointed in this video segment. I have untreated RLS symptoms, but that aside, am offended by the sarcastic nature of this "reporting". It seems inconsistent with the nature of reporting good consumer information. If it was a great idea and format, the evening news would be all over it. It seems at odds with reporting credible information or positioning yourselves as an authoritative institution. When I think of wanting to be "entertained", Consumer Reports is certainly not what comes to mind, and certainly not after watching this segment. I don't see anything in the segment more enlightening than the original ad. I am hoping this is an experiment and you'll move on to more thoughtful consumer product insight.

[Martine Smith]

I have RLS. So far, I sleep through it, but it keeps my husband from sleeping because I constantly kick and twitch while I sleep, the whole night long. We now sleep separately quite often. I tried Requip. I was on it for eleven days. Three of the nights I had HORRIBLE nightmares. That's more nightmares than I'd had in the past ten years. So I stopped taking it, and I will NOT be taking any drug in this class ever again.

I also have a family member who has had much worse RLS than I do, and he took a Requip-like drug. He already had gambling tendencies, and during his time on the drug, they amped up considerably. He ended up in a prominent gambling treatment center, where the first thing they did was take him off the drug.

So I can attest to a few things:
1) RLS can affect people's lives profoundly
2) some drugs can have side effects that really are much worse than the condition
3) the link between these drugs and gambling, in my experience, has proven to be quite real

As a 20-year reader and fan of Consumer Reports, I can also attest to a few things about this video:
1) It's just as snarky, mocking, unprofessional, sarcastic, smug, snide, glib, condescending, patronizing, and negative as the other comments have mentioned.
2) It DID make fun of the disease, AS WELL AS making fun of the drug companies' ad strategies.
3) It falls far short of the responsible, respectable journalism we have come to expect from CR.

Does anyone remember the old days of "Sixty Minutes"? They were able to shoot holes in their subjects without a snotty, smart alecky tone (that didn't come until later). Does CR really need to stoop to those depths to make a point? I don't mind the back page of the CR magazine, where you do make some cute quips about advertising SNAFUs, but your actress's derisive delivery (and I'm assuming you scripted it for her that way) really worked against your point. My request to you would be that as you produce more of your entertaining new online video series,
that you strive for a more evenhanded presentation, and keep a lid on the rudeness.

Thanks,
Martine Smith

[tcaruli]

I have severe RLS. I've had it for over 10 years now. I was the one that did the research and then educated the doctor on what it was. For the first 8 years it would come and go. Then it finally came and stayed. I HATE taking any type of medication but after not being able to sleep for 6 weeks I was more than glad to try Requip. The only side effects I have are being a little sleepy about an hour after I take it. I can function but would like to take a nap.
I did try all of the cheap, natural alternatives; they did not work.
The article by CR showed total disrespect for the people that suffer from RLS. Too bad the staff of CR can't experience a severe case of RLS for the rest of their lives. I bet they would be trying Requip too.
I realize that a lot of people think they have RLS when they don't but shouldn't it be up to the doctor to determine that?
I cannot stress enough how miserable a person's life is if they can never hold still long enough to sleep.

[Beth Morford]

For years people have laughed when I mention that my husband suffers from restless legs syndrome. Thanks Consumer Reports for perpetuating the myth that it's not a real disease with life altering symptoms. It doesn't really matter what the point of your video was to me because the tone of your video is reminesicent of the many doctors my husband has seen as his condition got worse and worse. It took years and many visits to finally locate a neurologist who took his condition seriously and knew enough about RLS to treat him. The trick with the medication is taking it appropriately. The DOCTORs not the drug companies are supposed to be working with patients to find the right treatment plan. I am cancelling my online consumer reports subscription right after I make this post. Your research is so shoddy on this one, how can I trust your other research?

[Christine B]

After reading most of the comments and watching the video, I was also upset by the flippant attitude the reporter used when talking about RLS. It is a real problem, not just impressive initials. And if any doctor prescribes what a patient comes in and asks for, that is a problem with the doctors and not the ads! I appreciate the ads for bringing this condition to the public. I was the first of four in my family who were suffering from and diagnosed with RLS. My other family members had been taking Tylenol PM to deal with it. Talk about wrongful medicating without doctor's advice. I also found out that low iron stores maybe the cause. This is not caught with tests for anemia, but tests for iron stores. Mine was found to be very low and I am on a dailey Iron Sulfate regimine. I would never have found this out without my doctors help. I take Requip and Gabapentin and they both help. And I appreiciate the ads that help bring the condition to light.
Also my sexual and gambling urges are right in line with where they were before Requip. I htink they musty have gotten some odd ducks in their study.

[Mike]

Jamie Hirsh is unpleasant in the extreme because of her nasal speech and adolescent mannerisms. The message IS valid however. Please find a better presenter next time.

[dar]

Laurie has a point.
Try MAGNESIUM supplements
[but don't procrastinate,as the FDA will soon ban ALL vitamins&minerals in theraputic doses:
google 'Codex Alimentarius']

A website on magnesium is www.mgwater.com
Google: magnesium+benefits... 1,920,000 hits
Epsom salt footbaths will work wonders.
Consider this: cheap,effective& no scary side-effects.
What have You got to lose?

[erik robinson]

I wonder how many people who suffer a few nights of insomnia watch an ad like this & then believe they have it all the time. It isn't even hard to believe that someone could mentally create the condition themselves & make it even worse. (You tell yourself that you have a condition & many times it becomes that way! Self-fulfilling prophecies are a very deep ingrained part of a human's life. Look at any placebo study...)

NOT TO MENTION, with the high usage of caffeine in today's society... I have almost no problem questioning if the sufferers of this disease are simply people who have drank any caffeine too close to their bedtime. >>>Caffeine will cause all of these symptoms.<<<

[Rob Thornton]

Ms. Hirsh, don't be surprised by the negative talk. Whether you are talking sense or nonsense, the Internet has a knack for attracting vocal minorities to anything about their pet cause. I'm not slamming people who really have RLS, but I agree with CR - advertisers are trying to recruit patients by making them believe they are ill.

[Bryan Senka]

I'm not a fan of drug ads, and I neither have nor know anything about restless legs syndrome.

However, I do agree with those who are critical of this video blog. It is very unprofessional, and clearly DOES mock those who do have RLS.

[RLS Support Group Leader]

For those who feel that this video doesn't make fun of a miserable disorder, I suggest you watch again. I am, however, going to take a different approach of my fellow RLS sufferers and thank Consumer Reports for enlightning so many undiagnosed with this information. Every time RLS receives publicity with a piece such as this, however inaccurate, someone realizes they are not crazy and know there is help. As a support group leader I will tell you that many times I have received e-mails and calls from people with suicidal thoughts because they could not continue to live with this "unknown disorder". They feel validated when they hear the exact words they have used to describe what they feel to a doctor, only to pronounce them crazy. I have lived with this disorder for over twenty years and I can tell you that I am eternally grateful that someone finally paid attention and did research. Do you really think GSK or BI are non-profits and should not make money? That's what advertising is about....in any world....just take a look at the ads associated with any pro football game. By the way, FDA approval of a drug does not come overnight, nor without a ton of reseach!
So, to CR's Kevin, I say thank you for generating more discussion and raising more awareness. You have helped spread the word almost as good as we, the actual sufferer, could do. I do suggest that next time you do your homework a little better and you won't look quite so uninformed.

[Ljdub]

No, I'm not an "industry shill", and no, I don't have any personal, financial or any other type of bias relating to Requip, RLS, etc., but I agree with a few of the posters that this ad is condescending - No - I'm not missing the point and understand that the intent was for Ms Hirsh to "attack" the drug commercial, not the disease - she failed miserably. The patronizing way the info was presented DID make me feel marginalized, and that if I suffered from RLS, it was simply the "disease of the week" and not to be taken very seriously. You can claim all you like that Ms Hirsh was being clever, hip, whatever, but I found her tone and her gestures as mentioned by others to be extremely condescending.
I have always been an appreciative fan of Consumer Reports, but when we're slammed at every turn with sarcastic, negative barrages of information on every possible subject and from every possible media source, this is just one more "slap in the face". Isn't there a way to get your message across about misleading drug company ads than yet more sarcasm? We're all just so darn tired of it.....
Finally, I would like to mention that the Requip ad (a drug which I have not tried nor do I intend to) DID state in printed words onscreen that it was intended for "moderate to severe cases of RLS", something not noted by Ms. Hirsh in her remarks. Since it does tell the viewer that there can be serious side effects, then I would leave it to my doctor to decide in tandem with me whether or not this or any drug was right for my case, or if the potential side effects were more severe than my RLS symptoms warranted.
And yes, I DO suffer from severe RLS and have for about 20 years, and yes, it IS getting worse as I get older. Getting to sleep is nearly impossible, taking long airline flights ditto, and even sitting still in a meeting without fidgeting like a child is sometimes a challenge. Add in the periodic limb movements (PLM)during sleep that often accompany RLS, and I can hold my own with a Rockette, or bounce the mattress nearly off the boxspring, much to my husband's dismay when he tries to sleep. RLS is nothing to make light of, and more sarcasm is the last thing I need to hear.

[Kevin]

Please also address the environmental hazards of hair-tonics!

If someone wanted to build a microchip factory or nuclear power plant next door to a neighborhood, there would be protests and legal recriminations against the developers.

But.... its OK to bring Propecia into your home, even when Merck admits that it might cause birth defects! > The U.S. EPA is not doing their job!

[Seth Weinglass]

more please

[m.c.cookie]

It's of the utmost importance that you continue to rock on with your bad selves. I'm reminded of a comedian that said, if you're telling someone what drugs you want, they're not a doctor, they're a dealer.

[Cynic]

How about a drug that helps correct a lisp? J/K

All these drug ads remind me of Saturday Night Live's Happy Fun Ball.

[Seeth]

Yep, this video was mocking of RLS in parts. I'm sure it was out of ignorance, but that's hardly an excuse for a publication that exists only to influence opinion.

I'd like to assure all of you that although RLS is unfortunately (and hilariously) named, it can easily destroy a life. I know that sounds theatrical, but it's true. That's probably why some have bristled at the reporter's glib attitude towards the condition. (Incidentally, my experience with RLS was caused by a sudden cessation of the SSRI Paxil – it lasted for a couple of months. It sucked.)

I appreciate the angle of the story, but not the presentation.

[miriam]

Thank you. My husband is as sick of me yelling at the TV when these ads come on as I am with him yelling at the Pirates.
The fact is, these ads are manipulative. They de-emphazise key information (for example, how likely the drug is to work), and always is the implication that if only you took their drug, you'd be happier, more successful, and everyone will love us. Much the way that ads sell other things... It does take a lot of money to develop a new drug (and to produce these ads, FYI)-- but I'm not in the mood to buy crap I don't need to support them-- especially if it's my health at risk.
It's a really neat gig they got. Instead of convincing doctors (who actually might know things) to prescribe their product, all they have to do is convince you, by giving you even less information than in the classic drug rep spiel during lunch, and you'll do the rest of the work for them.

[Chris R.]

I don't have RLS, but have seen these commercials. I agree with the comments that the lady doing the dubunking is very unprofessional. She definitely makes fun of the condition. "Nausea, vommiting? That sounds worse than the disease". Thanks for the editorial. And who are you? Why do they have to use this ditsy blonde? I thought for sure they would flash her credentials. But she probably doesn't have any. But she sure is smug enough.

[Saundra]

I have neither restless legs syndrome, nor any great love of pharmaceutical companies, but this video just comes off as snide and smug. If you want to preach to the choir, then this is an effective video. If you actually want to change people's minds, laying off on the sarcasm can only help.

[steve ofner]

Fantastic feature. Great format, informative and entertaining like Mystery Science Theater for BS ads. As an online consultant to non-profits and political campaigns, I can say from experience that's a hard balance to maintain with factual information.

Keep it up and please don't limit yourself to drug ads.

[Peter]

When less than 3% of the population has a disease, and placebos work for 57% of those...you're talking about a potential market of 1.3% of the population, many of whom don't have the insurance or cash for the drug anyway.

You think they are buying up TV ads to speak to the fraction of that 1.3% who will actually see them and be able to afford it? No. They want every hypochondriac they can find to spend $60/month on this toxic crap.

Though having an excuse for compulsive sexual behavior might make it worth it for some married people...

[Captain Sarcastic]

I *loved* the video.

It's been interesting reading the comments on the blog entry. I don't know if you've ever read PR Watch's blog or the books by Sheldon Rampton/John Stauber on the ways industry manipulates public opinion. ("Trust Us, We're Experts!" is excellent.) If I were to guess, I'd say "Shelly" was an industry shill trying to parlay this as making fun of RLS sufferers when it is really calling attention to the way the important information ("do you need this?" "is the cure worse than the symptoms?") is glossed over in the slick presentation.

[Carlen Lea]

Full disclosure -- I work in marketing and have pharma clients, but have not worked on Requip.

What the reporter in this video does not mention is the maze of FDA regulations surrounding DTC advertising. Also, there's only so much that anyone can say in a 60 second ad. The FDA requires all of the "side effect" language and is very, very strict about it.

What I don't understand is why Consumer Reports is criticizing what isn't said. It's not like you can just go and get these drugs. Your doctor has to prescribe them. It's up to the doctor whether the drug is right for you.

I agree that that ads are incredibly annoying, but imagine if you suffered from a rare disorder. You actually might not think to ask your doctor about it. I generally love CR, but the snarky reporter does a dis-service to what they are trying to do. I'd rather see CR point out the specific mis-information and other problems.

Oh -- and if they really believe there is a problem, will CR be contacting the FDA to review the ad for violations?

[David]

Reading all the negative comments, I wonder how many of these people are actually shills for the drug companies, with no real complaints of their own, but acting as a PR stunt to try to add Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt to a video that's really quite straightforward?

We can see through your transparent attempt to try to discredit Consumer Reports.

People should be honest, and not spread lies about such a fine publication working in the public interest.

[David]

I stopped watching television because of the mind numbing hypnotic commercials; primarily drugs. These commercials seek to create fear or emptiness and present their product as the solution the the "problem". In many cases, the problem is the negative mental energy created by the drug commercials.

Instead of TV, I get movies from the local library or from a certain online movie rental company, and news from the internet.

[Marikay]

I can see both sides of this argument. I totally agree that these ads should not be on TV, but on the other hand, when she said "What the heck is 'Restless Leg Syndrome', anyway?" --it did sound mocking and a little ignorant, too. My husband has it and I can vouch for the reality of it because I can't sleep either! Still, I enjoyed the Consumer Reports piece because I think the ads themselves are so over the top.

[Cecilia]

I have a mild case of RLS, I find it happening when I'm very tired but resist going to sleep. In my case it helps taking folic acid. I was very surprised that my doctor was so fast prescribing some medicine, didn't explain any side effects I could experience from it and was not interested whatsoever when I came back to him stating that the folic acid was working for me. He didn't care to suggest this to other patients, it was like, ok, good for you.
I think it's very important to have an opportunity to hear to the other side of things. I guess it might evolve into being done with a little more respect for the conditions and more informative approach as far as alternatives, etc. Of course it won't be as fun ;)

By the way, please take a look at the ads targeted for kids selling them on every silly toy over the face of earth. To me it should be totally forbidden to advertise directly to kids, they're being bombarded.

[Dennis]

Great job, Jamie! This video is hip, fun, and very revealing. I am so tired of these insulting and condescending ads assaulting my senses.

When I have a condition that I think might warrant a med, I do what any sensible person would: research the drugs available MYSELF to get a balanced view - and what natural alternatives exist. I don't depend on one-sided TV commercials.

I have never requested an ad-recommended drug. I leave the choice to my doctor. After all, he attended medical school. I (and the producers of these ads) did not.

[William Woodburn]

I agree. This video was making fun of the ad, not the condition. I've always liked CR, and I hope they do more videos like this. The next ones I'd like to see them do would be one of the numerous treatments for overactive bladder or ED. Especially that moronic series of Enzyte commercials.

[Sharon L]

You forgot to say the doctor's offices now have TVs in the waiting room with constant ads for drugs. People are at their most vulnerable when
they are visiting the doctor (they don't feel well or are recovering from something or they wouldn't be there). The TVs constantly barrage them with ads for different drugs. They call them health shows, but they are just telling people about different drugs and saying "ask your doctor if it's right for you".

[Michael Tarolli]

Dear CR: I found this to be informative and entertaining. Those offended by your approach are quite obviously missing the point.

RLS sufferers: This isn't about (or against) you or your affliction - it's taking a look at how drug companies market their products.

[judith]

I have had what I suspect is RLS. I found that when I exercise regularly the effects diminish significantly. Another poster here mentions that calcium works for her. The ad didn't address alternative treatents (how much time can you take in a spot?) but did note that 57% of people achieved relief with a placebo. Thus it is certainly worth looking for less dangerous and less expensive solutions before going for drugs, even if those drugs are effective in your case.

[Dan Keller]

I had RLS before I had a name for it and before the TV ads for Requip began. My doctor put me on Requip and it's been working well for me. I am very grateful for it because without it my legs twitch and snap. It's VERY distressful.

However, I'm going to try the calcium/magnesium minerals mentioned in an earlier post. Yes, I'll talk to my doctor about it...but I'm going to try it anyway.

[John B.]

So, obviously this has been posted to the wrong places... For all of the sufferers of RLS - no, they aren't making fun of you personally, unless there was a part I missed. If you actually paid attention to the post, as opposed to just watching the moving pictures, they said that they were going after drug ads in general.

And for the other "complaint" - work for the drug company much? "(drugs) are aimed at keeping people out of the hospitals that weigh the system down." Which is all well and good, but these ads are specifically aimed at consumers, to get them to go to the doctor's office MORE often, either with made-up ailments or just simply requests for the drug-of-the-week.

The question is really what kind of ads are appropriate. My personal feeling is that I don't really care about most of the stuff that is advertised, and for the others I've either already tried it or am on it for serious issues. Why should I care which blood pressure medication I am on, when 1) I have one that works, and 2) I always try and buy generics?

[John S.]

I'm not a fan of CR's "entertaining" yet very unprofessional approach on these ads. They have showed a bias against drug makers for years, and it seems they continue to slant in a direction against them. I'm not sure why they have chosen drug makers in their attack, but I think they could apply this "play by Play" to about any industry; cell phone carriers, beer companies, home shopping network, etc. It looks like they went after an easy target, and a market that is captivating because it affects so many people.
The truth is there are many diseases including RLS that physicians have failed to acknowledge and diagnose. These advertisements are created to generate interest and awareness, and have probably created more good than bad for people. It is a genetic disease that affects millions of people. Who is taking the pill and who is asking for the pill? Our society and patients don't have to take them if they don't want too, but Americans love to pop pills to fix their problems. Why criticize a company for telling people to consult their doctor. The Doctor still has to write the script and diagnose the patient.
The truth is our country generates more new and efficacious medicines than the rest of the world combined. Drugs account for 10% of the cost of healthcare and are aimed at keeping people out of the hospitals that weigh the system down. Doctors don't spend enough time with patients to accurately diagnose... they would rather give them pills to get them out of the office and get on to the next case. Don't fault drug companies for making the drugs for Doctors to prescribe. Maybe physicians should stop prescribing so many of them.
As for the company here, they disclose more side effects than the majority of patients will ever experience. Again, if you don't want the benefit don't take the pill, but why is consumer reports choosing drug companies? They are much bigger crimes out there than this. Go after companies that do more harm than good. These smarmy reviews can't be from a reputable company like CR.

[gilly]

Just wanted to chime in about RLS- My mother and I have it. Mine is very mild, it strikes once in a while in the late evening when I should be in bed but am up watching tv or internetting. It doesn't interfere with my sleep, although I used to fall asleep shaking one of my feet (like a fidgety person on a bench making the whole bench vibrate); it didn't affect my sleep but probably would have affected the sleep of anyone sleeping near me.. Anyway, I'm certainly not a candidate for this medication, but wanted to attest to the incredible discomfort that must accompany a more serious case. It's not a pain, so much as an inability to feel contented in a very immediate, physical way. None of that makes up for the sneaky tactics the drug industry employs to fatten their wallets. It is nice, though, when something that people used to think was not real is "legitimized," if not at least publicized by a national campaign. In my humble perception, various ads for depression and social anxiety drugs a few years ago helped de-stigmatize those ailments . Certainly such campaigns will result in some overprescribing, but overdoing it a little is something that happens in most any aspect of social and personal life. After the novelty of whatever hot new drug, product, hobby, wears off, things will settle into some sort of stabler state. Again, I don't mean to make excuses for misleading drug ads, or the general behavior of the drug companies, their marketing, their lobbying, or the legislation resulting from said lobbying. I've said much more than I meant to say, please forgive me for rambling a bit..

[marcia levy]

Love your new ad watch..keep on giving the real information on drug advertising. Your Jamie Hirsh is very effective and personable.

[Mark]

The video is funny and entertaining. I "suffer" from RLS or at least its symptoms about once a month. I call it "crazy legs" and it makes me want to flail my legs around in bed for a few minutes before I can get comfortable to sleep. Leno even makes fun of it occasionally.

I think the real problem is the ads in the first place. Why, oh why do doctors let the patients do the prescribing? Isn't that the doctors reason for existence? Medications would be less expensive if they forgo the billion dollar advertising budgets and let doctors make the sole determination. Are doctors really so competitive or insecure that they're afraid they would lose business if they don't cave in? There will always be sick people to treat. Get rid of these annoying and sometimes totally inappropriate ads. Especially the depression ads that make you depressed by having to listen to them over and over.

I think ther should be a total moratoriam for all prescription medication advertisements across the board in television. Save the advertisements for the magazines from nineteen dickity two in the doctors office to read.

I'm afraid there is a need for more robust ethics training in medical school if the medical community is so easily pushed over by media educated patients.

My $1.50

[jill92802]

I'm sorry, but I would have to agree with Ms. Skelton, to a degree. It does sound as if the reporter is making fun of the condition itself ("...Ooo a mystery. The real mystery? What the heck is 'Restless Leg Syndrome', anyway?" and the sarcastic quote fingers when she says "...strange sensations...", and again sarcasm when she says "Ahh, note the use of impressive initials..."). I completely understand the issue of warning consumers to be careful when viewing these ads, afterall, the drug companies are trying to sell us something....but RLS did become the butt of jokes (Jay Leno, David Letterman, et al) after these commercials. We needn't find a CR representative jumping on the bandwagon, and making light of the condition yet again. And yes, I suffer from RLS...
jill92802