Commercial Stupidity
"You wouldn't want your doctor doing your job, so why are you doing hers?"
So begins an advertisement currently playing on commercial TV, for the drug Nexium.... Now, the basic statement-- let your doctor do his/her job, while you do yours; or rephrased, if you have a medical problem, go see your doctor instead of trying to figure it out yourself when it might be something serious, is entirely reasonable and even basic good sense. After all, 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, more years for internship, residency, etc-- your doctor had a lot to learn, and a lot of experience and training to be gained, in order to become a good medical doctor and to have the knowledge and ability to diagnose and treat medical problems. Seriously-- yes, it's basic good sense to go see a doctor when you have a serious injury or feel particularly ill or have an ongoing health problem...
But when you go see a doctor, it's also basic good sense to LET YOUR DOCTOR DO HIS/HER JOB, and not try to do it for him/her. One does not usually go see an expert in a particular field (particularly when you are NOT an expert in that field) and then tell said expert what he/she should do. Now, I do advocate asking questions, learning about whatever your health issue might be, making sure your doctor is paying attention to your issues and is providing you with appropriate and effective medical care; but you still don't go see a doctor to show off your own expertise and ideas about medical care-- you go see a doctor because you need his/her expertise.
So, after making such a good common sense recommendation-- how can one take this utterly, offensively, ridiculously stupid commercial seriously-- when, right after pointing out that you should let your doctor do his/her job, goes straight to telling you that you should go and tell your doctor how to do his/her job, by insisting that your doctor should consider placing you on their drug for whatever your problem is.... and telling you that you really should insist on discussing this particular drug as a treatment option with your doctor.
WTF? The first point: don't tell your doctor how to do his/her job is correct. The second point: is doing exactly what the first point told you you shouldn't be doing. And gee, like anyone with brain cells and capability for rational thought is going to get their ideas for medical care from commercial advertisements that are blatantly trying to sell you something, whether you need it or not.
This advertisement is American idiocy at its dubious 'finest'
So begins an advertisement currently playing on commercial TV, for the drug Nexium.... Now, the basic statement-- let your doctor do his/her job, while you do yours; or rephrased, if you have a medical problem, go see your doctor instead of trying to figure it out yourself when it might be something serious, is entirely reasonable and even basic good sense. After all, 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, more years for internship, residency, etc-- your doctor had a lot to learn, and a lot of experience and training to be gained, in order to become a good medical doctor and to have the knowledge and ability to diagnose and treat medical problems. Seriously-- yes, it's basic good sense to go see a doctor when you have a serious injury or feel particularly ill or have an ongoing health problem...
But when you go see a doctor, it's also basic good sense to LET YOUR DOCTOR DO HIS/HER JOB, and not try to do it for him/her. One does not usually go see an expert in a particular field (particularly when you are NOT an expert in that field) and then tell said expert what he/she should do. Now, I do advocate asking questions, learning about whatever your health issue might be, making sure your doctor is paying attention to your issues and is providing you with appropriate and effective medical care; but you still don't go see a doctor to show off your own expertise and ideas about medical care-- you go see a doctor because you need his/her expertise.
So, after making such a good common sense recommendation-- how can one take this utterly, offensively, ridiculously stupid commercial seriously-- when, right after pointing out that you should let your doctor do his/her job, goes straight to telling you that you should go and tell your doctor how to do his/her job, by insisting that your doctor should consider placing you on their drug for whatever your problem is.... and telling you that you really should insist on discussing this particular drug as a treatment option with your doctor.
WTF? The first point: don't tell your doctor how to do his/her job is correct. The second point: is doing exactly what the first point told you you shouldn't be doing. And gee, like anyone with brain cells and capability for rational thought is going to get their ideas for medical care from commercial advertisements that are blatantly trying to sell you something, whether you need it or not.
This advertisement is American idiocy at its dubious 'finest'