DRUG AD-INDUCED CONFUSION.

The reason I started this blog was to try to keep advertising and marketing hype from misleading or confusing you.

If you could see the searches some people type into Google and other engines, you'd know there's a need for this.

In the interest in clearing up some of the bewilderment caused by direct-to-consumer drug advertising on television, here's a quick list of currently advertised prescription drugs, and the conditions they're marketed to treat:

1. Cymbalta -- advertised to treat depression, NOT Restless Legs Syndrome or prostate problems.

2. Requip -- advertised for Restless Legs Syndrome, NOT depression or prostate problems.

3. Avodart -- marketed as a remedy for complications of an enlarged prostate, NOT depression or Restless Legs Syndrome.

Presumably, the confusion created by advertising prescription drugs can be cleared up when you ask your doctor if the drug is right for you. So far as I know, physicians don't rely on television commercials to educate themselves on drugs or make diagnostic decisions.

[07/26/06 Afterthought: The links above take you to commercial Web sites owned by the respective drug companies. While they contain information, they're also closely managed marketing sites. For independent drug information sources, see my hype-free links in the right column.]