1980s. Brought to you by Reagan.

“Fast-forward to the 1980s: while Ronald Reagan was telling Americans to "Just Say No," the feds cozied up to the pharmaceutical industry, and relaxed their legal restrictions. Direct-to-consumer marketing (DTCM), what you probably know as "drug commercials," was first given the seal of approval in the US in 1985.”

https://www.thrillist.com/health/nation/why-are-prescription-drug-advertisements-legal-in-america

Not to mention the people who come up with all that cheesy music and lyrics that try to rhyme with the nonsensical words the industry uses for drug names.

Good!

Everyone involved in advertising can get real jobs instead of being paid to psychologically manipulate us with fake smiles!

Hey, those bonuses and stock buybacks aren’t going to pay for themselves!!!

Think of how insanely expensive those ads are: Besides the exorbitant cost of running them multiple times a day on numerous expensive broadcast channels during every day part, there's the production costs.

Big casts, big crew, location shooting, lots of costumes, etc. Then there is the music. They tend to use great classic rock songs, which carry extremely heavy royalty rates. In addition, they usually change the arrangement, and even write new lyrics. Changing the lyrics costs a FORTUNE.

The costs for the ad before it even runs, is incredible. The marketing costs for the entire campaign must be enormous. No wonder prescription drug costs are so high.

That would take away a major advantage rich people have over us, so you'd better believe the useful idiots among us will not support it.

But but how will companies convince you their shity quality products is what everyone is buying??

Viewers think those ads are aimed at them, but many of them are for such specific versions of a disease, that the viewership must be extremely tiny. They wouldn't spend that kind of money to reach such a miniscule audience.

The ads are really aimed at the doctors themselves. A doctor with a specific specialty may have several patients that the drug might help. That's whose attention they are trying to get.

Have you asked your doctor about Ozempic yet? Maybe you need to see a couple hundred more ads about it.

Laundry detergent and other household cleaners targeting stay-at-home wives.

It's why daytime dramas are called Soap Operas.

I have barely watched non-streaming TV for probably a decade or more, but I believe that in Canada it is much more difficult to advertise pharmaceuticals or law services. I think they can do it, but there are a lot of restrictions.

Certainly when I'm subjected exposed to American TV, the number of pharmaceutical commercials is staggering.

world most overpriced drugs, and ads.

in most of the world that would be a ridiculously sci fi dystopia that no one would think is possible

At least we're not the only one! Iirc new Zealand does/did as well

It fucking sucks that he is kneecapped by every other politician and is rendered mostly to just a voice.

Yeah, democrats hate him because he's not beholden to the ruling class.

Fuck democrats and republicans.

Won’t anyone think of the media companies?

If it helps I’ll take it.

srsly wtf bernie

It probably won't pass, but we should still be fighting back.

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/05/25/sanders-israel-gaza-genocide/

“What we should be focusing on is ending the destruction and changing policy,” he said. “Let’s be clear, 52,000 people have been killed, mostly women and children. Over 100,000 have been wounded with the entire infrastructure destroyed. That is horrible. That is barbaric. That is the concern we have but some people want to argue about a word which the United Nations is now working to define.”

Seems like a good choice, not letting people waste time.