Smoking is just a memory, solid sleep routine, and bald heads grow hair again.
Such advertising is pervasive in the health-care marketplace, and for good reason. When it comes to drugs, what is new is not necessarily better and could even be more risky. Many new drugs are 'me too' products that offer few advantages over older drugs,'' Dr. Michael Wilkes, an associate professor at the University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote in a recent issue of the journal Health Affairs. The greatest impact has been in the past two years. In late 1997, the FDA began allowing TV ads that mention both health conditions and the drug's brand name without having to disclose possible side effects and other cautionary information, provided they direct consumers to consult at least four sources, including their doctor, for additional detail.