I having been in advertising and marketing for many years and have recently become aware of a marketing approach by pharmaceutical companies, not unlike the one the cigarette industry at one time embraced: irresponsible marketing of products that can cause great harm to any society. I am referring to the blatant promotion of cold and flu medications that do not medicate but merely hide symptoms. They allow the infected people to walk among the public and their families spreading the infection unbeknownst to those around them.

I have watched commercial after commercial “bragging” how a person is so sick that they can’t breathe and have severe headaches and coughs and sneezes … but, with the “miracle drug,” aka cold and flu symptom suppresser, that person can act as though they have no infection and act like they are well. Why would a society that spends so much money and effort telling us to not come in contact with others when ill allow such advertising?

Is that a sane approach to health care? I would like the medical society to make a statement to counteract this behavior by the drug companies. It is not rational in any way for an unsuspecting person to be in contact with someone with a contagious illness. There are enough times when it cannot be avoided, but these can.

I know it’s wonderful that these medications are available to help people feel better, but please consider the unnecessary danger to others.

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