Losing the war on bacteria

[Oniya]

the parents/patient won't stop demanding antibiotics pain pills until they get them.  And if they can't get them from one doctor, they'll keep going to different doctors until they find one who will give it to them.

Still works.

The thing is, the average person doesn't do enough research into the drugs they're demanding, and the ads that they've got out don't help matters.  (I remember when you couldn't advertise pharmaceuticals on TV - only in magazines.)  Heck, the first time I saw a Levitra ad, I thought it was for joint pain.  Imagine the little old lady walking in and demanding this new drug that she knows nothing about.  That's where the doctor's knowledge has to come into play.  I'm sure that when the big anthrax scares were going on that people were asking doctors for that new antibiotic they'd heard of - cipro.  Responsible doctors listen to what's wrong, and keep the patients informed.  Responsible patients tell the doctors everything that's going on with them, listen and get the facts.

[DarklingAlice]

That's where the doctor's knowledge has to come into play.  I'm sure that when the big anthrax scares were going on that people were asking doctors for that new antibiotic they'd heard of - cipro.  Responsible doctors listen to what's wrong, and keep the patients informed.  Responsible patients tell the doctors everything that's going on with them, listen and get the facts.

Exactly. Patients come to doctors because they are doctors. There is a gap of a significant amount of medical schools and a number of licensing tests between patient and doctor. As someone struggling to get into med school it baffles me that pharma companies can just go on TV and advertise to patients. It is the doctor's decision, precisely because it takes training to make these calls. A patient asking a doctor about a pharmaceutical (as many of these commercials advise people to do) deserves the baffled look and dismissal that they will get. Your doctor has had significantly more training and practice than your TV. Which of these two are you going to listen to?

[Oniya]

Somewhat related to this, I just saw an ad for a motion-sensing soap dispenser.  The selling point is that your standard pump soap dispenser can get bacteria on it from everyone pushing the pump down.

Okay.  So, I touch the germy plunger, and germs get on my hand.  Then what do I do?

I wash my hands with the soap I just dispensed on them!  *facepalm*