The cure for common sense
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by the benevolence of the drug manufacturers, it would be hard to defend the logic of why the majority of pharmaceutical sales reps are attractive females while the majority of doctors are still men.

The main argument at the heart of this debate should be, “Do we really need these ads?” I doubt the average person would say that they enjoy them or find them to be beneficial. So, why are we subjected to the constant barrage of drug commercials? The answer is simple: money, and lots of it.

It is estimated that drug company lobbyists outnumber congressmen by at least 2 to 1. Pharmaceutical companies are some of the largest businesses in the world. The money they spend finds its way into a lot of pockets, and money has a way of changing a lot of opinions. Cost has been one of the largest arguments against the proposed reforms in health care, and it has become clear that our health care system is broken except for those at the top. Would we rather have affordable health care, or billions of dollars worth of ads whose cost is ultimately passed on to the consumer?

Ross Wareham is a freelance photographer, iconoclast and jack-of-all-trades who currently lives in Rochester. He is also a member of the Sibley Group, a local think tank dedicated to the advancement of social justice, truth and compassion. Contact him at [email protected].