Post by unlawflcombatnt on Jan 11, 2009 17:47:01 GMT -6
It is now a LAW in California Emergency Rooms that Smoking Cessation handouts be given to ALL patients upon discharge -- including non-smokers.
I found this out yesterday after being in the ER for about 8 hours with a back injury. Since I was not there for a respiratory problem, nor have I ever smoked, this seemed a little strange. But I was again informed that this was mandated by state law, even for those who've never smoked, and even for INFANTS!
Yes, really.
The handout was 2 pages long. The 1st page gave all the usual suggestions about getting ready, get support, set a date, etc.
Then I got to the 2nd page. Here we go. At the top were 5 product suggestions for patients to "help" them quit.
"
1. Bupropion SR - Available by prescription
2. Nicotine gum - Available over-the-counter
3. Nicotine inhaler - Available by prescription
4. Nicotine nasal spray - Available by prescription
5. Nicotine patch - Available by prescription and over-the-counter."
This was followed by
"
• Ask your health care provider for advice and read....
• All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good.
• Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication."
This is just incredible. There are so many things wrong here that I can't possibly get into them all here.
Big Pharma has successfully lobbied and gotten a California law passed whose sole purpose is to advertise Big Pharma's products. Now ERs across the state are legally required to advertise for Big Pharma, to help maintain their revenue stream off the backs of the Medical profession and patients.
How nice.
In a time with rising medical costs and rising numbers of people who can't afford medical care, the State of California is colluding with Big Pharma to ensure that their profitability doesn't suffer, just because the economy is crashing and fewer people can afford health care.
And never mind the fact that the advertising is severely misleading, if not outright dishonest.
What's omitted here is the well-accepted knowledge in the Medical field that these treatments work poorly, and in only a minority of patients.
And then there are such misleading statements as:
"All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good."
1st off, that's an outright lie.
2nd, even if it were true, doubling a very low number still gives a very low number. (For example, 2 x 0.5% is only 1%)
3rd, it should be outright illegal for any non-physician medical personnel to even recommend a particular medication, since this is a physician-permitted decision only, and non-physician medical personnel do not have the legal authority to make such decisions. And since medication selection IS a medical decision (which only licensed physicians are permitted to make under California law), such a recommendation is of questionable legality.
Of course, if you're rich enough, or big enough (like Big Pharma), laws often don't apply. (After all, laws only apply to "regular" people, not "special" people -- like rich CEOs and their henchman.)
I found this out yesterday after being in the ER for about 8 hours with a back injury. Since I was not there for a respiratory problem, nor have I ever smoked, this seemed a little strange. But I was again informed that this was mandated by state law, even for those who've never smoked, and even for INFANTS!
Yes, really.
The handout was 2 pages long. The 1st page gave all the usual suggestions about getting ready, get support, set a date, etc.
Then I got to the 2nd page. Here we go. At the top were 5 product suggestions for patients to "help" them quit.
"
1. Bupropion SR - Available by prescription
2. Nicotine gum - Available over-the-counter
3. Nicotine inhaler - Available by prescription
4. Nicotine nasal spray - Available by prescription
5. Nicotine patch - Available by prescription and over-the-counter."
This was followed by
"
• Ask your health care provider for advice and read....
• All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good.
• Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication."
This is just incredible. There are so many things wrong here that I can't possibly get into them all here.
Big Pharma has successfully lobbied and gotten a California law passed whose sole purpose is to advertise Big Pharma's products. Now ERs across the state are legally required to advertise for Big Pharma, to help maintain their revenue stream off the backs of the Medical profession and patients.
How nice.
In a time with rising medical costs and rising numbers of people who can't afford medical care, the State of California is colluding with Big Pharma to ensure that their profitability doesn't suffer, just because the economy is crashing and fewer people can afford health care.
And never mind the fact that the advertising is severely misleading, if not outright dishonest.
What's omitted here is the well-accepted knowledge in the Medical field that these treatments work poorly, and in only a minority of patients.
And then there are such misleading statements as:
"All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good."
1st off, that's an outright lie.
2nd, even if it were true, doubling a very low number still gives a very low number. (For example, 2 x 0.5% is only 1%)
3rd, it should be outright illegal for any non-physician medical personnel to even recommend a particular medication, since this is a physician-permitted decision only, and non-physician medical personnel do not have the legal authority to make such decisions. And since medication selection IS a medical decision (which only licensed physicians are permitted to make under California law), such a recommendation is of questionable legality.
Of course, if you're rich enough, or big enough (like Big Pharma), laws often don't apply. (After all, laws only apply to "regular" people, not "special" people -- like rich CEOs and their henchman.)