The $45 million drug habit

by Barb Jarmoska

Three million, seven hundred fifty thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money – and that’s just for one month. In a year’s time, that monthly revenue adds up to $45 million. Sweet.

Sweet if you’re Reader’s Digest, that is. Pharmaceutical companies account for about 15 full-page ads per month in the little magazine that used to be famous for providing condensed versions of new books by well-known authors. Back in the condensed book days, it was against the law to advertise prescription drugs to the American consumer. However, a creative advertising manager for a pharmaceutical company convinced Reader’s Digest that there were new wonder drugs coming on the market that the American consumer needed to know about. The articles written about these drugs circumvented any of the restrictions that the FDA had in place at that time. Hence was born a marriage between Readers Digest and the pharmaceutical industry; a marriage that remains alive and well and very lucrative today.

You need only watch about 7 minutes of any of the evening news program on any major network to realize that the laws have changed. Advertising prescription drugs to American consumers has been legalized and is big, big business. The TV ads are slick, feel-good, appeals to those seeking a happier and more fulfilling life through the effortless act of swallowing a pill.

The Reader’s Digest ads are no different. “Your dreams miss you,” reads the headline of an ad for Rx sleeping pills. Smiling Sally Fields tells us she keeps her bones strong with just one pill a month. A sad looking puppy with a leash in his mouth looks mournfully up from the page imploring his arthritic owner to use a drug so they can both enjoy a daily walk once again.

The media, including Reader’s Digest, realizes the danger of biting the hand that feeds them. Is it any wonder that they are no friend of holistic health, alternative medicine, natural living and dietary supplements? If you have any doubts – the cover of the November issue of Reader’s Digest speaks loud and clear. A full-color photo of vitamin capsules stacked one upon the other is superimposed with the headline, “The Vitamin Hoax – 10 not to take.”

I’ll give you a Reader’s Digest condensed version of the story, written by Neena Samuel, whose bio or credentials were not available. According to Ms. Samuels, vitamins are a worthless waste of money that cause liver damage, headaches, internal bleeding, hemorrhagic stroke, Type 2 diabetes, ulcers, weakened immunity, high cholesterol, cancer and death.

Available data on consumer spending tells us that the average vitamin user is well read and college educated. You’d think with this awful Reader’s Digest list of risks, only ignorant and stupid people would be willing to spend their own money to risk their health in this way.

I’ll leave it at that. You’re smart enough to draw your own conclusions.