John Oliver's entire segment on Big Pharma and its obscene marketing schemes to doctors and patients ran well over 17 minutes, but this is the very end and a perfect summation of everything he talked about.
What a brilliant parody of those ubiquitous pharma ads. Speaking of those, you haven't lived until you've seen the Cialis ad that markets for BPH and erectile dysfunction in the same ad. Multitasker, that one.
Here's part of the script. Prepare to laugh. Ironically.
Here's how it works. Money combines with the cash receptors in your doctor's wallet to create fast-acting financial relief, so your doctor can rest easy and enjoy life.
Common side effects of doctors taking money may include chronic overprescription, unusually heavy cash flow, dependency on free samples, inflammation of confidence, affluenza and an increased tendency to suggest off-label prescriptions, which in turn can cause heart attack, stroke, loss of feeling in arms and legs, seizures, blurred vision, grinding of the teeth, temporary deafness, total blindness, numbness, sudden bursts of rage, angry erections lasting over 17 hours, and death.
Ask your doctor today if he's taking pharmaceutical company money. Then ask your doctor what the money is for. Ask your doctor if he's taken any money from the companies that make the drugs he's just prescribed for you. Then ask yourself if you're satisfied with that answer.