In 1976, Henry Gadson, the CEO of Merck, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the US, was interviewed by Fortune magazine. During the interview, Gadson complained of having to limit his market to sick people. His dream, he said was to be able to “sell to everyone.”
Now thirty years later, as prescription and designer drugs become ever more prevalent, Mr.Gadson’s dream may have come true. In the four-hour special Warning: Before You Take This Pill, Link TV will explore the question of whether we’ve become smarter patients or are just plain worried sick.
Part 2 of the special features Big Bucks, Big Pharma, a documentary that pulls back the curtain on the pharmaceutical industry’s goal to make a pill for every ill, as well as selections from Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety, a new docuementary from Hummingbird Prodictions that offers an academic perspective on the questionable marketing tactics of the pharmaceutical industry. During the special, Dr. Michael Wilkes, Professor of Medicine and Vice Dean for Medical Education at UC Davis, editor-in-chief of the Western Journal of Medicine and the host of “Second Opinion,” a weekly show broadcast on Los Angeles public radio station KCRW, will be in discussion.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMS:
Narrated by Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, Big Bucks, Big Pharma exposes the ways that the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry uses, manipulates and, in some instances, creates illness for capital gain. Focusing on the industry's marketing practices, media scholars and health professionals help viewers understand the ways in which direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising glamorizes and normalizes the use of prescription medication, and works in tandem with promotion to doctors. Combined, these industry practices shape how both patients and doctors understand and relate to disease and treatment. Ultimately, Big Bucks, Big Pharma challenges us to ask important questions about the consequences of relying on a for-profit industry for our health and well-being.
Money Talks: Profits before Patient Safety uses first hand testimony from doctors and drug reps to give a rare perspective on the questionable marketing tactics of the pharmaceutical industry. Engaging and informative, the film offers a reasoned approach to the subject matter, with guests like Dr. John Abramson, author of "Overdosed America," and Prescription Access Litigation Project Director, Alex Sugerman-Brozan.
LEARN MORE:
For more information of Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety, visit the film's website.
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