Many people are surprised to find out how big pharmaceutical manufacturers advertise to doctors and how they reach consumers through direct advertisements. Is this type of advertising ethical? Most think that it’s not. But that hasn’t stopped Gilead Sciences from aggressively advertising Truvada up for many purposes other than what’s been scientifically proven.
There’s a variety of issues when it comes to Truvada, especially with the potential for negative side effects. Negative side effects involving Truvada can include kidney and liver failure or significant damage to both organs. That’s not to mention the negative side effects, such as bone marrow loss and bone deterioration. Either of these negative side effects can lead to lifelong health complications. This is only the start of issues with pharmaceutical advertising, and that most consumers taking the medication had no idea about the possibility of these side effects.
How Do Manufacturers Advertise to Doctors
It’s pretty shocking to learn that pharmaceutical manufacturers, or Big Pharma, send out promotional materials through the mail. They do this in a completely unsolicited way. They send out brochures that explain the drug benefits and the positive impact seen through clinical trials. As marketing materials, these are highly biased toward the company’s product and often downplay or outright omit its negative side effects possibilities.
Promotional mailers are one method of advertising used by many Big Pharma companies. They also provide samples and host educational/promotional meetings. Again, these are marketing tactics and in an effort to accomplish the purpose of good marketing, they shine a light on the good. Most of these meetings do not discuss negative side effects unless the doctors involved begin asking questions. When the doctors are removed from the picture and it’s big Pharma dealing with medical networks, it’s often that these questions aren’t asked at all.
Attack on the LGBTQ+ Community
As far back as 2014, AIDS advocates including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation were speaking out against the widespread use of Truvada. They claimed that it was an attack on the queer community and encouraged widespread, unsafe sex. This is a particular issue still under discussion today.
Truvada was long advertised as a prophylactic, which many in the LGBTQ+ community took to mean that there was no need for condoms during sex if they were on Truvada. This turned out to be the case. While new contractions of the AIDS virus are steadily decreasing, there’s been a dramatic rise in sexually transmitted infections and other sexually transmitted diseases. It’s apparent that people within the LGBT community are still using Truvada in place of other safe sex practices rather than in addition to them.
Unethical Big Pharma Advertising
We mentioned earlier that Truvada was initially advertised explicitly as a prophylactic which caused quite a bit of trouble, and it hasn’t outgrown that belief. Even though it now acknowledges it is clearly pre-exposure prophylaxis exclusive to people who are HIV-negative and high risk for contracting the virus.
Commercials for Truvada often show couples as well as individuals and engaging in low-risk sex-related behavior. But some commercials show people golfing, people eating ice cream, and occasionally they’ll give insight into the actual issue at hand, AIDS awareness. In one advertisement there is a homosexual couple saying they should have used a condom but had forgotten. At no point in the commercial do they address that condoms are still necessary for safe sex even when taking Truvada.
Getting Help with Truvada Negative Side-Effects
If you experience negative side effects as a result of taking Truvada as prescribed then contact Rueb Stoller Daniel. Our law offices help victims of pharmaceutical mishaps assess the financial damages, pain and suffering, and financial loss. When negative side effects happen, most pharmaceutical manufacturers rely on their initial advertising to prove that both doctors and consumers were made aware of the side effects.
With Truvada, that is not necessarily the case. Many doctors are stumped because they were not made aware of the potential negative side effects. While many consumers are acknowledging that it’s only been in recent months that these most serious side effects were explained in commercials.
if you experience bone deterioration, bone mass loss, kidney damage, liver damage, or other negative side effects of Truvada then contact an attorney. Our attorneys here or ready to help you take action against Gilead Sciences and the manufacturers responsible for various prep medications. Truvada is the leading name brand of AIDS prevention, and they’re leading the way through unethical advertising and pushing doctors toward aggressive prescribing.
