Hepatitis Forums
Hepatitis C Main Forums => On Hepatitis C Treatment => Topic started by: Kate101 on April 21, 2015, 01:03:43 pm
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I just saw the new Harvoni TV commercial and I am very frustrated. They say “side effects may include tiredness and headache”. This is just not true for many of the people on this forum myself included. There is no way I could continue to work in a high pressured client facing roll. My brain is like scrambled eggs on an emotional roller coaster with all types of exasperated physical nagging going on.
I am not saying I would not have gladly taken anything they could have thrown at me to get rid of this disease but what does this tell your primary doctor, family and friends? I need all the support I can get right now and am having a tough time. Who needs everyone to think you feel like going horseback riding or relaxing on a dock while life is beautiful. This is my goal not my reality.
I thought I was watching a Viagra commercial till it got to the end and nothing else was disclosed! I guess Harvoni is even better than the little blue pill.
What do you think?
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Complete side issue here, but the first time I travelled to the states, I was both entertained and bewildered at the amount of drug advertising on tv. Here in Australia direct-to-consumer advertising is not allowed. In fact did you know that of all the OECD countries, the only ones who allow it are NZ and the US?
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I saw it, too. Probably not going to convince people to approach their insurance companies with a line like "Side effects may cause your brain to feel like scrambled eggs on an emotional roller coaster with all types of exasperated physical nagging going on." They go for the soft sell.
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Kate, Im not diminishing the sides you and others seem to be experiencing, but lets keep things in perspective.. I believe there are many more patients who consider this drug a walk in the park.. What would you have them say in this commercial? The sides theyre reporting are those found in the trials... I believe most patients are experiencing sides roughly proportional to those reported there.
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I would try it no matter what they said with the 90-9?% cure rate but it sounds like a walk in the park. I was forewarned about the old treatment.
I have to tell everyone I am doing just fine! What else can you say?
It was just the first thing I saw this morning. arguh
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I would try it no matter what they said with the 90-9?% cure rate but it sounds like a walk in the park. I was forewarned about the old treatment.
I have to tell everyone I am doing just fine! What else can you say?
It was just the first thing I saw this morning. arguh
Many, many of us have found it to be just that: 'a walk in the park'. Considering how few are suffering from sides, I think its important to get the word out there that this is a med that should be taken, not shunned.. Its not Interferon or Ribavirin! People in need of treatment dont need to be scared away because of sides that a relatively small number of users are experiencing.. Dont get me wrong.. To those who are unfortunate enough to be experiencing them, its a big deal; not a disqualifier, but a big deal. . But for the majority, this is a cake walk.
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@Philadelphia no direct to consumer advertising except us and New Zealand? I learn so much on this forum. What is OECD?
Two of my favorite Sci Fi movies 'Minority Report' and 'Children of Men' have side stories about all the medical advertising. They are both fairly recent movies and yet at the time it seemed out of control to have the barrage of direct personal advertising and now here we are with this very thing going on. Of course no advertisers using retinal scans ....yet.
@kate101 maybe the next Harvoni ad can feature the couple in the two bathtubs side by side. That one always makes me laugh.
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OECD = Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
There are currently 34 countries in the OECD. Your country is one, mine is another. Places like the UK, Finland, Canada, Denmark, most of the European countries, Japan, South Korea etc.
"The OECD defines itself as a forum of countries committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a setting to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and co-ordinate domestic and international policies"
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I read somewhere the our Government i.e. Medicare & Medicaid is the only country or insurer that does not negotiate with the drug companies over the price. We just give them what they want no questions asked! That is why most things are cheaper overseas and many countries wait on the FDA to do the work.
Correct me if I am wrong.
Kate101
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I'm not sure how your system works.
Over here we have pretty much free or low cost universal health coverage. It'll cover you for everything but things like plastic surgery and optional surgery. You may have to go on a waiting list to get surgery though. Of course, anything life threatening or serious is bumped up. Some people take out additional private health cover which allows you to skip the waiting list by being treated as a private patient.
Our pharmaceuticals are covered by the PBS, which provides access to drugs at a discounted rate. All pathology is covered.
The down side is that we are often years behind cutting edge treatments, because we have to wait for the government to approve the addition of the drugs onto the PBS.
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I remember some years ago cigarettes were allowed on TV and drugs were not allowed.
http://www.commercialalert.org/news/archive/2006/10/ten-years-later-direct-to-consumer-drug-advertising
October 1st, 2006
Ten Years Later: Direct to Consumer Drug Advertising
Launched by 1996 Claritin Spot, $4 Billion Category Still Under Fire
for a little history almost 20 years now
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I thought I was watching a Viagra commercial till it got to the end and nothing else was disclosed! I guess Harvoni is even better than the little blue pill.
What do you think?
Too funny Kate. I saw the commercial for the first time and commented to my wife, "I feel like I just watched a Viagara commercial." The actors are all really good looking older people who were probably models 30 years ago! Maybe somebody could come up with a Viagara-Harvoni combo, sort of a 2-fer. Save money on advertising by using the same actors. "If you experience a headache lasting for more than four hours, immediately seek a glass of water..."
My wife's take on the commercial was that compared to all the other drugs being advertised on TV, Harvoni is reporting way fewer really serious side effects.
Bob
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I saw the commercial for the first time last night and thought it was well done and Im glad that they are getting the word out there. There are so many Hep C + people that dont know they are infected and then for many of us when we found out we were offered the old treatment combo with a lot of side effects and a less than 50% success rate. Which I was advised to turn down and wait due to other medical problem my doctors did not think I would tolerate it well and i knew I would not be able to work, so i waited.
I did not find out I was positive until the early 2000s but had been infected in 1971 with a blood transfusion that at that time caused non A non b hep and I had jaundice for 2 weeks while in the hospital.
If I had not had an appointment for a physical in jan I would not have known that Harvoni had been approved an i could get started. otherwise I probably would not have known about it until after seeing the commercial yesterday.
For me it has been a walk in the park, minimal side effects (light headache and light nausea once in awhile). im starting my 60th pill so only 24 pills/days to go! From what i read on other forums as well many more users have minimal side effects than those that have bad side effects.
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I'm amazed how very few side effects I have. I usually can't take most drugs due to how my body reacts to them. I'm pleased with being tired having headaches I've done a few brain scrambled things since I started this drug but I shrug it off to being a blonde. Never thought of it being Harvoni. I'm happy to see them advertising this drug. Everyone needs to be cured. Even the ones whom do not know they have it. Just my thoughts. Deb