We like to think that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is protecting us from the dangerous side effects of prescribed medications. And we also like to think that our drugs actually work. We assume our physician knows all about the drug. Don't assume.

A Study of Ads Shows a Scary Truth

A recent study by Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City, led by Dr. Deborah Korenstein, associate professor of medicine, studied advertisements placed in medical journals by the pharmaceutical industry. These ads are used to inform physicians and guide them when writing prescriptions. Dr. Korenstein notes that this type of advertising is the most profitable for the industry, returning $5 for every $1 invested.