Asking their doctor only as a last resort

Ads routinely urge consumers to “ask your doctor” whether a given medication might be right for them. A new survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians (summarized on the HealthScout Web site) gives reason to suspect Big Pharma should restrict this approach to ads that target women. Its findings offer a reminder that many men get into “ask your doctor” mode only when they think they’re at death’s door. More than half hadn’t gone in for a physical in the past year, “and more than a quarter reported waiting ‘as long as possible’ before seeking medical help for sickness, pain or health concerns.”