I've had asmthma since as far back as I can remember. It's a fact, asthma sucks. I've used a bunch of different drugs over the years and I know they've helped me along the way. I do remember being in an oxygen tent and playing nerf paddle tennis with our minister when I was about five years old. I do remember strapping on the mask and taking breathing treatments as a kid. I probably wouldn't be here if it weren't for doctors and drugs and the whole nine.
Unfortuntately I do remember how nice a fat Marlboro is too. What a dummy I was.
I've decided to keep up with asthma treatment and news for the past few years, and just noticed this article on a study released about a certain type of inhaler. Now my dad takes Advair for something, not exactly sure what. My wife was prescribed it a while back when she had a nasty cold that went bronchitus on her. My doctor told me to try it as a long term asthma preventative, rather than another as-it-happens inhaler. In fact, I think when my cat stubbed his big toe the vet prescribed the purple diskus. The article basically says Advair equals bad. Seven billion dollars says not so fast.
What do you do? Who do you believe?
...And it's pretty much the same for people with any predicament. You've got a problem, x-drug helps but we don't know the long term risks. Side effects include shitting the bed, mild touretts, cottonmouth, ocular lesions, and sudden whole-body implosion. Congress doesn't care as long as the lawyers approve. Who the F cares. It's a free for all!
Doctors do their unit-pushing, we consume with a capital 'C', insurance companies foot the Walgreen's and Pfizer R&D bill, but we don't care as long as they have that new Red Bull Sugar Free at the checkout. Then, the moralistic third party steps in (usually from a Santa-something town in California) and some indepent study group tells us x-drug is bad for us. Hooray!
Rinse and repeat.
Put a 'Z' and a 'loft', or 'cor', or 'max' on some latin word during a senior-level brainstorm, and package up a new pill. Create ad campaign, get stoner mac designer guy to make a purple monster, follow Government's fine-print-rule for broadcast, and send the hottie-pharma-sales-folks into the doctors office.
It seems goofy, but when you can't breathe, you can't breathe. Put your faith in humanity and get back in the game.
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