cancer commercials

[sawyerloggingon]

Lately I am noticing a lot of TV commercials for cancer treatment centers and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. It seems to me like greedy quacks are looking at cancer as a money making opportunity, they put these adds on showing people that beat cancer and have these great survivor stories but at the end of the commercial there are fine print disclaimers saying these results are not typical. I think these adds just take advantage of people that are scared s***less because they have cancer and the places that put these adds out just want their money, am I wrong?

 

[Fisher]

Maybe. Some people may not have good cancer care in their area. It has only been about a decade since my city got a proper oncology center.

That said, if one of my kids were diagnosed with cancer today, I would be typing this on a flight to Memphis.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

Maybe. Some people may not have good cancer care in their area. It has only been about a decade since my city got a proper oncology center.

That said, if one of my kids were diagnosed with cancer today, I would be typing this on a flight to Memphis.

I just thought that's what hospitals were for. When I see commercials that say come here if you have cancer I get suspicious.

 

[Fisher]

I just thought that's what hospitals were for. When I see commercials that say come here if you have cancer I get suspicious.

Sure, but they are basically resort hospitals for rich people. Most folks' insurance probably would not cover it because they would be out of network, and I doubt that massages at the spa are covered to begin with. :shrug:

 

[lizzie]

I'm not sure if you are wrong or not. The thing that the cancer treatment centers offer, that nobody else seems to, is alternative treatments in addition to traditional oncology treatments, and when you have cancer, especially a type with a very low cure rate, people are likely to be willing to try the alternatives, because there isn't much to lose. That being said, if it were me, I'd go to my traditional medical center for treatment, then try the alternatives on my own (in addition), rather than trying to find everything under one umbrella, due to what I suspect is pretty high costs for the centers. There are certain medical centers that have higher cure rates. As an example, in Texas, if you really want to optimize your chances for cure, it's pretty common to go to MD Anderson in Houston.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Lately I am noticing a lot of TV commercials for cancer treatment centers and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. It seems to me like greedy quacks are looking at cancer as a money making opportunity, they put these adds on showing people that beat cancer and have these great survivor stories but at the end of the commercial there are fine print disclaimers saying these results are not typical. I think these adds just take advantage of people that are scared s***less because they have cancer and the places that put these adds out just want their money, am I wrong?

Snake oil salesmen are still alive and well, but now they have TV and t he internet to hawk their wares.
And it's not just cancer. I just caught the tail end of an infomercial claiming that some crap they're hawking cures arthritis.

 

[MaggieD]

Lately I am noticing a lot of TV commercials for cancer treatment centers and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. It seems to me like greedy quacks are looking at cancer as a money making opportunity, they put these adds on showing people that beat cancer and have these great survivor stories but at the end of the commercial there are fine print disclaimers saying these results are not typical. I think these adds just take advantage of people that are scared s***less because they have cancer and the places that put these adds out just want their money, am I wrong?

I hate those commercials. Having had a friend die recently from a long battle, I can tell you that it was depressing for her -- and her husband -- it's depressing to me -- to Tom. One in three people will get cancer. A whole bunch will die from it.

Why do we have to listen to commercials from hospitals and treatment centers?? Nobody has cutting edge treatment others don't have. Statistics are misleading. If you're a famous hospital, your stats are liable to be awful -- since difficult cases find their way to you more than others. There's no snake oil cure. It's all out there. Some doctors are probably better than others. But, frankly, sans personal recommendations? There's no way to find them.

 

[nota bene]

Lately I am noticing a lot of TV commercials for cancer treatment centers and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. It seems to me like greedy quacks are looking at cancer as a money making opportunity, they put these adds on showing people that beat cancer and have these great survivor stories but at the end of the commercial there are fine print disclaimers saying these results are not typical. I think these adds just take advantage of people that are scared s***less because they have cancer and the places that put these adds out just want their money, am I wrong?

If you're talking about Cancer Treatments of America, their latest commercials are an improvement over "Peggy" and "Hope is everything," but they're still playing to pathos, IMO.

 

[sangha]

Unless someone can show that they're ripping off people by charging for treatments that are useless, or the govt or insurers through fraud, I have no problem with them

At least, no more problem than I have with every other commercial.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Lately I am noticing a lot of TV commercials for cancer treatment centers and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. It seems to me like greedy quacks are looking at cancer as a money making opportunity, they put these adds on showing people that beat cancer and have these great survivor stories but at the end of the commercial there are fine print disclaimers saying these results are not typical. I think these adds just take advantage of people that are scared s***less because they have cancer and the places that put these adds out just want their money, am I wrong?

If I was dying of cancer I don't think I'd give a rats ass about costs and success rates. A lot of people refuse to die sweetly.

 

[NoC_T]

They're ghouls, sure, but I don't see any harm. There is no disclaimer that could offset any intimation of a certain cure. Let them advertise. Until such time as they ever claim to offer anything unprecedented, it's just another hospital for folks with more money than most.

 

[joG]

They're ghouls, sure, but I don't see any harm. There is no disclaimer that could offset any intimation of a certain cure. Let them advertise. Until such time as they ever claim to offer anything unprecedented, it's just another hospital for folks with more money than most.

At the university I did a course in forensics. They showed us a neat picture of a young athlete who had been hit by a car while jogging. The 10 pieces were nicely laid out on a white sheet. I never went jogging along a street again and have survived.

 

[NoC_T]

At the university I did a course in forensics. They showed us a neat picture of a young athlete who had been hit by a car while jogging. The 10 pieces were nicely laid out on a white sheet. I never went jogging along a street again and have survived.

How do you know? This may be purgatory.

 

[Mr.Nick]

Lately I am noticing a lot of TV commercials for cancer treatment centers and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. It seems to me like greedy quacks are looking at cancer as a money making opportunity, they put these adds on showing people that beat cancer and have these great survivor stories but at the end of the commercial there are fine print disclaimers saying these results are not typical. I think these adds just take advantage of people that are scared s***less because they have cancer and the places that put these adds out just want their money, am I wrong?

They're trying to make Obamabucks...

How about those drugs they advertise that pretty much cause cancer???? sure they might solve one problem but they will cause 10 other problems..

You cant sleep? take this, sure it might make your liver fail, make your dong fall off or make you crap steel but just as long as you can sleep with all that going on...

 

[Mr.Nick]

At the university I did a course in forensics. They showed us a neat picture of a young athlete who had been hit by a car while jogging. The 10 pieces were nicely laid out on a white sheet. I never went jogging along a street again and have survived.

I saw something similar but the individual was laid out on the road all over the place... Certainly a sight I want to forget.

The guy was an old "bicycle rider" - he got hit by a semi truck....

When you see something like that you certainly want to be more careful in life....

 

[nota bene]

They're ghouls, sure, but I don't see any harm. There is no disclaimer that could offset any intimation of a certain cure. Let them advertise. Until such time as they ever claim to offer anything unprecedented, it's just another hospital for folks with more money than most.

How are they ghouls? I admit that I only vaguely pay attention--what am I missing? All I've noticed is that they sell "compassion" and "caring" and, lately, a kinda-sorta "holistic" view.

 

[Mr.Nick]

I don't even watch TV - it's too depressing for me.

TV these days is all about death, destruction, homosexuality and progressive politics (usually).

I cant say I don't enjoy Pawn Stars or American Pickers or educational shows tho - like "The Universe" or other non-partisan educational programming.

Oh I get a big kick out of "Amish Mafia" - I think it's 100% fake but still highly amusing considering the hypocrites they are... I would love to beat all those clowns senseless...

 

[GottaGo]

Some people blindly accept there is only one path for treating an illness. Sometimes there are alternative methods, or supplemental programs.

Having lost both parents to cancer, and seeing what Mom went through on a standard treatment of chemo/radiation, I would seriously be looking into possible alternatives. Not as an absolute, but as a possibility.

So much depends on the type, degree, how advanced, and the person themselves.

Quality of life is very subjective... and I feel all alternatives need to be reviewed.

 

[NoC_T]

How are they ghouls? I admit that I only vaguely pay attention--what am I missing? All I've noticed is that they sell "compassion" and "caring" and, lately, a kinda-sorta "holistic" view.

Ambulance chasers. Just the way I see it.

 

[Dittohead not!]

How are they ghouls? I admit that I only vaguely pay attention--what am I missing? All I've noticed is that they sell "compassion" and "caring" and, lately, a kinda-sorta "holistic" view.

Picture a drowning man grasping at straws. Now, picture someone selling him more straws for a fancy price. That's what the unproven cancer cure purveyors are doing.

 

[TheGirlNextDoor]

Some people blindly accept there is only one path for treating an illness. Sometimes there are alternative methods, or supplemental programs.

Having lost both parents to cancer, and seeing what Mom went through on a standard treatment of chemo/radiation, I would seriously be looking into possible alternatives. Not as an absolute, but as a possibility.

So much depends on the type, degree, how advanced, and the person themselves.

Quality of life is very subjective... and I feel all alternatives need to be reviewed.

My former FIL passed from colon cancer in '99. It was a horrific thing to watch. Conventional medicine was doing nothing for him and toward the end, he was trying experimental cancer drugs, the so called grasping at straws. I can't say that if I were in that position, I would grab on to whatever may have a chance at working.

 

[Mr.Nick]

My former FIL passed from colon cancer in '99. It was a horrific thing to watch. Conventional medicine was doing nothing for him and toward the end, he was trying experimental cancer drugs, the so called grasping at straws. I can't say that if I were in that position, I would grab on to whatever may have a chance at working.

I lost my cousin and fraternal grandmother to cancer.....

My cousin was difficult because she left behind 7 kids (ages 3-20) so..... It was semi-sudden... She was only 43. I (we) come from a large family so at least emotional and financial support is there.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

Well anyway I see it's not just me that thinks these commercials suck, that's a good thing I think.

 

[Threegoofs]

Well anyway I see it's not just me that thinks these commercials suck, that's a good thing I think.

The commercials are for Cancer Tx Centers of America, probably. It's a potentially good option for cancer treatment, depending on what you have and where you live. It's for-profit, so you'll need decent insurance. It's a good thing to have a single, experienced center dealing with something like extended cancer treatment, instead of the usual disconnected doctors.

It's a symptom of the terrible US health care system that for profit centers like this exist at all.

Luckily, sawyer, we know you don't believe in any of this science malarkey anyway, do you don't have to worry about it.

 

[lizzie]

So much depends on the type, degree, how advanced, and the person themselves.

Quality of life is very subjective... and I feel all alternatives need to be reviewed.

Heck, my preference in regular medical problems (not cancer specifically) is to try alternatives as a first line of offense. I'm one who reacts negatively to so many medicines on the market, that I will do just about anything to avoid having to take them. I have to be seriously malfunctioning to take anything which requires a prescription. The treatment usually makes me feel worse than the actual problem.