(See the follow up post to this one: Celebrities and Medical Advice, Revisited)
Whether it's Sally Fields pitching an osteoporosis drug, or Senator Bob Dole telling my husband to use Viagra, or Suzanne Somers telling me how to cure cancer, or Jenny McCarthy telling me not to vaccinate my children, I'm so over celebrities dictating medical care to me!
Think of it this way. Suppose your neighbor shows up at your door. You don't know anything about her except that she works at your local power company, is usually neatly dressed, has a sense of humor, and has lived across the street from you for a few years. You trust her because you have observed that she seems to be trustworthy.
What you don't know about that neighbor is that she is a compulsive gambler and is five figures in debt. You also don't know that she is horribly abusive to her husband and kids. You can't observe those things... so you trust her.
So the question is: suppose this neighbor told you that you should be taking a specific drug for your blood pressure? Or that you should ignore what the doctors are telling you, and instead eat nutritional foods to cure your cancer? Or that it's OK if your child gets polio or mumps -- just don't vaccinate him because she thinks it's not a good idea?
Would you believe your neighbor? Would you act on what she said?
Good heavens. I hope not.
So why on earth would you ever believe a celebrity who you know even less about than your neighbor? Just because a celebrity shows up on your TV or on a movie screen on occasion, is usually neat and clean, has a sense of humor and seems trustworthy BASED ON A ROLE, WITH A SCRIPT, AND A DIRECTOR - seriously? You have no idea what that celebrity knows about medicine. You have no idea if that celebrity even graduated from high school, much less went to college or medical school. You have no idea whether that celebrity even believes what he or she is saying....
What you DO know is that the celebrity is making money by giving you that advice. Yes - either that celebrity is being paid by the company that makes the drug being promoted, or that celebrity is selling a book or some other product. As long as they keep doing what they are doing, they will continue to make money. Sounds suspiciously like snake oil to me....
And as long as you continue to buy their drugs (or 'ask your doctor') or buy their books, they will continue to do what they are doing. It's advertising, and it works.
I'm not the only one suggesting this is dangerous... seems some big-guns in news media recognize the problem, too. both USA Today and Forbes recently ran articles about this problem. And those celebrities are laughing all the way to the bank as they cash their paychecks!
I hope you're reading this post and thinking, "Of course! I would never!" But I suspect some of you are reading it thinking "Oh good grief, I never thought of it that way."
So here you go... please take this survey.... anonymously! Have you ever pursued medical advice coming from a celebrity?
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(See the follow up post to this one: Celebrities and Medical Advice, Revisited)
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I don’t think your poll questions are completely fair. There is no category for a celebrity reminded me to get a vaccination or a celebrity brought up a valid point for which I sought advice from my medical provider (but wasn’t selling something). I think we’ll see more, not less. We need to get people to think for themselves, as you’re trying to do.
When I was told my 2 year old might have autism, Jenny McCarthy’s book “More than Words” was the first thing I read that spoke to my experience — and it certainly made a lot more sense than anything any healthcare professional had said. I don’t agree with her on vaccines, but I do understand her viewpoints on the matter, given her experience with her son, which are detailed in her book. Incidentally, I had never seen her perform or any of her other work, so that was my first experience of her.
Wow. Great post Trisha, and much to think about.
You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned money. “Follow the money honey.” I can’t imagine the dollars the pharmaceutical companies dish out for celebrities to promote their drugs. Oh yes, I can.
I was trying to think of a way we could educate consumers on when to listen. Perhaps asking the questions: What does this do for the celebrity financially, and what does this do for the celebrity for fame? And if either money or fame is backing the deal, watch out.
Of course, my question is based on a rare exception. Kathryn Joosten is out there speaking up for lung cancer at her own expense and with no drug company to support her. She is speaking up for a very very unglamorous – almost invisible disease – lung cancer. And she has my utmost respect.
As to celebrities advertising drugs for a dime or the flash of a camera? I’d rather make my extremely important medical decisions by using the guidelines on your site and finding a doctor I trust to treat me like he would his sister.
Celebrities can be effective spokespeople to raise public awareness of health conditions, esp. when they put a public face on a condition they have themselves. I think it can help people cope with the news of a medical condition when they find out that XYZ celebrity has it or has been through it too. Celebrity health activism might also get people to go in and get screening that ends up saving their lives. So I don’t think it’s always bad for celebrities to talk about health issues, though it certainly can be in some cases when they do so irresponsibly.
>Celebrities can be effective spokespeople to raise public awareness of health conditions, esp. when they put a public face on a condition they have themselves.<
Agree with you Krissi! Celebs can help to us, they just need start doing something…
Uncle!
You’ve all made good points…. and I have just posted a follow up: Celebrities and Medical Advice, Revisited