Valtrex

[surferboy]

so like, i'm up late cause i can't sleep. i was about to take a valium my mom gave me so i can sleep when a valtrex commercial came on. well, i'm watching it cause i love how happy they are to have herpes. and i was reading the bottom of the screens. it says something to me that i find kinda odd and in a way, slightly offensive

proven in heterosexual couples only.

that sounds kinda mean! as if it doesn't work gay couples. or it hasn't been tested on gay people. either way, i don't see how one's sexuality affects how well this drug works on you? how fucked up is that to you? or is it just me?

 

[dcwrestlefan]

so like, i'm up late cause i can't sleep. i was about to take a valium my mom gave me so i can sleep when a valtrex commercial came on. well, i'm watching it cause i love how happy they are to have herpes. and i was reading the bottom of the screens. it says something to me that i find kinda odd and in a way, slightly offensive

that sounds kinda mean! as if it doesn't work gay couples. or it hasn't been tested on gay people. either way, i don't see how one's sexuality affects how well this drug works on you? how fucked up is that to you? or is it just me?

fuck it. if something is on an infomercial at 230 am, its likely not worth buying. yes the heterosexual couples comment is strange.

avoid pills. i was told once was that even relaxing in bed awake is almost as good as sleep. think thats mostly true.

you are getting sleeeeepy...sleeeeeeeeepy. (singing soft songs in your ear) haha.

 

[surferboy]

these aren't on an infomercial though. they're on throughout the day. but the point is, it's for herpes. why the fuck would they make a comment like that?

 

[davidjh7]

I kinda had a frowny moment at that statement as well, but figured they had only tested it in heterosexual couples, because they dtermined that the target audience who would be paying for this drug would have it paid for by insurance paying for it, thus justifying the expense of the FDA approval process. THe gay population likely would be less likely to have their health insurance paying for the drug, thus less likely to be able to afford using it. I personally doubt it had much to cdo with any predudice, and more to do with market analysis. But, that's just my theory.:biggrin1:

 

[surferboy]

I kinda had a frowny moment at that statement as well, but figured they had only tested it in heterosexual couples, because they dtermined that the target audience who would be paying for this drug would have it paid for by insurance paying for it, thus justifying the expense of the FDA approval process. THe gay population likely would be less likely to have their health insurance paying for the drug, thus less likely to be able to afford using it. I personally doubt it had much to cdo with any predudice, and more to do with market analysis. But, that's just my theory.:biggrin1:

wait, why is that? if i had herpes, i'd make my insurance company pay for it. why would the gay population be less likely to use their insurance for this?

 

[madame_zora]

It's a good theory David. I make a frowny face when I hear that kind of stuff too, but I guess if we're not insuring gay couples, they're not the target audience.

Well, in a weird sort of way, maybe that's a good thing. Maybe advertisers won't spend their cash convincing gay people they're crazy either.

 

[dcwrestlefan]

these aren't on an infomercial though. they're on throughout the day. but the point is, it's for herpes. why the fuck would they make a comment like that?

maybe some third rate marketing agency told them it would make them more money. who knows.

 

[davidjh7]

wait, why is that? if i had herpes, i'd make my insurance company pay for it. why would the gay population be less likely to use their insurance for this?

If you actually read the insurance papers of many providers, which many people don't, because their emplyer provides it, or they don;t bother until they are confronted by denial f payment, you will discover that gay people are actually excluded from coverage on a wide variety of services and/or conditions. Which makes me wonder just HOW benevolent and generous employers really have been, given that many are now offering same sex partner benefits, but only if the employee declares, in writing, their orientation and their partner's details, as well as length of relationship, in order to qualify. By declaring in writing they are gay, they autmatically exclude themselves and their partner from getting an insurance claim paid. But this is a little known gotcha of the much touted benevolence and tolerance of many empluers....they aren;t as nice as you thought. Basically, it still all comes down to money. And, by the way, it is a huge loss to gay boys everywhere that you are straight...:biggrin1: Just had to throw that in...:tongue:

 

[madame_zora]

David, that really blows, I didn't know gay people were specifically excluded on some things- that's obscene.

Here in Ohio some of the fortune 500 companies claim to have same sex partner coverage, but what they don't tell you is that their insurance companies require a document of partnership from the state, and the state of Ohio refuses to issue such a document. It's a complete crock of shit.

 

[davidjh7]

David, that really blows, I didn't know gay people were specifically excluded on some things- that's obscene.

Here in Ohio some of the fortune 500 companies claim to have same sex partner coverage, but what they don't tell you is that their insurance companies require a document of partnership from the state, and the state of Ohio refuses to issue such a document. It's a complete crock of shit.

Welcome to America, land of the disenfranchised, home of the hypocrits.....no, I'm not bitter...:tongue:

 

[madame_zora]

Welcome to America, land of the disenfranchised, home of the hypocrits.....no, I'm not bitter...:tongue:

You've got every reason to be. Being a woman isn't shit compared to being gay or even black. I've been called the N word five or six times in my life and I remember every one like it was a serious offense. I know how that would feel if it was an everyday occurance. We're still in a time where it's legal to discriminate against gays, that must be truly awful. On behalf of the human race, I'm sorry we're not doing better.

 

[davidjh7]

You've got every reason to be. Being a woman isn't shit compared to being gay or even black. I've been called the N word five or six times in my life and I remember every one like it was a serious offense. I know how that would feel if it was an everyday occurance. We're still in a time where it's legal to discriminate against gays, that must be truly awful. On behalf of the human race, I'm sorry we're not doing better.

You, my wonderful dear Madame Z, have fought the good fight against injustice to the best of your ability to do so, and take them on one idea, one person at a time. In my mind, nothing can be more praiseworthy, because it is fighting the war in the trenches, not by spewing out lofty ideals then immediately being a complete hypocrit when it comes to implementing those ideals. SO, thank you! I can't hate society as a whole, because that is both too easy, and too hard. I have to take people as individuals, because only individuals really deserve discrimination based on their individual behavior---not whole classes of people. We are a country founded by the religious bigots who were so bad, they got kicked out of Britain. We reaLLy haven;t progressed much as a nation, but people's social moores change slowly. So, I love the best I can, try and avoid the people I hate or who hate me, and speak out on the things that mean the most to me, and try and change or at least get rid of what stupidity I can. One person, one idea at a time. We all do the best we can with what we've got--nobody gets off clean---we all have our demons to deal with. :smile: I know you have suffered much yourself, and yet still fight the good fight. To me YOU are a hero. Maybe others may not like what you say, or how you say it, but you back up what you say with action. Thank you for your thoughts, wisdom, and experience that you have brought to my life specificaly, and the lives of all you encounter in general!

 

[DC_DEEP]

"tested only in heterosexual couples"

My guess is that they had someone in R & D or legal advise them on that one.

Did you know that for many many years, only men were used in heart disease research, but all the resulting technology was used in men or women? Turns out, though, that some of the meds work differently in different genders and even in different ethnicities. That's when they first began to realize that if a treatment is developed and tested for one group, it may not always work in another group.

What they may have been trying to say in the Valtrex commercial is "we recognize the possible transmission differences that may occur in vaginal transmission versus anal transmission. We have not studied the anal transmission route yet, so this drug may not work as advertised for you."

I have seen that same small-print caveat on other drugs, except disclaiming "this drug has not been tested in children." It isn't that they hate children, they are just acknowledging that they have not studied the efficacy or safety for use in that particular group.

 

[D_Sheffield Thongbynder]

You, my wonderful dear Madame Z, have fought the good fight against injustice to the best of your ability to do so, and take them on one idea, one person at a time. In my mind, nothing can be more praiseworthy, because it is fighting the war in the trenches, not by spewing out lofty ideals then immediately being a complete hypocrit when it comes to implementing those ideals. SO, thank you! I can't hate society as a whole, because that is both too easy, and too hard. I have to take people as individuals, because only individuals really deserve discrimination based on their individual behavior---not whole classes of people. We are a country founded by the religious bigots who were so bad, they got kicked out of Britain. We reaLLy haven;t progressed much as a nation, but people's social moores change slowly. So, I love the best I can, try and avoid the people I hate or who hate me, and speak out on the things that mean the most to me, and try and change or at least get rid of what stupidity I can. One person, one idea at a time. We all do the best we can with what we've got--nobody gets off clean---we all have our demons to deal with. :smile: I know you have suffered much yourself, and yet still fight the good fight. To me YOU are a hero. Maybe others may not like what you say, or how you say it, but you back up what you say with action. Thank you for your thoughts, wisdom, and experience that you have brought to my life specificaly, and the lives of all you encounter in general!

I'll second all of this! Yes, MZ does take on all comers and does what she can to combat bigotry and all-around stupidity that infect much of our society; you do a great job yourself, Davidjh7.

 

[surferboy]

If you actually read the insurance papers of many providers, which many people don't, because their emplyer provides it, or they don;t bother until they are confronted by denial f payment, you will discover that gay people are actually excluded from coverage on a wide variety of services and/or conditions. Which makes me wonder just HOW benevolent and generous employers really have been, given that many are now offering same sex partner benefits, but only if the employee declares, in writing, their orientation and their partner's details, as well as length of relationship, in order to qualify. By declaring in writing they are gay, they autmatically exclude themselves and their partner from getting an insurance claim paid. But this is a little known gotcha of the much touted benevolence and tolerance of many empluers....they aren;t as nice as you thought. Basically, it still all comes down to money. And, by the way, it is a huge loss to gay boys everywhere that you are straight...:biggrin1: Just had to throw that in...:tongue:

i work for walgreens. i had a gay assistant manager at my old store, and he told me that walgreens was great for same sex couples. i dunno, as i'm not in a long term relationship, so i never looked into it. nor do i plan on being with the company that long lol. also...who are you talkin about? who's straight?