Would You Buy A Product That Tells You It Doesn't Work? Of Course You Would!

Whenever I go to a drug store, I feel a renewed sense of amazement. Consider the following two propositions:

1. You go to a drug store because you either have a health problem, or you want to prevent a health problem. (For our purposes, we're ignoring convenience needs like greeting cards, beauty products, food, etc.)

2. You want to buy a product that will fix or prevent your problem.

Those seem like reasonable assumptions to me. And yet, many of the products say right on the label, "This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."

But wait, I thought you wanted something that treats, cures, or prevents a disease. Then why would you buy something that tells you it doesn't?

And it's not like it's just you. The sheer number of them testifies that lots of people buy them! Anecdotal experience bears this out, like when it's flu season and your neighbor says it's time to start taking a product that you know says it's not intended to prevent disease. I guess people just want to feel like they are doing something--anything--and are willing to pay for it.

We humans are weird.

By the way, I just want to let you know that I'll be starting up a new retirement investment fund. It's not intended to provide you any retirement income, but it will make you feel like you are preparing for retirement. I look forward to your business.

Notes:

For more, see FDA 101: Dietary Supplements

See also my previous post with a literally true title, There is More Regulation of Your Dog's Medicine than Your Dietary Supplements

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