Some Accurate Representation


Dear Pfizer,

Last night one of your commercials for Lyrica came on TV. In this ad a woman claimed her overactive nerves, caused by Fibromyalgia, gave her pain and kept her from doing the things she wanted to do in life. Obviously she went on to tout the praises of your drug, but I wasn't listening. Instead, I was hung-up, obsessing, and ranting and raving over the use of one word, wanted. Fibromyalgia kept her from doing the things she wanted to do in life? Like rock climbing or going to an Eminem concert? Because this Fibromyalgia patient over here experienced a completely different reality. Not only did Fibromyalgia keep me from doing the things I wanted to do, it also kept me from doing the things I had to do, like washing my hair and going to work. And I know a hell of a lot more patients sing my song than Miss Wanted To Do's. 

Needless to say, as a nine year veteran of Fibromyalgia, I found this phrasing offensive. In short, here's my beef; You're $opping up the dough off a disease that isn't technically a disease, because nobody knows what causes it. So it wouldn't hurt too much to throw us patients a bone, would it? Because we're in a pickle and sure could use your help. Not only is Fibromyalgia the leading pain condition diagnosed in the USA, patient symptoms run the gamut, with a range of fluctuating severity. It affects everyone differently, and to make it even more convoluted, the treatments do, too. Please understand I am an educated consumer. In no way am I holding any pharmaceutical company responsible for sourcing the cause and cure of this mysterious ailment. And I'm well aware of how expensive the process of developing a drug, testing it, and bring it it to market actually is. I'm even hip to the efforts your company invests in regarding Fibromyalgia awareness and cause advancement. But maybe it's because of these reasons I'm actually pissed at you.

I know you pay a pretty premium for the advertising, but as of right now, Pfizer, you are the voice of our illness. Countless patients have lost their ability to function from Fibromyalgia, along with their jobs, families, friends and homes. Fibromyalgia is a devastating reality hotly debated in the crossroads of modern and psychiatric medicine, yet nobody can deny the number of patients is only growing larger. As the only other source of the word "Fibromyalgia" to many people in our society, other than 'strange Aunt Sally who doesn't like to leave her house', you would do the aforementioned injustice a world of good if the chick on the Lyrica commercial said had. 'Fibromyalgia kept me from doing the things I had to do in life.' It would give millions of people some much needed validation.

Thank you for your consideration,
Leah Tyler      

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