unfreakinbelievable. every single drug ad I see on TV these days ...

Its not just "these kinds of drugs" but all drugs. For that matter you can also include vitamins, gatoraid, cheetos, etc. So given your logic, if nothing were approved because of a side effect, then there would be nothing around for anyone to take if they were dying or suffering. Bet you would think differently if you were dying in the ER or had AIDS or could not breathe because you had asthma. No one is forcing anyone to do anything they dont want. I for one would want to know there are drugs out there, even if there was a risk, if my life depended on it.

Yes, we don't want to toss out the baby w/ the bath water. Not all drugs are equally bad and there are some life-saving ones out there. However, because drugs are directly marketed to the public and because even the 'experts' often are not informed of 'side effects', we need to be as educated as possible. Not automatically trusting authorities, like doctors (etc.) is a given, but our world is so specialized that we can't all be expected to understand e/thing! Years ago, I learned the hard way that aspartame (Nutrasweet) causes neurological and joint problems in (some?) people. More recently, our family gradually realized that Singulair can ruin a child's life. Experiences like these make it very difficult to trust! Trusting ANYONE who is absolutely sure about ANYTHING is probably a mistake. Leave room for doubt.
BTW - Chris - what are you referring to in Gatorade??