Monday, January 12, 2015

A rose by any other name

Karen writes in:

"Dr. Grumpy, I've worked at different doctor's offices for over 20 years. But was still surprised when an infusion pharmacy rep came by recently and left his card and company information."




I'm going to have to agree with you, Karen. That's a TERRIBLE name for a pharmacy. Or pretty much any business (I wouldn't have dinner at DikPizza). Unless it's a sex shop.

According to the website, Dik is the owner's last name. And I respect that. Putting your name on a business is pretty universal. It's his name, and he's proud of it. But still, I think you have to take meanings into account, too. If your last name is Shithole or Fukme, you wouldn't want that on your cards. I think, in this case, going with your initials, or first name, or pretty much anything else, would sound better.

It also kind of distracts you from what the business does. I see "DikDrug" and I immediately assume they specialize in Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra "Here's a sample, why don't you see if it works? There's some magazines in the lobby bathroom."

Even more chilling (at least for a guy) is that DikDrug is an INFUSION pharmacy. This brings to mind painful images of Caverject and long needles being stuck in my winkie... I better cross my legs and end the post here.

Thank you, Karen!

12 comments:

Mal said...

It's also a very noticeable and memorable name, and it's being publicised FOC.

It could be a deliberate strategy.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he's out to change the English language while he's at it (I am assuming that the owner is a male??) I was sort of thinking that there might be a relationship between the name and an enzyme or gene or chemical receptor along with the double-helical design, like those capital letters and smaller abbreviations such as TNkase or ADH4. I think that the immediate or 'gut' response to this business card is Massachusetts Fail; there's already a tough sell going on; that other factors beyond reliability, safe manufacturing processes will be an issue, and that it will have to prove that the company is on the up and up--that is, unless there are parts of the country where this name doesn't immediately raise eyebrows.

Moose said...

There's a construction company in the Pittsburgh area called Dick Construction Corporation, or Dick Corp for short. I believe their current national headquarters is just outside the city limits these days, but it used to be in an ironically named small city called Large.

Yep. It was the Large Dick Corp.

clairesmum said...

Well, the card works - gets your attention, not easily forgotten. Not sure it will get your business, tho.

anon :what is the origin of the term 'Massachusetts fail"?

Anonymous said...

There is a horrible disease-causing protein out there that was discovered by a researcher named Dr. Fuku. The protein is aptly named FUKUTIN.

Nana said...

Had a dear friend who suffered greatly in Army basic training, with his last name emblazoned on his chest "Fink"
This is worse.

Anonymous said...

Also DNA is left handed...

Anonymous said...

Have infusions actually been safe, effective medical care for over a century? [Maybe; 1914 medical care is not my area of expertise...but I first wondered if this was another case of "Count all the years of work experience among your co-workers and say you've got x years of experience as a whole company" sleight of hand]

Anonymous said...

Clairesmum; this is in reference to the NECC scandal within the last couple years by a Framingham, Massachusetts drug compounding operation when their management flouted pharmacy professional ethics and promulgated their contaminated products in interstate commerce resulting in many deaths.

When I was in pharmacy school decades ago, pharmacists learned compounding to provide strictly for individual's prescriptions. If we were to provide products not on an individual basis we would be considered manufacturers and had to comply with all the strict FDA requirements of a registered drug manufacturer.

Unfortunately, with the politics of the times, laws changed at the national level allowing states to regulate these 'compounding' facilities under the auspices of federal regulation, and of course state compliances vary state by state.

Some state regulators can be 'bought' and some states do not have the manpower to provide adequate regulation. In some cases, the FDA is inadequately staffed. In other cases, as a regulatory agency, there are those that disparage the duty of the FDA to protect the public.

In any case, although many compounding companies provide valuable service, there is the chance unscrupulous practices might prevail in such a potentially 'dangerous' situation without careful oversight.

lyndat. said...

Years ago I worked with an attorney and his last name was Fuchs. (pronounced Fox) Any time his name was mentioned by some one new it never failed to be Fuched up.

KeepSmiling said...

Hmmm, Seattle has a well known restaurant named Dick's hamburgers.
It's probably the only place in the country where one can ask, "Are you eating Dicks?" with straight face.

Lin said...

You must not be familiar with Butt Drugs. (they're near me.. Oh how I wish they were close enough for me to use them as my pharmacy...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYYdF0zcuSI

 
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