People always ask how I find the stories for Legal Juice. I found this one on the back page of the “A” section of yesterday’s Washington Post. I was skimming a full-page ad for a new allergy drug called “Xyzal.” Ignore, if you can, the idiotic name “Xyzal.” In the not-so-fine print, I read the following:
Do not take Xyzal if you are allergic to Xyzal …
I had to read it again, and again, because it was SO STUPID. I’m trying to think of an equally stupid analogy, but I can’t!
But there’s more. The “don’t operate heavy machinery while taking this drug” warning is very common. But what about driving your car?
“Patients taking Xyzal should avoid operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle.”
You can’t take this allergy drug and safely drive a car? Doesn’t this eliminate MOST PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD? And just to be sure it wasn’t a misprint, I checked the company’s website, and found the exact same warning! Brilliant!