When Oprah talks, people listen. And now thanks to Oprah, when Phil McGraw talks, people listen as well. (Think about it: Out of all the Phils in the world who chose to practice medicine, he is THE Dr. Phil). The fact that these certain people have the ability to open the ears and change the minds of millions on a multitude of topics is astounding. Recently, Oprah offered free meals from Kentucky Fried Chicken to all who went to her website and printed out a coupon. "Oprah Winfrey KFC coupons" was the fifth most-searched item on Google Trends hours after it was broadcast, and most KFC restaurants actually ran out of chicken within a day. Combining free food and the most influential woman in America (the world?) turned out to be an accident waiting to happen (especially for KFC's PR people).
But Oprah has also created popularity in areas other than food throughout her career. In the beginning of 2009, Oprah addressed a topic that the medical community has flip-flopped over for years. In fact, on January 15 of this year, the industry of Bioidentical Hormones changed dramatically, simply because it was the subject of a talk show. But not just any talk show has the ability to significantly alter the face of an entire industry. This feat can only be chalked up to the big O.
Over a series of shows and an article in the O Magazine dedicated to the topic, Oprah began the first real national-wide conversation about BHRT, or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. On her website, Oprah's team of doctors describes BHRT as the use of supplemental doses of hormones that have a chemical structure identical to the hormones that the body naturally produces. It is used to treat symptoms of the ever-dreaded menopause in women, and for years the process was thrown back and forth between medical professionals who begged the question, was the practice productive or harmful to the human body? Now that Oprah has embraced the therapy for herself and shared the effects with her national audience, it has been full speed ahead for the industry.
There are many aspects of BHRT that should be considered. For example, when bioidentical hormones are purchased at a compounding pharmacy, a mixture of hormones is created and uniquely tailored for each individual patient, whereas if they're purchased at a conventional pharmacy, these hormones are only available in a range of set doses. Maida Pharmacy, which has been located in Arlington for over 70 years, is one of the few compounding pharmacies in the state. Larry Maida, the owner and compounding pharmacist there has recently received an abundance of calls regarding BHRT, likely in part, thanks to Oprah, as well as all of the publicity it has been collecting.
Nationally, about 7.4 million people watch Oprah every day, and her audience is predominantly made up of females over the age of 55. (Can anybody say menopause?) This is where the Oprah Effect comes into play. Essentially, and I'm generalizing, if Oprah told her loyal listeners that the sky was, in fact, a vibrant shade of fuchsia, these Oprah fanatics may be found at their windows looking up and saying, "Yes, I definitely see it..." The fact that Oprah has addressed this topic has created two things for BHRT: awareness and acceptance. She has officially validated the process, and because of her great influence, she has confirmed for many that BHRT can and should greatly aid women through the trials of menopause.
Lesson learned: Never underestimate the power of the O. And act fast when she offers free food.
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