The Drugging of America. Sick? Take a pill.

Nearly 51% of all FDA approved drugs have serious adverse effects not discovered by the FDA until after the drug is approved and on the market.

How does this happen?

The FDA is not meant to be a true filter for the efficacy of drugs. They have neither the staff nor the funding to be able to verify the research and data submitted by drug manufacturers. Like it or not, the FDA, in large measure, must rely on the honesty and competence of the evaluations carried out by the very companies who seek to make profits on ultimately marketing a prospective drug.

Direct to consumer advertising is a problem. Prescription drugs are one of the few products in which manufacturers spend billions of dollars to sell you something you can not buy. Well, you can not buy the product unless a physician agrees. Drug manufacturers, though, continue to create elaborate TV ads to lure Americans to this drug or that drug. When yo are finished watching some of these ads, you are convinced you have a disease you never imagined you had before; due to the power of suggestion.  A drug for everything and a disease for every drug.

Why eat healthy if you can take a pill that helps you lose weight or take a pill that lowers your cholesterol?

The over prescribing of antibiotics, for example, is causing antibiotic resistant strains of viruses, flus, and “bugs” that are becoming increasingly dangerous to the public.  Almost every medication on the market can cause life-threatening side-effects leaving us to ask “is the cure worse than the illness?”

What can the consumer do?

Ask questions.
Demand complete information and answers.
Ask about treatment complications.
Ask about non-drug focused treatments for diseases and conditions.
Do not fall prey to the glitzy ads.
Be guided by a trusted physician; while insisting on complete information.