Big bucks, Big Pharma
Got a pain, see a doctor, get a prescription (or two, or three). Prescription goes to the neighborhood pharmacy, you pay your deductible, take as directed. Pills run out? Go get more. Take pills, relieve the symptoms, and feel better. Simple right? Whoa, not so fast. Read that label, because even after this medication passed the “test” and is now approved by the FDA, have you checked out the possible side effects? Got psoriasis? How about side effects that include possible suicidal thoughts and behavior, tuberculosis, liver problems and inflammatory bowel disease. And that’s just the first psoriasis med that popped up in the search. “Wow, my skin cleared up but I’m going to need a liver transplant and I have some definite mysterious problems in the “poop” department. Call the doctor………I need to get on the transplant donor list and get something for this other issue.
Got hypertension? Well, it must be your lucky day because there are several medications that your physician would be happy to prescribe to relieve those symptoms. Oh, you’re going to feel SO much better. Aaaaaaaaaahhhh………but before you get too excited, may I just mention a few of the possible side effects (and certainly not all of them) that you may be exposing yourself to in your quest to feel better. Extreme tiredness, weight gain, dizziness, depression, low heart rate and sexual dysfunction. Did somebody say weight gain? How that great diabetes medication that could help you lose weight, as well? Sound good? Pump the brakes on this one too because among the mentioned possible side effects, you could experience, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weight regain. Weight comes back? Choke down a few more tablets. And hopefully none of the other symptoms will pop up when you’re bragging to someone about how much weight you lost and how much better you look.
So, exactly where am I going with this? It appears that the pharmaceutical companies are in full stride, pumping out FDA approved medicine for just about every ailment under the sun. In the process of weighing benefit and possible accompanying side effects, I am of the opinion that it seems to be justifiable to physicians to prescribe meds for one problem, even though it might create other situations that require treatment. The lesser of two evils? Sure, why not? Take a pill, take another, and another. Start out looking for a solution to one illness and end up take multiple “remedies” every day. And that big Pharma piggy bank gets fatter and fatter. More pills to keep you alive, let you live longer, keep paying, keep popping (more pills) until your body says that’s it, that’s all I can take and you’re done. But never fear, because there’s millions of others, picking up the slack, taking their share of wonderful remedies. Look around you and notice that the hospitals are expanding and opening new locations all over town. Do you think that it’s a sign that we’re getting healthier? Apparently the balance between the sick and healthy population is tipping in the wrong direction. Treating the sick is big business. And new medications are being introduced every day, it seems. Did you see that three page ad in that magazine you picked up to browse through the last time you went to the book store? Page one touts the great results you get and page two and three gives you a little insight to what you might have to deal with once you start taking it. This is our reality. I’m doing no more than making an observation.