Doctors Prescribing Dangerous Drugs
While many doctors are fine, intelligent and caring individuals, they must accept full responsibility for the harm they cause. Although doctors cry out for relief from the high costs of insurance - they remain the root cause of the problem. Their lobbyists in Washington are looking to put a "cap" on the amount of money paid to the victims of malpractice and sheer ignorance. When a doctor amputates the wrong leg or removes a human part from the wrong patient - they are accountable - because their compensation is based on a higher knowledge of the human anatomy and the best way to deal with disease and illness. They use that as reasoning their worth to the public.
Their motto has always been, "Do No Harm," and yet 100,000 people died in hospitals across this country due to negligence and incompetence.
When doctors prescribe medicine, they are responsible to the patient for informing them of the benefit - risk factors related to their decision. Too many doctors are simply relying on a salesman with a black satchel to tell them in a nano-minute, a buck-based story about why a drug should be prescribed. Free samples, big perks, and a room-full of drugs (free) are the incentive doctors receive for their cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry.
Responsible doctors need to research the latest and least harmful approach to health problems. Sometimes there is nothing left, after the harm has been done, than to reach out for experimental drugs which will hasten death. The days of blaming everyone else for the high insurance costs are about to come to a crashing end. The new Congress will have to face the public and account for the high costs of health care and the poor results. We have fallen off the cliff, according to the World Health Organization - with a longevity ranking of 45th of all the industrialized nations of the world. I am fortunate to have doctors who stay abreast of the research and know the consequences well-enough to look for better options - including "whole food benefits."
Many doctors are leaning towards natural ways of prevention and healing - informing their patients of various ways they can improve their lifestyle and increase their chances for a long, quality life - without being warehoused in a miserable nursing home facility. It is with that in mind that I offer the following:
SIX DANGEROUS DRUGS THAT DOCTORS STILL PRESCRIBE
The pharmaceutical industry was aware of the dangers of "Vioxx" and it made front-page headlines when a study showed that taking it for 18 months or longer doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke. For every high-profile story like Vioxx, there are many other dangerous drugs that go unnoticed.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that about HALF of new drugs are removed from the market or have significant warnings added to their labels within 7 years! During those first 7 years, millions of unsuspecting people take the drugs, assuming that they’re safe.
In a recent article (spring 2007) in Bottom Line Health www.BottomLineSecrets.com/healthy , Larry Sasich, a doctor of pharmacology, and coauthor of "Worst Pills, Best Pills" tell us of 6 drugs to be wary of:
Crestor* Approved in 2003, this is the newest in the family of cholesterol-lowering statins. Thanks to a blockbuster marketing campaign, more than 18 million prescriptions have been written for the drug.
But here’s what they don’t tell you: People who take Crestor have 75 times more kidney damage than those on other statin drugs! They’re also more likely to develop rhabomyolisis, a potentially deadly disease that destroys muscle tissue. In fact, the number of reported cases rivals those of Baycol*, a statin that the FDA pulled off the market!
Alternative: Stick with the older statins or try natural remedies like policosanol and guggul. Some doctors are recommending high fiber drinks like FiberAll or Metamucill to lower cholesterol.
Actos* and Avandia* These diabetes drugs are part of the family of medications called glitazones. The first member of the family, Rezulin,* was withdrawn in 2000 because it caused liver damage. And recent studies show that Actos and Avandia may also cause liver and heart failure. Also, when patients taking other diabetes drugs switch to Actos, their blood sugar levels actually go up — and rarely return to previous levels!
Package inserts for Actos and Avandia clearly state that they should not be used by people on medication for congestive heart failure. Yet doctors continue to prescribe the drugs to diabetics with heart failure! In fact, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at thousands of diabetics hospitalized for heart failure. It found that a staggering 16.1% of them had been prescribed a glitazone!
Meridia® This widely prescribed weight-loss drug was approved in 1997 over the objections of the FDA doctor who was the principal reviewer of the drug. It has similar chemical properties to amphetamines. And it has caused 124 people to be hospitalized, and 49 deaths—all from heart problems associated with taking the drug.
What’s more, it doesn’t seem to be all that effective. A 2004 study found that people taking it lost an average of only 10 pounds a year—and 55% of the weight loss was regained within 18 months of stopping the drug! It did not appear to reduce illness or death caused by being overweight.
Alternative: The safest way to lose weight is by eating less each day and exercising a little more - eating healthy food, avoiding high sugar, sodium, trans-fats, and High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Serevent® Serevent belongs to a family of asthma medications known as long-acting beta agonists. The benefit of Serevent is, that, unlike other asthma drugs, it lasts up to 12 hours and only needs to be taken twice a day. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a price. A 1996 study by Serevent’s manufacturer found that the drug caused a dramatic increase in asthma-related deaths among people using it.
The complete details of the study have been kept secret by the company, but we do know that the results were bad enough to cause the company to stop the study early. We also know that after the study, the FDA ordered the manufacturer to put a "black box warning" on the product labels of the drug.
Alternative: Stick to steroidal inhalers or older, short-acting beta agonists such as Proventil® and Ventolin®. These drugs don’t last as long as Serevent, but they are much safer.
Ultracet® or Ultram® (tramadol) is a painkiller that’s advertised as being as effective as Tylenol with codeine, but with a much lower danger of addiction.
Within the first year tramadol was put on the market, the FDA received 83 reports of seizures among people using it. During the second year, the FDA received more than 200 seizure reports, and most were from people with no previous history of seizures.
The FDA estimates that for every report of an adverse drug reaction, 10 go unreported. So it’s possible that as many as 2,000 or more people taking the drug suffered seizures that year!
What’s more, subsequent research shows that tramadol is no less addictive than the narcotic painkillers it was meant to replace. In the drug’s first year, the FDA received 115 reports of "adverse events" described as "drug abuse," "withdrawal," "dependence," or intentional overuse." Despite this potential for addiction, the drug was not classified as a controlled substance. Countless consumers who were told that tramadol was not addictive may have unknowingly become dependent on the drug.
Alternative: If you are in severe pain, traditional narcotics (taken under medical supervision) may be a better choice. Talk to your doctor.
SAFETY RULE OF THUMB
Dozens of drugs have been pulled off the market by the FDA. In almost every instance, the drug was approved as "safe," and the dangers were only acknowledged after hundreds of deaths or hospitalizations. To prevent this from happening to you, try not to use any drug until it has been on the market for at least 7 years. Seven years is usually enough time to gauge a drug’s safety. Ask your pharmacist for the "FYI" on any drug before buying it.
As for doctors who complain about high insurance premiums, I would suggest that they become self-insured with the AMA representing all doctors in their legal battles. It might help clean-up their act. If doctors have to pay too high a premium for incompetency, they might consider doing what the Senate does - investigate the matter and consider revoking the licenses of doctors who repeatedly make major errors that result in premature death. The AMA might also want to reconsider their relationship with the Pharmaceutical Industry. Their misrepresentation of drugs works against the medical profession and our longevity-ranking as a nation. Time for changes.
The time has come for all doctors to consider the loss of confidence their patients have in their knowledge, wisdom, and decision making. It used to be, "If you won’t listen to me - find yourself a new doctor." The American Public is doing just that!
The problem with a "for-profit" health care system is the emphasis put on time and money rather than the efficacy of treatment and a caring relationship that results in positive results and a longer life or simply, "getting what you pay for."
Their motto has always been, "Do No Harm," and yet 100,000 people died in hospitals across this country due to negligence and incompetence.
When doctors prescribe medicine, they are responsible to the patient for informing them of the benefit - risk factors related to their decision. Too many doctors are simply relying on a salesman with a black satchel to tell them in a nano-minute, a buck-based story about why a drug should be prescribed. Free samples, big perks, and a room-full of drugs (free) are the incentive doctors receive for their cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry.
Responsible doctors need to research the latest and least harmful approach to health problems. Sometimes there is nothing left, after the harm has been done, than to reach out for experimental drugs which will hasten death. The days of blaming everyone else for the high insurance costs are about to come to a crashing end. The new Congress will have to face the public and account for the high costs of health care and the poor results. We have fallen off the cliff, according to the World Health Organization - with a longevity ranking of 45th of all the industrialized nations of the world. I am fortunate to have doctors who stay abreast of the research and know the consequences well-enough to look for better options - including "whole food benefits."
Many doctors are leaning towards natural ways of prevention and healing - informing their patients of various ways they can improve their lifestyle and increase their chances for a long, quality life - without being warehoused in a miserable nursing home facility. It is with that in mind that I offer the following:
SIX DANGEROUS DRUGS THAT DOCTORS STILL PRESCRIBE
The pharmaceutical industry was aware of the dangers of "Vioxx" and it made front-page headlines when a study showed that taking it for 18 months or longer doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke. For every high-profile story like Vioxx, there are many other dangerous drugs that go unnoticed.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that about HALF of new drugs are removed from the market or have significant warnings added to their labels within 7 years! During those first 7 years, millions of unsuspecting people take the drugs, assuming that they’re safe.
In a recent article (spring 2007) in Bottom Line Health www.BottomLineSecrets.com/healthy , Larry Sasich, a doctor of pharmacology, and coauthor of "Worst Pills, Best Pills" tell us of 6 drugs to be wary of:
Crestor* Approved in 2003, this is the newest in the family of cholesterol-lowering statins. Thanks to a blockbuster marketing campaign, more than 18 million prescriptions have been written for the drug.
But here’s what they don’t tell you: People who take Crestor have 75 times more kidney damage than those on other statin drugs! They’re also more likely to develop rhabomyolisis, a potentially deadly disease that destroys muscle tissue. In fact, the number of reported cases rivals those of Baycol*, a statin that the FDA pulled off the market!
Alternative: Stick with the older statins or try natural remedies like policosanol and guggul. Some doctors are recommending high fiber drinks like FiberAll or Metamucill to lower cholesterol.
Actos* and Avandia* These diabetes drugs are part of the family of medications called glitazones. The first member of the family, Rezulin,* was withdrawn in 2000 because it caused liver damage. And recent studies show that Actos and Avandia may also cause liver and heart failure. Also, when patients taking other diabetes drugs switch to Actos, their blood sugar levels actually go up — and rarely return to previous levels!
Package inserts for Actos and Avandia clearly state that they should not be used by people on medication for congestive heart failure. Yet doctors continue to prescribe the drugs to diabetics with heart failure! In fact, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at thousands of diabetics hospitalized for heart failure. It found that a staggering 16.1% of them had been prescribed a glitazone!
Meridia® This widely prescribed weight-loss drug was approved in 1997 over the objections of the FDA doctor who was the principal reviewer of the drug. It has similar chemical properties to amphetamines. And it has caused 124 people to be hospitalized, and 49 deaths—all from heart problems associated with taking the drug.
What’s more, it doesn’t seem to be all that effective. A 2004 study found that people taking it lost an average of only 10 pounds a year—and 55% of the weight loss was regained within 18 months of stopping the drug! It did not appear to reduce illness or death caused by being overweight.
Alternative: The safest way to lose weight is by eating less each day and exercising a little more - eating healthy food, avoiding high sugar, sodium, trans-fats, and High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Serevent® Serevent belongs to a family of asthma medications known as long-acting beta agonists. The benefit of Serevent is, that, unlike other asthma drugs, it lasts up to 12 hours and only needs to be taken twice a day. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a price. A 1996 study by Serevent’s manufacturer found that the drug caused a dramatic increase in asthma-related deaths among people using it.
The complete details of the study have been kept secret by the company, but we do know that the results were bad enough to cause the company to stop the study early. We also know that after the study, the FDA ordered the manufacturer to put a "black box warning" on the product labels of the drug.
Alternative: Stick to steroidal inhalers or older, short-acting beta agonists such as Proventil® and Ventolin®. These drugs don’t last as long as Serevent, but they are much safer.
Ultracet® or Ultram® (tramadol) is a painkiller that’s advertised as being as effective as Tylenol with codeine, but with a much lower danger of addiction.
Within the first year tramadol was put on the market, the FDA received 83 reports of seizures among people using it. During the second year, the FDA received more than 200 seizure reports, and most were from people with no previous history of seizures.
The FDA estimates that for every report of an adverse drug reaction, 10 go unreported. So it’s possible that as many as 2,000 or more people taking the drug suffered seizures that year!
What’s more, subsequent research shows that tramadol is no less addictive than the narcotic painkillers it was meant to replace. In the drug’s first year, the FDA received 115 reports of "adverse events" described as "drug abuse," "withdrawal," "dependence," or intentional overuse." Despite this potential for addiction, the drug was not classified as a controlled substance. Countless consumers who were told that tramadol was not addictive may have unknowingly become dependent on the drug.
Alternative: If you are in severe pain, traditional narcotics (taken under medical supervision) may be a better choice. Talk to your doctor.
SAFETY RULE OF THUMB
Dozens of drugs have been pulled off the market by the FDA. In almost every instance, the drug was approved as "safe," and the dangers were only acknowledged after hundreds of deaths or hospitalizations. To prevent this from happening to you, try not to use any drug until it has been on the market for at least 7 years. Seven years is usually enough time to gauge a drug’s safety. Ask your pharmacist for the "FYI" on any drug before buying it.
As for doctors who complain about high insurance premiums, I would suggest that they become self-insured with the AMA representing all doctors in their legal battles. It might help clean-up their act. If doctors have to pay too high a premium for incompetency, they might consider doing what the Senate does - investigate the matter and consider revoking the licenses of doctors who repeatedly make major errors that result in premature death. The AMA might also want to reconsider their relationship with the Pharmaceutical Industry. Their misrepresentation of drugs works against the medical profession and our longevity-ranking as a nation. Time for changes.
The time has come for all doctors to consider the loss of confidence their patients have in their knowledge, wisdom, and decision making. It used to be, "If you won’t listen to me - find yourself a new doctor." The American Public is doing just that!
The problem with a "for-profit" health care system is the emphasis put on time and money rather than the efficacy of treatment and a caring relationship that results in positive results and a longer life or simply, "getting what you pay for."
posted by Stan Kent at
5:42 PM
|
0 comments
