Posted on 12/28/2013 10:33:19 PM PST by Armen Hareyan
There has been growing awareness of the power of prescription medications to kill. The problem is so serious it should be ranked alongside illicit drug abuse and alcohol abuse as primary critical health hazards in the United States and elsewhere across the world. High profile deaths from prescription drugs, such as that of Michael Jackson, helps to highlight how serious this problem is. Many other people are also dead and dying from prescription drugs. The time to act on this problem is now.
Prescription drug abuse has been labelled as an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. There has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs such as cocaine, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). However, nearly one-third of people who are aged 12 and over who have used drugs for the first time in 2009 started by using a prescription drug non-medically.
It is often believed by prescription drug abusers that these substances are safer than illicit drugs because after all they are prescribed by healthcare professionals and dispensed by pharmacists. This appears to be a critical problem of misperception in teens. Teens are responsible for much prescription drug abuse, reports EmaxHealth reporter Robin Wulffson, MD. Addressing the critical problem of the prescription drug abuse epidemic is a top priority for public health.
The 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan has expanded upon the Obama Administration's National Drug Control Strategy. This initiative now includes action in four major areas to lower prescription drug abuse, including:
1: Education. In order to effectively tackle the problem of prescription drug abuse it is essential to educate parents, youth, and patients about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs. Prescribers should be required to receive education dealing with the appropriate and safe use, and proper storage and disposal of prescription drugs.
2: Monitoring. Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) should be implemented in every state to lower “doctor shopping” and diversion. PDMPs should be enhanced to make certain they can share data across states and are used by healthcare providers.
3: Proper Medication Disposal. Convenient and environmentally responsible prescription drug disposal programs should be developed to help lower the supply of unused prescription drugs in the home.
4: Enforcement. Law enforcement needs the tools necessary to eliminate improper prescribing practices and to put a stop to pill mills.
Prescription drug abuse and doctors who prescribe them have been on the rise, according to EmaxHealth reporter Tyler Woods, Ph.D.
It has been observed that prescription drugs are actually the second-most abused category of drugs after marijuana. Furthermore, the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that greater than 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain relievers got them from friends or relatives, while about 5 percent got them from a drug dealer or over the Internet. Also, opiate overdoses, which was once almost always due to heroin use, are now increasingly surfacing as being due to abuse of prescription painkillers. In the U.S. military alone, illicit drug use increased from 5% to 12% among active duty service members between 2005 to 2008. This was primarily due to the non-medical use of prescription drugs.
In recent years the number of prescriptions filled for opioid pain relievers, which are some of the most powerful medications available, has increased dramatically. There was a 402 percent increase in the milligram-per-person use of prescription opioids in the U.S. from 1997 to 2007. Furthermore, in 2000 retail pharmacies dispensed 174 million prescriptions for opioids.
Prescription medications are still killing, writes the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC).
A wave of cautionary drug stories this year was lead by GlaxoSmithKline’s penalty. In the largest pharmaceutical settlement to date, in July 2012 pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pleaded guilty to a three-part criminal indictment. The firm agreed to pay $3 billion in fines and civil penalties, which is the largest pharmaceutical settlement to date. The crime was promoting its drugs for unapproved uses while also failing to report drug-related health hazards.
U.S. Justice Department prosecutors said GSK endorsed Paxil for use by patients under 18 years old, even though there was lack of approval. The firm was also charged with withholding research which was related to a possible increase in suicide risk when taken by adolescents. GSK was also charged with failing to disclose health hazards which are associated with the diabetes drug Avandia. And doctors are said to have been given illegal kickbacks by GSK.
Abbott Laboratories settled for $1.6 billion over a lawsuit involving its anti-seizure drug Depakote in 2012. Abbott was charged with illegally marketing the drug for schizophrenia and agitated dementia, even though it was approved only for treatment of seizure disorders, or mania which is associated with bipolar disorder and migraines. Although doctors may prescribe drugs for any purpose, pharmaceutical companies are prohibited from promoting drugs for conditions which are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $181 million in order resolve claims made by 35 states and the District of Columbia that the firm had defrauded state Medicaid agencies by promoting the antipsychotic drugs Risperdal and Invega for unapproved uses. This was the largest multi-state health care fraud settlement ever.
The shooting massacres in 2012 in Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut have sparked renewed interest in the association between violence and prescription psychiatric drugs in teens and young adults. This disturbing pattern was evidenced in the 25-year list of school shootings which was compiled by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR). The CCHR has long been blasting the psychiatrists for using dangerous drugs which can set off suicidal and homicidal ideation and intent, along with many other painful and sometimes lethal side effects.
Older patients are also put at risk by prescription drugs. A Vanderbilt University study has found that about 50 percent of all heart patients make medication errors. Two percent of these medication errors are life threatening. It has been found that one in five medications which are prescribed to people older than 65 are either wrongly prescribed or prescribed at the wrong dosage. This study also uncovered several drugs that are routinely prescribed for seniors, despite knowledge of their being inappropriate for that age group. These drugs include:
1: The pain reliever propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet)
2: The antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep)
3:The blood pressure pill doxazosin (Cardura)
4: The antihistamine diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
Kristaps Paddock, ND, has commented in regard to the position of naturopaths on the prescription drug abuse problem, "The issue is not that drugs don't work, nor that as a naturopathic physician I'm 'opposed' to drugs, but rather that when the lives and health of patients is on the line, we should have access to accurate, unbiased information, be it about pharmaceutical drugs, herbs, supplements or other treatments." Dr. Paddock's insightful comment is right on target.
It has been my impression that the abuse of both illicit and prescribed drugs has been epidemic for decades, if not longer. These drugs have flooded the market to such a degree it appears organized crime must have infiltrated the entire American society, including the high school and university campuses. It also appears a disregard for the seriousness of this problem by many medical doctors highlights a catastrophic lack of commitment to dealing with these problems by medical educators and an arrogant desire to place quick profits ahead of patients lives by too many medical doctors.
It's been sad to witness that the practice of good general health care and good mental health care is far too often equated with how many prescription drugs are written. If a cup of green tea and exercise works better than pills, pills and more pills for some conditions such as weakness of an unclear etiology, than the pills simply should not be prescribed even if they are cleared by the FDA for such uses. Making up diagnoses to legitimize the prescribing of drugs which are often dangerous, as psychiatrists always do, can be lethal.
Propaganda! That’s how.
I take some prescription drugs. Last time I went to the doctor to get my prescriptions refilled I had to take a urine analysis. It’s something new in response to the growing number of people abusing prescription drugs. The test also makes sure you are taking your drugs and not hoarding or selling them.
It's for the children, donchaknow?
Psychiatrists are dangerous quacks, and their pills make you sicker than you were when you went in for help. I would think twice before trusting anyone in my family to their tender mercies.
Welcome to FR, BTW...
My wife was prescribed Paxil 20 years ago... The doctor doctor who prescribed it died and the new doctor just continued the prescription.
In checking her medications on the web, I found that the first 150 thousand hits with google involved lawsuits regarding this drug...
I told the Dr., either justify it or take her off it. I ask him if he knew why she was on it and he didn’t.
He immediately weaned her off it. I think he was somewhat embarrassed.
Bottom line... YOU have to check. They won’t.
The awareness that has to resonate is that prescription drug addiction is no better than illicit drug addiction and those who abuse either type of drug is an addict.
Prescription medications are still killing, writes the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC).
Huh? What does a Naturopath have to do with pharmacology? And propoxyphene has been pulled off the market( very stupid move by the way) since 2010.
Compounding that issue is many doctors prescribing antidepressants are oblivious to Serotonin Syndrome. In other words they never heard of it. It's much like giving someone LSD and if not diagnosed properly and action taken it can kill.
Today I caught TWO doctor "shoppers" who had massive amounts of narcotics prescribed from multiple sources.
I always am compassionate with such patients. I tell them I CAN'T give them narcotics, but I'll help them in any other way I can.
People with real pain, who aren't diverting or abusing never kick up a fuss.
BTW, these databases are ONLY for professionals to access. Pharmacists and doctors/providers.
It's illegal for some random person to go snooping around.
And YES it can be a lifesaver. If someone is actually taking these pills in these amounts, it would burn out their livers due to the Tylenol component alone.
Wish this was used more often.
Sorry to admit this about my profession, but many docs either don't check the PMP, or worse, just don't care.
It's rotten medical practice.
How would these docs feel if one of their patients died due to negligence?
Both of us have neurological impairments {she's an incomplete quad} which makes use of antidepressants a higher risk for adverse reaction. I took quite a few antidepressant of the month by several doctors for what was diagnosed as General Anxiety Disorder. They all made it worse especially my sensitivity to certain sounds.
Two years into treatment I found a book called Phobia Free and a doctor linked many anxiety disorders to Cerebellar Vestibular related damage likely from severe life long sinus allergies in my case. It makes sense if my sensory processing system was damaged antidepressants would saturate my damaged sensory processing system thus triggering more anxiety. The disorder alone is severe enough to produce Myoclonic seizures in my upper Torso antidepressants made that worse as well. Certain sounds and certain visual effects set me off. Phobic induced anxiety? No. Not in my case.
I started out on 2 MG Xanax a day. Big mistake as it only works half the time. Finally I found a doctor who understood it and he took me off all AD's and kept me on Xanax but cut the dose to .5mg four times a day. Now it works enough to where I can somewhat control it.
When some doctors see the Xanax prescription and I tell them how long I've taken it they freak. I have to explain to them what is actually wrong. My primary care doc understands as does my allergist. My primary care doc writes the script now for me and my wife.
My biggest gripe about these crackdowns is it has in the past made it difficult to find a doctor to write the script. If you loose your doctor you can't just go to an ER and say hey I need Xanax. LOL. On the other hand the extra meds we had accumulated over the years got us through a six month stretch of no primary care doctor. I do not consider a three - six month on hand amount of any medication used long term and as directed without abuse as bad or wrong but rather in these time a wise move. No one but immediate family and our doctors know we take it.
This is what gets me about the anti-supplement jihad.
For every person who is even made sick by taking supplements, probably TEN THOUSAND die from prescription drugs!
Prescription pain killers/sleep aids/anti-psychotics kill far more people in this country than supplements and/or illegal drugs combined.
Way, way more.
Many times more!
The second one is chronic pain suffers who despite medical science best efforts will hurt and be in considerable life long pain because from medical advances they survived what a couple of decades ago would have been a fatal accident, incident, or disorder.
Third is doctors due to pressures placed on them by insurers do not have the time to do extensive histories and work ups that may give a clue as to why the person hurts.
I have a cousin with a severe heart condition. By severe I mean the doctors told him to get his affairs in order they can do no more. He also has arthritis in his legs. Due to an insurance change he lost his primary care doctor and was unable to get another one due to the new insurance so called network provider list. He ran out of pain medication which he took sparingly.
He went to an ER his last primary care doctor and Cardiologist was associated with as a last resort asking for just enough meds to tie him over till he found another doctor. He was treated like some junkie off the street doctor shopping despite the fact the ER attending had full access to his medical records. Neither his previous doctor nor his cardiologist were consulted which brings up another issue in this. He left the ER in pain and no medication. He thought he was doing right by going to a place where his medical records were at.
Doctors today again thanks mainly to insurance mandates making them see more patients per day just to keep their doors open in the practice no longer make hospital rounds. You get Doctor of The Day likely contracted by the hospital or if you're real luck contracted by your primary who at least answers to your primary care doc. Your primary doctor will likely have no knowledge of your issue until he gets a report days later.
Government as much as possible needs to leave health care alone. The more government gets involved the worse things get for everyone. As for insurance? Congress should not only repeal Obamacare but the Kennesdy HMO Acts as well.
I am in withdrawal from Cymbalta right now.
Its hellish. It was prescribed for nerve pain.
It did not do enough for the pain so I want to quit.
Also, it is expensive.
Google it. (ssri syndrome).
When this stuff hit me 20 years ago I was checking and rechecking my work. I was also screwing up forgetting to close valves etc on the boilers. I would get home and call back to work and have the guy on shift check things. OCB? No rather my brain was compensating for a disorder I didn't know I had. I was loosing my concentration an issue I still deal with due to the nature of my disorder.
My dad had OCB. If I was driving somewhere even as an adult he wanted me to call when I got there. It helped make him a darn fine technician for Ma Bell but robbed him of peace of mind. Luvox fixed that for him.
BTW have you been tested for allergies? Could be other common things like mold. I tested positive on cats. But mold and pollens was the actual offender doing the damage. I have to take shots now for it. Personally IMO if a person can take Xanax in low dosage like you or me and has no significant addiction history and also very important a light or non alcohol user I think it's safer than antidepressants.
As for opiates? I have a crooked spine and compressed disk in my back. I've had it 35 years and every once in a while the Sciatic {sp} nerve pinches and it takes Hydrocodone to get me back on my feet. It's either about three doses of it which makes me sick to my stomach or a week or two in bed which due to circumstances with my wife I can not do. I had hand surgery this past summer. I was given Oxycodone to take home. I took it twice and decided the pain was less worse on me than the pill LOL. I keep a few Hydrocodone pills for PRN use. It save a trip to the ER and I can't predict when my back is going out except if it snows and I make a mis step.
We need a war on drugs.
The doctor will likely use Ativan, Valium, or Xanax to counteract the reaction. If you are having Serotonin Syndrome and the doctor won't listen find one that will. My wife went to the ER in a pyschotic state right after seeing her shrink an hour before and he saw nothing wrong and upped the Zoloft and then in an hours time after getting to the ER went unconscious. That should have sent up red flags.
The doctors at two ER's did not do a basic medication look up. Neither did two shrinks nor the two house doctors. This was at a level one university hospital. They were so blame clueless they took her off all medications then in walked a shrink who had never seen her and gave her more Zoloft. In one hours time she was pyschotic again. I'm not a doctor but darn it I'm bright enough to figure that one out. I went home and searched her meds plus adverse reactios and got the info I needed in a matter of 5 minites. I took it to the doctor and he said that is pure rubbish. I said it is huh read me the professors name then. He began stuttering at that point. Hard to argue with your Universities Pharmacology Professor.
She was discharged a few days later and still has partial amnesia and lost a few events in her life for good. She also had a brain bleeder show up on the MRI they finally did the last day.
bunch of crap. 15000 died of prescription drug use, but if you look at the data closely, a lot of it is diversion of narcotics from patients who needed the pain medicine, or diverted from “pill mills” like that of abortionist gosnell.
In comparison, 15000 people died from “NSAIDS”: aspirin, motrin, etc.
The increase in pain pill abuse is because for years, people hurt: because docs wouldn’t give them enough pain medicine to relieve their pain. I saw this in my father when he was dying of cancer, and I’m sure you know of similar people.
So they loosened the criteria for using narcotics.
And voila, the druggies started stealing it: I know of two deaths from narcotics diverted from cancer patients. Are you going to blame the docs for these deaths?
as for anti depressent medicines: Yes, I filled in for a clinic where a lot of the ladies I saw were on prozac etc...I joked about it only to have a nurse say she was on it too.
A lot of these ladies needed TLC and cutting back on a busy schedule, but when the HMO tells you to see 23 people a day, who has time to counsel them? Which is why I was filling in there, not working there.
ON the other hand, if prozac helps your raging hormones, well, why not? As for depression: It is a major problem. And often people with chronic pain have secondary biochemical depression. Should we let them suffer? Depression is not in your head.
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/Depression/depressionexplained/index.cfm
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