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Why is the U.S. Spending More Than $1 Trillion for Drugs?

drugs, drug companies, pharmacracy, medicalisation, drug use, pharmaceuticals, spendingThe global market for pharmaceuticals was worth more than $693 billion in 2007. It is expected to increase to over $737 billion in 2008 and will top $1.0 trillion in 2013.

The market is divided into branded prescription drugs, generic prescription drugs and over-the-counter products. Branded prescription drugs have the largest share of the market, with more than $525 billion in sales during 2007.

The second largest segment, generic prescription drugs, will experience the highest growth rate over the next few years. It was worth $78.5 billion in 2007 and will nearly double, to almost $152 billion, by the end of 2013.


Sources:

Dr. Mercola''s Comments Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Unfortunately most of the population has been brainwashed to take a pill to feel better. I was reminded of this recently when I took a treadmill EKG for an insurance physical. The staff was in utter disbelief that I was not on any medications and questioned me several times on that.

Do You Have a “Drug Addict” Mindset?

There are times when drugs are necessary, but the bottom line is that most of the time they aren’t. Unfortunately, when you buy into the mindset that you need a drug to “fix” you, two things happen that begin to feed on each other, creating a never-ending loop of deteriorating health.

First, and most obviously, you subject your body to a potentially toxic substance.

Second, and this is more on a subconscious level, it reinforces the idea in your mind that your body cannot heal itself. Each time you take a pill you’re telling yourself that only these drugs can do that.

Which, of course, is a lie designed to empty your pocketbooks into drug company coffers.

Instead the drugs are invariably creating other problems, which will lead to yet another prescription to counteract the side effects from the first one, followed by another one, and another…

This is clearly shown in the statistics of prescriptions per capita, which has grown exponentially in the past 75 years. In 1929, the average American received less than two prescriptions per year. By 2006, the average annual prescription rate per capita in the United States was:

  • just over 4 prescriptions per child (age 0-18)
  • almost 11 prescriptions per adult (age 19-64), and
  • a whopping 28 prescriptions per senior, aged 65 and over!

This is an insult to the immense and innate healing power of your body. There is just no way you would ever need that many drugs to stay healthy. These numbers are a sad reminder of just how successfully industry has turned our society into a “pharmacracy” where every twitch is deemed suitable for another prescription.

What’s Your Drug of Choice?

I’m guessing most of you reading this would not take drugs like heroin or cocaine. After all, recreational drugs are responsible for an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 U.S. deaths each year.

Well, an estimated 106,000 hospitalized patients die each year from drugs that, by medical standards, are properly prescribed and properly administered, according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Two million more suffer serious side effects.

Taking this a step further, consider the medical error and mortality rate of conventional medicine in this light:

1. The recorded error rate of ICU’s is like the post office losing more than 16,000 pieces of mail every hour of every day, or banks deducting 32,000 checks from the wrong bank account every hour, 24/7

2. The recorded medical errors and deaths equate to six jumbo jets falling out of the sky each day, 365 days a year

3. Since 2001, a recorded 490,000 people have died from properly prescribed drugs in the United States, while 2,996 people died on U.S. soil from terrorism, all in the 9/11 attacks; prescription drugs are therefore 16,400 percent more dangerous than terrorism.

4. If deaths from over-the-counter drugs are also included, then drug consumption leaps to being 32,000 percent more dangerous than terrorism. And conventional medicine viewed as a whole is 104,700 percent deadlier than terrorism

With these kinds of odds, does it still make sense to take prescription drugs for problems that lifestyle changes can often resolve?

Most Drugs are Completely Unnecessary

As much as the drug companies want you to believe that it’s normal to take medicine every day, it’s NOT. It is the rare exception that you should ever need to take a drug.

Of course, you should work with your health care provider (preferably a holistic-minded one) in determining which ones are really vital, but I can tell you this: if you are suffering from any one of the following common conditions, drugs are not the answer:

   1. Arthritis
   2. High cholesterol
   3. Cognitive decline
   4. Depression
   5. Diabetes
   6. High blood pressure
   7. Osteoporosis

And that’s just for starters. 

Inching Closer to the Tipping Point

Help spread the word as far and wide as you can; relying on drugs will never give you the healthy body and mind you desire. What will give you optimal health is a bit of work on your part, to eat healthy, to exercise, to relieve your stress -- all of the things I detail in my Take Control of Your Health program.

And there is light on the horizon. For the first time in history the drug cartel is slated to have negative growth in 2011. However, this means you and your children are in for more aggressive pharmaceutical advertising, as they’re focusing more of their marketing efforts on direct-to-consumer advertising

So let’s keep the momentum going and not let up for even a second. One of the easiest things you can do is to regularly review this newsletter to keep current on the latest deceptions and frauds the drug companies are trying to get away with, and share it with all of your friends and family so that they’re aware of the issues too.



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Comment on This Article Community Comments (34)
 
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
Hi Katee.  My parents are in their early to mid seventies and have enjoyed a mostly health adult life. My father is still active, walks everyday, and thinks they have a very careful diet. They are both not overweight, and are not physically disabled. They both have decent reports from their last physicals.

Ttheir foods are mostly whole, and homemade, but what surprised me the most was that their doctor has them on antihypertensives and antilipidemic meds when they clearly don't need to be. his doctor told him to get onto soya products, to use egg beaters, stay away from eggs, and use a sweetener.   This is what a doctor recommends?? It's complete nonsense!

The interesting thing is that when I discovered that they had followed this ridiculous regime, they had already been having
significant physical symptoms but didn't tell anybody.

I think the issue with them is that they come from a generation who believe doctors are 'gods' who know what is best for them, even if it contraindicates what they know to be true. self advocation is not something they consider. Do you find that older adults are confused and impatient with all this flood of information from the medical community?
Some would rather take a pill, than change lifelong habits.

I do my best to advocate and inform my parents and all the seniors I encounter. They are worth it!!



 
Miss Bliss
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 3/2008
Miss Bliss  
Replied

healthiswealth
Apprentice User Apprentice User Joined On 7/2007
healthiswealth  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
Most M.D.s are absolute morons that don't know anything except what the pharmaceutical salespeople tell them.

ALL pharmaceutical advertising and marketing should be banned. Maybe then the media will be honest with their viewers about drugs instead of whores gobbling up more ad revenues to keep silent.

Or at least they should advertise honestly: "Ask your doctor if massive side effects, zero benefits and outrageous and unwarranted costs for our petrochemical based poisonous drugs are right for you".


bmc
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 2/2007
bmc  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
I like your idea of advertisement, and I would love to see that exact wording on TV. Even better, Lets apply the idea of pure honest advertising to everything being sold. Now that would be interesting.


HeatherM
Novice User Novice User Joined On 6/2006
HeatherM  
 
Posted On Jul 04, 2008

My mother was on Premerin, estrogen from horses urine,for over 20 yrs. after her hysterectomy. When I gave her info about synthetic estrogen she said, "Don't bother me, leave me alone." I was shocked by her uncharacteristic anger.

Finally the warnings came out through mainstream media, & only then did she stop it. All the elderly that I know personally are on drugs. Yes they think MD's are gods & usually won't listen to alternative advice. My mother expected a favourable response from me when telling me in a letter, that she'd stopped Premerin. I didn't comment, because she'd made me so angry with what she'd said to me when I tried to help her. It's like, do you turn a blind eye towards what MD's are doing to our loved ones, or say something & risk being hurt & frustrated.


 
 
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
I have a better question than Why is the U.S. Spending More Than $1 Trillion for Drugs?...but it's probably gonna get me neg'ged by peeps who like thier credit cards...

Why are Americans consistently living above their means (via credit)?

And, both questions have the same answer....ADVERTISING telling them they NEED it...YESTERDAY...or they can't possibly keep up with the Joneses or BOB...

 
qualitygeek
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 10/2007
qualitygeek  
Replied

webwitch6
Apprentice User Apprentice User Joined On 9/2007
webwitch6  
 
Posted On Jul 04, 2008

qualitygeek: I was like that for a while, probably trying to make up for a really stressful childhood and early 20's-hood.  Got myself into debt over the dumbest things, the latest knick-knacks, electronics and kitchen-cooking items, wound up in 20K worth of credit card debt and no job at 23.  Nearly ruined my credit (oh so important, that faceless credit checker that rates your life pi**es me off) Now, I live in the country, selling off all those items on eBay and garage sales. I havent needed or used those items all this time. What a wasteful idiot I was.


 
 
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
Money used to be good. It's still is. But money used to be good when people were innocent and simple. They exchanged a sum of money for what they want. It replaced the barter system, made everyone's lives easier, and led to an economic system.

And that economic system now has enslaved people in chains. Everything is about money. Money has become the root of greed, corruption, death, suffering, misfortunes and despair. Every infrastructure of society is dependent on one another which are all dependent on money. 

This is the reason why people are being kept sick by industry and government, and labeled sick even when they're not. This is the sacrifice that millions of people make out of themselves and their loved ones to keep a corrupted health care system that runs on money functional for society. The health care system is a macro-division of socialization. It's "structural-functional" for society. And for it to be functional, people have to get sick. (I learned this in Sociology 300)

They say that common sense is not learned, but a person is born innately with it. I guess there's a lot of people out there who either can't or won't understand that they're being controlled by a cold hearted elite few who doesn't care anything for their health, or the well being of their loved ones but their own interests.

"Why is the US Spending More than $1 Trillion for Drugs?" is one question. The other question is, why are 50%+ of Americans on drugs? And when will it stop? Sad to think that these people are either brainwashed, casuaties from an enemy called laziness that they don't do their homework or think being on pills is easier, stupid, or hopelessly addicted.

The drug industry are nothing but a legalized multibillion dollar drug cartel. Not too different from street drugs, they harm. They maim. They kill.

 
All Under Heaven
Apprentice User Apprentice User, Joined On 2/2008
All Under Heaven  
 
 
 
Posted On Jul 03, 2008

If you need to die, just see an American Doctor. I don't know what else they are good for anymore. What a sad waste of education these people have to go through to deliver this aweful service to the public. I blame the AMA for making them so brainwashed. This is a criminal organization that needs to be banned or charged with racketeering and anti-trust.


 
carrieon
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 3/2008
carrieon  
 
 
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
These are mighty alarming stats here.... I for one hope these numbers would significantly be reversed in a very short period of time.....We need to get the word out to more people at a much faster rate if we are to get better results (lower stats) .....

 
seg
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 11/2006
seg  
Replied

sleepybob
Novice User Novice User Joined On 9/2007
sleepybob  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
I agree but how? People look at me like I'm crazy when I talk about the dangers of pharmaceuticals even though:

A. They are aware of the news reports about drugs like Vioxx causing tens of thousands of deaths.
B. They agree that pharmaceutical companies are huge corporations interested one thing . . . money. Not their health.
C. They acknowledge that these drugs are often addicting and can have many side effects.
D. They complain about how expensive their meds are.

It seems to me that the barrier between people making the connection between these things and stopping use of them is their family doc and specialist doctors. As long as their doctor prescribes it they'll take it. And when reports come out like the ones about Vioxx they'll just be greatly that the FDA and pharmaceutical companies caught it in "time".


Katee Roux
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 7/2007
Katee Roux  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
I have to post this.  I've a wonderful uncle, a retired pediatrician, who sends delightful emails of his current life.  He & his wife often visit his MIL who is 102.  He writes of the things they see in their semi-country life.  This is part of a recent email:

C
saw a new cardiologist yesterday, as a follow-up for her angioplasty

and stent placement some 16 months ago, in Feb of 2007 for her coronary

artery disease.  Said she could come off the Plavix in September, then

we can consult the orthopedist about her knee; she may need arthoscopy

then.  The Dr. said
he thought she had done very well.  She is to continue on the statin
drugs for cholesterol, and to continue the prudent diet.  We follow a
fairly prudent diet, but she does better than I do.  We both use skim

milk on our cereal, use Splenda instead of sugar; but C uses Smart

Balance and I still like my butter (and perhaps too much jelly and jam

on my toast, too!)  We still eat red meat, though less than we used to

eat, and more chicken and fish.  Have been having breakfast eggs once a

week.  The cardiologist advised "egg-beaters", but I think we had just

as soon do without the eggs as to eat the eggbeaters.


This is an intelligent, educated man.  I'm sad that he thinks this is a good, healthy diet, & concerned that the cardiologist should recommend it.  The saddest thing is he believes this is healthy & shared it with the family because he's proud of "how well" they are doing eating these pseudo foods. 


andrewtd
Novice User Novice User Joined On 6/2007
andrewtd  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
Katee, what pseudo foods are you talking about exactly? The splenda and eggbeaters, or are you implying his entire diet is bad?

The one problem I see over and over again on this site is too many people on a high horse because of their "perfect" diets. My mom always cooked us fairly balanced meals when we were children, perhaps there was an abundance of meat (as our society tends toward), but fresh fruit and vegetables were always on the table. 

To me, that was healthy.  So long as you stay away from the overly processed foods (lunchables and other convenience items, don't get me started on those pre-bunned hot dogs their pushing now) your body will do very well. 

Some people on this site however constantly pervade the idea that unless you're buying all organic, milling the wheat and baking the bread yourself, and not eating meat, then you are slowing poisoning yourself.  I'm sorry, but the human body has survived millions of years of evolution, and has gone through times far tougher than ours.  Eating standard ground beef and a "conventionally grown" *gasp* apple isn't going to cause me to drop dead.


Aaltrude
Moderator User Moderator User Joined On 4/2007
Aaltrude  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
What are egg beaters? I've not seen these in New Zealand.


byrne
Novice User Novice User Joined On 8/2007
byrne  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008

Aaltrude -

Eggbeaters are pasteurized egg whites with plenty of other chemicals, synthetic vitamins, etc. added.

Eggbeaters is just a brand name, there are many others as well. The one thing in common with all of them, is they are all pasteurized, and contain only the egg whites (no yolks). They may or may not have other chemicals in addition.

They are a supposed to be a "healthy" alternative for those people on non-fat, non-cholesterol diets who still want to enjoy items such as scrambled eggs.


healthiswealth
Apprentice User Apprentice User Joined On 7/2007
healthiswealth  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
Eggbeaters are fake eggs (kind of). Just eat the real thing!


Katee Roux
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 7/2007
Katee Roux  
 
Posted On Jun 16, 2008
Andrew TD, yes, i see splenda & eggbeaters, & SmartBalance as pseudo foods.  I'm also concerned about the drugs mentioned, which have no benefit for 95% of the folks who are on them.

My diet is not perfect.  I'm not on any "high horse."  I agree that one conventionally grown apple will not kill me.  However, if a diet is primarily conventionally grown fruit, vegetables, & conventionally produced meat, then the person eating such items is getting a large dose of pesticides, antibiotics, bovine growth hormone, & who knows what else.  Simply eating such things on a regular basis will eventually bring problems that docs then try to suppress with meds that have their own problems.

I'm sad that my wonderful uncle isn't aware of this, & am alarmed that he isn't aware of it seeing that he is so educated.  I'm sad that the docs today have such a small appreciation for the effect of food & diet & are so ill educated on good health.  I've not responded yet because at this point i don't even know how to phrase it so i DON'T sound arrogant to someone who is indeed very kind & very intelligent



 
 
 
 
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