Why do some MDs over-prescribe?
What do you think about doctors who prescribe meds that are necessary, but have side effects, and then prescribe something else to treat the side effects, and then something else for the side effects of the side effects?
Example: I have a close relative who was treated for pain with narcotics (which made her tired) so she was given some kind of uppers (which made her nervous) so she was given anti-depressants (which made her awake) so she was given sleeping pills too…
Naturally, she got ADDICTED to some of these meds and had to go through those motions too (but not before the complete destruction of her life).
I know this doctor, and I think she means well in general… But how can anyone prescribe so many heavy drugs to a fairly healthy person without question?
I’ll give a ‘between the lines’ answer. It points to some of the things wrong with the healthcare system.
Of course, there is, what other posters mentioned, kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies. But that’s far, far too simplified. The AMA determines the process for administering treatment. There are ‘approved’ treatments, and those that are not. There is a flow-of-diagnosis that must be followed for the doctor to continue the practice.
Take ozone therapy, for example. We use ozone to purify blood supplies, just as many European countries have been doing for years, but it has also been found that ozone treatment can dissolve tumors, and isolate and destroy many viruses like HIV, and interestingly, HPV (which we have found is linked to many cancers, and cancer may be directly virus-related). However, it is ILLEGAL to proscribe ozone treatment for ANY medical condition, in the US! Why? Chemo is expensive. You can build an ozone generator yourself with 200 bucks in parts, and the process is easily found and can be self administered. What would happen to our healthcare system and insurance industry if cancer suddenly became ridiculously cheap and easy to treat?
Any doctor found proscribing or administering such treatment in the US loses their license to practice, is likely jailed, and fined.
The AMA, more and more, determines how a doctor can treat anything. The doctor has increasingly less and less say.
October 24th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Kick backs, or in the music industry, Payola. The doctor is making money from the pharmaceutical firms for each prescription. If all the drugs your relative is using are from the same manufacturer, I would suggest you may have a very solid case for a lawsuit against the doctor along with a medical board review of the doctor’s licence.
References :
October 24th, 2009 at 7:29 am
I personally think that part of the reason is the nature of the allopathic (who we call "MDs") medical education. MDs are not taught to view the body as a whole being, whose parts of very interdependent. Therefore, they often don’t consider these side effects to find the best prescription remedy. They also tend to throw pills at almost anything.
I went to an MD complaining of headaches on one side of my head and neck pain. They prescribed me pain killers and sent me on my way. As the headaches continued and as I grew more reluctant to take pain killers everyday, a family friend recommended another doctor, this time an osteopathic one (what we call "DOs"). They are fully-educated, fully-accredited doctors, despite what people have said in the past. This doctor found a lesion on my cervical spine (neck) which, by asking me a series of questions about my lifestyle, they discerned was caused by carrying a heavy tote bag and poor sleeping posture. They performed a series of manipulative therapy routines on me and after several visits, my headaches and neck pain were gone.
I think that just proves that the allopathic medical philosophy is a bit flawed. I would recommend seeing DOs from now on…they have always be great to me!
References :
October 24th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Unfortunately many anti-depressants have SEVERE side effects. These can be countered by valium, xanax, sleepng pills, attivan atcetera, if a dostor does not realize you are an addict he will prescribe these with impunity. But once he finds out he will shut you off like a leaking water hose leavinf with your intitial problem.
References :
October 24th, 2009 at 7:51 am
I’ll give a ‘between the lines’ answer. It points to some of the things wrong with the healthcare system.
Of course, there is, what other posters mentioned, kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies. But that’s far, far too simplified. The AMA determines the process for administering treatment. There are ‘approved’ treatments, and those that are not. There is a flow-of-diagnosis that must be followed for the doctor to continue the practice.
Take ozone therapy, for example. We use ozone to purify blood supplies, just as many European countries have been doing for years, but it has also been found that ozone treatment can dissolve tumors, and isolate and destroy many viruses like HIV, and interestingly, HPV (which we have found is linked to many cancers, and cancer may be directly virus-related). However, it is ILLEGAL to proscribe ozone treatment for ANY medical condition, in the US! Why? Chemo is expensive. You can build an ozone generator yourself with 200 bucks in parts, and the process is easily found and can be self administered. What would happen to our healthcare system and insurance industry if cancer suddenly became ridiculously cheap and easy to treat?
Any doctor found proscribing or administering such treatment in the US loses their license to practice, is likely jailed, and fined.
The AMA, more and more, determines how a doctor can treat anything. The doctor has increasingly less and less say.
References :