Science Forums 2

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by dkv

US is world's largest consumer of illegal drugs. Roughly 4 times its nearest competitor. More than 20% of teenagers get involved with drugs at age less than 13. More than 50% teenagers drink and drive. The situation is alarming.
The doctors cheat .. they prescribe wrong drugs to the patient.
More than 14000 patiets entered the emergency rooms due to drug overdose.
Highly educated Americans are also the most irresponsible.

I just wanted to look at current legal drugs here.It is hardly a comprehensive thread as I would need to work on it full time
But I suspect prescription drugs are a bigger cause of death than illegal drugs. This is not only a US problem.

Iatrogenic(doctor-related) causes and Prescription Drugs Are The Leading Cause of Hospitalization and Death in the US, Causing over 250,000 Hospital Related Deaths Every Year; Prescription Drugs are Responsible for over 100,000 Deaths Every Year (documentation provided)



While doctors provide needed treatment successfully for many patients and conditions, it is also well documented that doctor errors and adverse effects of doctor-prescribed drugs or treatments is one of the leading causes of hospitalizations, deaths, and other adverse health events(1-28). 14 % of the U.S. Gross National Product is related to medical and health care, but in spite of the much higher levels of spending on health care the U.S. ranks very poorly compared to other developed countries regarding health statistics and effectiveness of health care(18,etc.). Experts analyzing the basis for this have suggested that a profit driven medical system dominated by pharmaceutical companies and advertising result in over use of technology and pharmaceutical drugs and expensive procedures that have significant risk of adverse health effects(11,1,28)

The following hospitalization, death, and adverse annual effects statistics come from the medical literature, as referenced:
Hospital Events Annual Incidence Related Deaths

In-hospital (ADR): 2.2 million (3,4,10,11) over 100,000
Hospital medication errors (5% of patients) over 300,000 harmed, over 7,000(9,13) Infections and antibiotic-resistant infections ? over 80,000 (10,20)
Also

!!

Iatrogenic(doctor-related) causes and Prescription Drugs Are The Leading Cause of Hospitalization and Death in the US, Causi

Table Of Iatrogenic Deaths In The United States
(Deaths induced inadvertently by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures)
Condition Deaths Cost Author
Adverse Drug Reactions 106,000 $12 billion Lazarou (1) Suh (49)

Table of Iatrogenic Deaths in the United States
"First, do no harm"
Pharmaceutical Industry and FDA Endangering Your Health for Profit