A quote from an unknown IRC channel, via bash.org
Egger: Heres the history of our medicine.
"I have a sore throat."
2000 BC : "eat this root"
1200 AD : "That root is heathen, say this prayer."
1500 AD : "That prayer is superstition, drink this elixir."
1800 AD : "That elixir is snake oil, Take this pill."
1900 AD : "That pill is ineffective, Take this antibiotic."
2000 AD : "That antibiotic is artificial, Here why dont you eat this root."
Fits hand in glove with the Health, United States, 2004 CDC report that Americans are overmedicated. Why does it always takes a study to discover the obvious?
When I was back in the States last month, I was shocked at the ubiquitous advertisements for medicines--not only OTC drugs like aspirin and new, improved "24 hour heartburn relief"--but also prescription medications for chronic and acute ailments apparently suffered by many Americans.
The advertising works, JAMA reports that doctors are prescribing advertised medicine--particularly when their patients request them by brand name.
Sad. A healthier lifestyle is so much better than medicine.
But that's not going to happen any time soon. This week, Archives of Internal Medicine reported that only 3% of American adults lead healthy lives based on four factors: not smoking; eating five daily servings of fruit & vegetables; exercising regularly; and maintaining a healthy weight.
How hard is this to understand? Eat better, move around a bit and you'll live longer and healthier without drugs.
True!! As a Mom, I am shocked at how many parents
take thier children to the doctor for a "Cold" and request that they be put on antibiotics. Even
more shocking is watching my sons minor league game and seeing kids that can't run the bases. People ask all the time how do you keep your kids healthy,
it is not rocket science....or medication!!
Will I sound like a crackpot theorist if I point out the insane amount of money pouring out of Pharmaceutical companies straight in the pocket of a wide array of people supposedly responsible for deciding a healthy and reasonable approach to medication in the US.... ?
In most other countries (other than the US) prescription drug advertising in mainstream media is either strongly regulated or outright illegal... In the US, nobody blinks twice when their evening program ad breaks feature ads glossing over the merits of some unknown shiny pill that might be "just what you need, ask your doctor about it"... this is pure madness.
I am no advocate of crystal healing and homemade elixirs, but if anything, it is pretty common knowledge that overmedication tends to produce stronger strains of viruses through selection.
I so totally agree with you. I too was shocked at the sorts of commercials on US television. It seemed that the ads were giving people small amounts of information but suggesting that they barge into their doctors office and demand Brand XYZ of medication. I am all for being aware of your body's needs, but this was self pacification taken to the extreme.
Interestingly, I saw a documentary on J-TV last night about how many Americans are travelling to Canada to get their prescriptions filled as it was cheaper. One lady was saying that her monthly bill was over $450 but in Canada it was only about $120 for the same drugs. It begs the question as to why she is on so much medication to begin with.
Since living in Japan, I have stopped taking all forms of medicine other than the occassional headache tablet or cold and flu if I am ill. Recently, I had a horrendous sinus infection but decided not to go to get antibiotics and I survived - probably with a healthier immune system as a result.