Drug-Addicted America??

Pfizer Article

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202433530852&src=EMC-Email&et=editorial&bu=Law.com&pt=Law.com%20Newswire%20Update&cn=LAWCOM_NewswireUpdate_20090902&kw=Pfizer%20to%20Pay%20Record%20%242.3%20Billion%20Penalty%20Over%20Off-Label%20Promotions

From Law.com

“Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, will pay a record $2.3 billion civil and criminal penalty over unlawful prescription drug promotions, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.”

Once you read the article, you will discover that the penalty is warranted. This conversation focuses more how Americans view the pharmaceutical industry and legal drug use in America. This is not a discussion of the whole health care issue as is being debated in Congress right now.

But consider these questions: (1) It is naïve to think that people are taking the prescription drugs as prescribed to them. People share their prescription drugs. People sell their prescription drugs. How much does this happen? How big of a problem is this?

(2) Pfizer was just penalized $2.3 billion, not million, BILLION dollars, and yet their stock value ROSE 9 cents in early morning trading on Wednesday morning, September 2. Does the American investing public believe that Americans are so “drug-centered” that we are still willing to invest heavily in pharmaceuticals even after billions of dollars in penalties and fees? Are we as Americans THAT “drug-centered”?

(3) Finally, how big of a problem is it that drugs are used as “comfort” rather than for medically-viable reasons. Please let me explain. For years, some doctors prescribed antibiotics for viral infections, knowing they wouldn’t help, to quiet pushy and whiny patients. Some doctors prescribe Vicodin and other pain medications like they were prescribing licorice bites to the squirrelly child in church, without doing a pain management plan. And Americans are loading up on Tylenol (acetaminophen), Claritin, Benadryl and a host of other over-the-counter medications when medically they are not needed. The question is, as Americans continue to do things like overeating and smoking, what can be done to help the next generation not fall into the unhealthy habits of adult Americans?

I look forward to your comments.