Researchers Condemn Pharmaceutical Norms

In other news, the arthritis drugs Vioxx, Celebrex, and others, were recently recalled after a new clinical trial supported previous studies suggesting an increased risk of heart attack and stroke but have now been reinstate. It is clear that government agencies such as the FDA often speed through formal hearings on the effectiveness and/or hazards of medications. This creates an unthinkable situation where these agencies give the “Green Light” to faulty and life-threatening products. Ten out of fifteen board members that forgave the pharmaceutical companies and allowed these questionable drugs placed back on the market have direct ties to the manufacturers of these deadly products. In other heart news, Bextra was banned by Kaiser Permanente “until the FDA and/or Pfizer can provide substantiated evidence to support its cardiovascular safety.” In another category, Serzone was withdrawn from the antidepressant market following numerous reports linking the drug to life-threatening liver problems. And, we all have heard of the billion-dollar mega-marketing success of Prozac, recently and ironically identified as the anti-depressant most likely to cause suicide. These are just a few examples of drugs, most of which revealed the potential for fatal side effects that are either being removed from the market, or are currently under investigation. Herbert Lay, M.D., former FDA commissioner stated: “the thing that concerns me is that people believe the Food and Drug Administration is protecting them. What the FDA is doing and what the public thinks they are doing is as different as night and day.” In truth, the FDA, our so-called government ‘watch-dog’ organization is equally affected by special interests and conflicting agendas. Many members of the decision-making body of the FDA in fact hold, or have held significant rank and stock positions in major pharmaceutical companies. This is hardly the type of unbiased objective supervision needed to ensure the health and safety of an entire nation.

In our opinion, which is one shared by many, the situation is out of hand. For example, physicians have been widely prescribing Paxil for adolescents and children, in spite of evidence that it causes suicidal tendencies. The courageous Attorney General of New York, Eliot Spitzer, who seems un-intimidated by corporate interest, has actually sued Glaxo Smith Kline for repeated and persistent fraud “for concealing problematic issues of safety and efficacy with the company’s block-buster drug, Paxil.” As a side note, we at Hippocrates have also observed that Paxil creates Parkinson’s disease symptoms in some of its users. It is now commonly reported that over-the-counter Ibuprofen, cold, flu, and decongestant medicines have caused blindness, skin eruptions and even death in some users and specifically in children ingesting them at higher amounts. The New York lawsuit forced the FDA to respond. They are now, albeit reluctantly, demanding that pharmaceutical companies conduct thorough research on how their medicines affect the young.

North Americans use double the amount of prescription drugs as the next largest consumer group, Germany. Most disease conditions have not been altered through the consumption of man-made chemistry; they, ironically, are increasing. In Europe, pharmaceutical lobbies have been successful in launching the take-over of the natural health industry, while other world governments have legally determined that pharmaceutical drugs are the only substance that can be used to heal a disease.

In our country, The United States Institute of Medicine is also challenging complimentary and alternative medicine, and would like to use the allopathic medical model to determine the use of any and all non-pharmaceutical health care. They are also attacking the nutritional supplement industry by suggesting that all supplements undergo multi-million dollar research initiatives prior to being sold. This would eliminate the majority of honest and well-intentioned companies who could not absorb this extraordinary cost. We can only logically assume from this, that given the opportunity, the Institute of Medicine would surely make mainstream medicine the be-all and end-all of health care, substantially increasing the already burgeoning profits of their cohorts while ensuring additional, unnecessary surgeries, suffering and even death.

It is time that the public demand legitimacy from their government’s health care regulatory departments. There is no doubt that most of these agencies are pandering to the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry, clearly disregarding the health of their citizens. It is bad enough that allopathic physicians are primarily trained to dispense pharmaceuticals in copious and unqualified amounts and combinations; but we must also guard against the unscrupulous advertising practices and outright corruption of this segment of our corporate system. There is a legitimate place for pharmacological medicine, and if it were used prudently and purposefully, we would not have to question it.

In North America, however, it is blatantly evident that the government and the pharmaceutical industries are conspiring not only to grow profits, but to also increase their sphere of influence and control in the global market. The United States’ drug regulatory agencies (in particular the FDA) have forbidden the sale of other countries’ less expensive, yet equally or more effective medicines. Busloads of seniors are crossing borders to keep themselves alive, as the cost of prescribed medicine is not affordable on their fixed incomes. It is a sad statement about our Nation’s health-care system.

It is time that we citizens of the “civilized world” take back our birthright of independence and speak up. It is our inactivity that allows special interest greed to rob you and your children of the health we deserve. Without a unified, strong and convincing voice our right to choose our lifestyle is in jeopardy. Please take time to contact your legislators, other government officials and support groups like. In the past 50 years, we have seen hundreds of thousands of people, first-hand, create health through the use of non-invasive, natural methods. How inappropriate that this liberty be potentially hijacked by a small group of self-interested, greedy, power-hungry people, in a country founded on diversity, choice and freedom. You can positively affect your future by shining light on the truth, and by helping others to see that truth. Learn more, do more and, most importantly, live more…everyday.

Vol 24 Issue 2 Page 16