Prescription Drug Kills More Than Cocaine and Heroin
What prescription drug kills more people than cocaine and heroin?
Prescription painkillers.
Drugs which include Vicodin, OxyContin, Anti-inflammatories.
These drugs are generally being abused, not being used for their intended purpose, or being illegally prescribed.
As an aside, HOW is it these so called ‘Doctors’ still have their licence?
Nearly 15,000 Americans died from an overdose of prescription painkillers in 2008 according to the CDC.
The VOLUME of painkillers made available at U.S. pharmacies, hospitals and doctors’ offices QUADRUPLED from 1999 to 2010, contributing to the overdose death rate that more than tripled over the decade.
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Disturbing Stats
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All in all these are very disturbing statistics.
We have trained our physicians/veterinarians/general public to believe that some type of conventional medication can cure what ails us or our pets.
Some people become addicted.
Pets react to these at times.
People and animals die as a result.
There are those that will blame the ‘victim’- YES you do choose to take or not take the medication.
BUT someone has to create and produce the drug- the more you sell, the more profit you make.
Hence the MASSIVE Drug Industry –
How big is ‘Big Pharma’?
Well here are the largest 10 pharmaceutical companies worldwide with the sales in the BILLIONS:
Company Sales
1) Pfizer $41.7
2) Novartis $36.7
3) Sanofi-Aventis $35.1
4) GlaxoSmithKline $34.3
5) AstraZeneca $33.2
6) Roche $31.3
7) Johnson & Johnson $26.9
8) Merck & Co $25.0
9) Eli Lilly $19.6
10) Abbott $19.4
These are the ‘guys’ responsible for QUADRUPLING the number of painkillers being made available..
Yes it likely QUADRUPLED their profit.
But at some very unfortunate costs.
My suggestions are to ASK your veterinarian about ANY medication being prescribed to your pet.
BE AWARE of the side effects.
SEE if there are ANY alternatives.
Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones, DVM
P.S. In seeking alternatives, you should have a look at my Manual of Home Remedies for dogs and cats.
OVER 1000 safe, natural and effective home remedies.
Including NOT using toxic anti-inflammatories.
You can get your copy here:
Dear Sir,
While there are many that either abuse those medications, or sell them for profit, there are 100 times more folks that need those medications to function as a productive member of society if they suffer from chronic pain. I am one of those. The fusion I endured 12 years ago did not do what was intended. To not go into the whole thing (To which I would gladly correspond through a private account, using my e-mail given) I will say however I went through every size needle out there, and almost all other treatments, the medications that you and a great deal of other doctors/insurance companies (most not specializing in chronic pain situations) seem to want to wipe out these meds all together. I am here because of them The pain I suffer on a daily basis has on more than one occasion had me thinking of taking myself out of the game all together. Taken as prescribed, they are absolutely necessary for some.
I’m just angry that few doctors because of liability issues and the actions of others will not give the meds that honestly help us function as a human being. A friend of mine is stage 3 cancer, and they’re giving him the lowest dose of Percocet available (.325), and few at that. If/when a better treatment is presented, I will be first in line, but for now, the Oxy’s/Morphine (narcotic) are here, let those that need it get them without automatic persecution. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
I need to get back to work, but I had to say something.
J.R.
Two things. I also need my meds to get out of bed. Never have I nor would I abuse my usage. 2nd thing; I picked up a chihuahua that was running around in the hood, almost got hit by a car. We took him in & found out he has a brother picked up & taken to the pound. We picked up the brother & brought him to my home. I found out the owner was taken to the hospital where she will remain for a month! The poor little darlings were homeless for a bit. The problem the brother caught kennel cough & infected his brother & my two beautiful chi’s. My little girls have never been sick with anything until now. I have your wonderful book & did everything it said to do. They got so sick, running a fever, with the worse cough I have ever heard . So, of course I panicked & took them all to the vet. He put them all on anti- bio. & a narcotic cough pill. They are better but still pretty sick. I don’t know much about this illness & your book didn’t enlighten me very much. It told me how to treat it but not how contagious it is. It can infect other animals from your clothes and not to walk them for the same reason. Maybe in your news letter you could explain the above concerns & let us know when we should panic & go to the Doctors. It did come to around $ 265.00. For 4 dogs & meds I think it was pretty cheap! I really can’t afford that kind of unexpected bill however. The owners kindly put it on their credit card. Thanks for listening. Bari
Well Dr Jones,
You should be ashamed of yourself! It looks like you jumped on the bandwagon! Another biased article blaming pain medication for death. Although the listed drugs are to always be prescribed, did the person have a prescription. SPECIFICS need to be used before these sort of biased stats can be used…. without any specifics….what kind of abuse involved in these deaths? Did the person die of prescribed treatment plan for a diagnosed illness or did they manipulate the dosage? did they add alcohol? was the medication prescribed for the person that died? was it an old prescription with intended use past gone? did they buy them off the street? person suicidal? mental health issues.
It’s time to study pain and find the more specific causes of it and how differntly we can address pain, diagnose causes of pain rather than shame a person with chronic pain into not taking the only thing that may work for them, not prescribe pain medication…..you will be taking away the closest semblance to a regular life that a person in pain is able to attain with a prescribed treatment plan if you take these drugs away. Right now you looked upon as sensitive, weak, lazy if you take pain medication.
I will not be surprised if we see a rise in deaths from people in pain, while it be overdose or from bad street medication or a rise in addiction from street medication. The government wants to take it away but where is the replacement? where is the solution? Lets quit doing expensive surveys on the possible addiction from prescribed pain medication, who may abuse and take the money to be able to diagnose and then treat. Chronic pain is a terrible term, it basically is a dumping ground for a lot of undiagnosed painful conditions and once you are labeled with this be prepared that you will never have the support you need!
Hello Helen,
First I am not ashamed to point out the serious side effects of supposed ‘safe’ medication. This article is not about people with chronic pain, nor diminishing the pain they experience. My own mother has fibromyalgia, so I have some appreciation for living with chronic pain.
My issue is with the over the top marketing of these medications by so called ‘marketing professionals’, and that the BIG goal for these corporations is profit- not the greater good.
If you need pain medication, they be on it. BUT please look at all the alternatives.
My own mother has ultimately had more pain relief from acupuncture.
Dr Andrew Jones
I agree with the 2 who spoke up here. My prescription was changed with no ok from anyone (at the pharmacy) because the medication I was on had such a high dose of Tylenol in it. Now that med is being taken off the market altogether. A lot of the deaths are caused b/c ppl take Tylenol on top of an already high dose of Tylenol. Am glad these folks spoke up, they are correct on all counts
Dr Jones,
I think you are amazing, speak from your heart and work for the love of animals and not your pocket. 85% vets and doctors only have their bank balance in mind.
Thank you for sharing so much with us and I know every animal out there, no matter what its species thanks you from their hearts.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORk you are one in a million
Mary Carey
Hi Dr Jones,
Thanks very much for the article it is
appreciated. the western world has been
indoctrinated into trusting only drugs.
Hope your critics will come to realise that
you have their interest at heart.
Dr. Jones – I agree that the profit-driven Big Pharma companies are not helping by pushing unnecessary or expensive medications on doctors and veterinarians just to please shareholders. However, if the doctors didn’t play ball or insisted on healthier and less expensive options, the market would head that way. However, I do appreciate the availability of different pain meds for occasional headache that simply won’t quit despite trying alternate things such as accupressure…
For all you folks out there with chronic pain – my condolences – please don’t give up on trying to find other things that work. There is a wonderful book out there that addresses the brain’s involvement in pain that may be of help to you. It’s called “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge.
Another thing: I’ve heard that those who have a tendency toward addiction often have the “more is better” mentality that may lead to an overdose of painkillers. And the article doesn’t take into account that those who lost their lives may have intentionally done so. I worked closely with a brilliant but quite obese author for a few years. She had excruciating pain in her knees. Instead of prescribing a weight reducing facility for her, she was provided with painkillers. She couldn’t afford Celebrex and the amount of Vicodin she had didn’t quite do the trick. She frequently talked of suicide…
Great article and so true! It’s really sad that many people believe these medications are “safe” just because their Doctor prescribed it.