This paper discusses the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in the United States. It examines the roles of physicians overprescribing drugs, pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketing drugs, and individuals needing to take responsibility for their health. The paper argues that while prescription drugs can help some patients, too many are prescribed unnecessarily or dangerously. Physicians should recommend lifestyle changes before drugs, and individuals should research alternatives to newly prescribed drugs which are often pushed by pharmaceutical advertising. Overall responsibility lies with physicians to consider patient well-being over profits, pharmaceutical companies to curb misleading marketing, and individuals to make informed health decisions.

1. Kellie Jarvies
English 2010
Position/Proposal Paper
Prescription Drug Abuse: Enough is enough
Drug, alcohol, and prescription drug addictionsexistin many people’s lives; addiction’s
outreach can be persistent,strong and relentless. Addiction doesn’t sleep;it picks and chooses
victims without regard to religion, race, or financial status, strikes without warning, and leaves
you staring at the shell of someone you once knew. Addictions to illegal drugs, alcohol, and
prescription drugsmirrormany of the same symptoms, a change in personality, social
withdrawal, defensiveness, blackouts and forgetfulness, to name a few. Whether you buy drugs
on the street, purchase alcoholin a store or have prescription drugs filled at the local
drugstore;addictionrears its ugly head in the samemenacingway. Loved ones of the addict get
caught up in the ugliness of addiction,leavethem with feelings of emptiness, questioning what
role they might have played in the addiction, and wondering where it all went wrong. We will
focus on our nation’s fastest growing drug problem, addiction to prescription drugs. In order to
make decisions regarding prescription drug abuse it becomes necessary to look at the medical
profession’s role in overprescribing and prescribing incorrectly, the pharmaceutical industry
incentives for “pushing” their drugs, and each patient’s individual responsibilityconcerning their
own personal health and well-being.

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A definition from Indiana University states: “Prescription drugs are controlled by the
federal government, requiring a patient to receive authorization from a doctor or other medical
professional to allow access to a specific quantity of the drug” (Health Billing and Insurance
Definitions).The tenmost abused prescription drugs are as follows:
Ambien and Lunesta; primarily for insomnia treatment
Xanax and Valium; anxiety and depression
Hydrocodone; pain control
Codeine; cough suppressant
Adderall and Ritalin; ADHD and issues with trouble concentrating
Fentanyl; pain control in cancer patients
Morphine; moderate to severe pain treatment
(Morris). These prescription drugs marketed under many different names and reliefvalue, all
have the same effect; they become addictive and produce some kind of high whichbrands them
as valuable, leading to their misuse.This misuse often begins innocently with legitimate
prescription reasons, such as feeling pain, having anxiety, or becoming ill. Prescription drugs
can be a difficult addiction from which to break free, as time goes on the body becomes
accustomed to receiving this medication and builds a tolerance, requiring a higher dosage or
quantity to achieve the same results. When individuals try to detach themselves from the
drugs, the original problem seems to come back stronger, creating a powerful cycle which
needs professional help and treatment (Addictive Drug Index).

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A study of patient Robert Reynolds revealed that his family physician, Dr. Kevin
Buckwalter, prescribed Reynolds 180 hydrocodone and oxycodone pills per month for his lower
back pain. Reynolds, 50, became addicted and eventually shot himself in the head in October
2008. Buckwalter’s license was stripped when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
linked him to eight other patient deaths (Allen). Although physicians are providedwith
information informing them that prescription drugs can become highly addictive, they continue
to over-prescribecertain drugs, why? Much of the advertising, direct-to-consumer (DTC), leads
physicians to over-prescribing unnecessary, expensive, and potentially addictive drugs. Patients
looking for the “magic bullet”jump on the bandwagon and ask for brand names of drugs
advertised. Physicians are yielding to their patient’s requests for more medications rather than
recommend they change poor, unhealthy lifestyle habits. There are many reasons for over-
prescribing in addition to (DTC) advertising. Patient’s demands on physicians, the every-
increasing scientific discoveries, and the physician’spatient overload all contribute to physicians
frequently prescribing medications. Americans have come to expect an immediate cure for
what ails them and medications are fulfilling their requests(Crystal).While many physicians try
to do all they can to help their patients,there are those withstartling,underlying agendas. Some
physicians take the easy road to wealth, sometimes at the expense of patients’ lives. Some
physicians take kickbacks from the drug companies and “push” certain drugs to benefit
themselves financially. “Experts say a primary part of the problem is doctors who are careless
with their prescriptions or who prescribe the drugs as a way to make money” (Allen).This
method encourages physicians to become “legalized drug dealers” (Trescot).Research shows
that many doctors pull the prescription trigger too quickly (Everett).There is no questionthat for

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many people, prescriptions can be beneficial, even lifesaving in many instances.Many
chronically ill patients lead more productive lives with assistance from prescription drugs.
Even though prescription drugs can help many patients, hundreds of millions of
prescriptions can beprescribed wrong, either they are entirely unnecessary or unnecessarily
dangerous(Liu and Christensen).The responsibility lies heavily on physicians to take their role
seriously in patients’ lives. Patients and physicians should first treat symptoms with
comprehensive lifestyle changes. Patients depend on the expertise of physician’s degrees,trust
their judgments and opinions, often blindly.Problems such as insomnia, abdominal pain, high
blood pressure, mild adult-onset diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and situational depression often
have causes that respond very well to nondrug treatment and often the physicians can uncover
these causes by taking a careful history (Rochon). Physicians should recommend lifestyle
changes, as their first method,in treating these conditions rather than automatically reaching
for the prescription pad(Lazarou).
Whilephysiciansare responsible for a large part of prescription drug abuse,
thepharmaceutical industryhas a greater role on our American society. The industry becomes
theprimary causein promoting,misprescribing, and overprescribing of drugs. They sell $216
billionworth of drugs in the United States alone.(Ukens)The American public needs to be aware,
when the profit incentivesare thatenormous, the industries agenda is NOTsaving human lives.
Consumers’must question their motives. In addition to American sales, global sales are just as
shocking, as per figure 1.

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Figure 1- Big Pharma and Consumer Confusion
There also lies another culprit in the pharmaceutical industry, the patents. Patents allow
the drug makers complete production rights for twenty years before competitors can market
generic versions. Generics save consumers as much as two-thirds of the original drug’s cost,
but they cut deeply into sales and profits of the original name-brand drugs (Greider). This gives
the pharmaceutical companies a huge incentive to invent or reformulate a new drug to replace
the old one. They spend billions on marketing so they will not lose their profits. They refused to
go down without a fight and they are fightingan unyielding battle.
Therefore, the answer concerning abuse from physicians and pharmaceutical companies
becomes clear. Patients should takea large percentageof the responsibility fortheir ownhealth
and evaluate why new drugs are prescribed. The industry spends well in excess of $21 billion a

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year to promote drugs using advertising and promotional tricks that push the envelope of being
false and misleading.The fastest-growing portionof drug advertisingdirectsads to patients not
doctors. An estimate from 1991 to 2002 claims (DTC) advertising expenditures in the United
States grew from about $60 million a year to $3 billion a year, an enormous increase in just
eleven years (PhRMA).
Figure 2- Jacky Law-Big Pharma
Consumers have to question why profits increasedso drastically within such a short time
period.The answer appears obvious: its working and they are continuing tomanipulate us all.
Consequently, patients cannot trust everything the pharmaceutical companies sell and
everythingtheir physicians say and prescribe.Some of the responsibility falls back on the
consumer. If consumers ceased buying unnecessary drugs, the pharmaceutical companies
recommend, they would lose a significant amount of their profit incentives.Patients need not

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be paranoid, but need to research for themselves and look for sound lifestyle changes as the
alternative, when appropriate.
My personal involvement with
others’ prescription drugs, alcohol, and
illegal drug addictions entangles me
profoundly and repeatedly. Close members
of my own family have recently completed
rehab for prescription drug addictions
andother family members still struggle with
Figure 3-McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah
their addictions. Alcohol addictions continue
totirelessly tug at my heart because of the concern I have for those still affected byits long
termeffects.
Recently, my close family member, whonot long ago went through rehab, required
many visits to the hospital for various reasons. This family memberwas offered an assortment
of opiate/painkillers, even though everyone within shouting distance was informed of the
addictive behavior and past drug addiction. The doctor finally informed all personnel, after
several attempts were made by my sister and me, to stop giving this patient any more addictive
medication. We finally connected to him when we asked, “Would you prescribe these drugs to
your loved one and would you be willing to take them home and start rehab again.” The
medical community is programmed to get a patient out of “pain” and on their way home. This
leaves the families to deal with the aftermath of addiction. Ourpersuasiveness accomplished

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our goal for that particular visit but there have been additional visits to other hospitalsand the
process starts all over again.Our vigilance has not always constituted success with other
doctors.
I also experience situations concerning my husband’s health. For the last eight or so years he
has been prescribed many different drugs for his high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
diabetes, chronic back pain, and other ailments. The physician prescribes mixturesof
prescription drugs that have numerous side effects and then prescribes more drugs to combat
the additional side effects.It has been a continuous circle ofdifficulties. Weaning off some of his
prescription drugs slowly helped offset some of the side effects but the battle continues.Some
lifestyle changes, exercise and healthy eating choices, will help him have a more productive and
healthy life. There can be different alternatives and solutions; I have personal proof of their
continued effectiveness.
In comparison, at different times throughout my life,different physiciansadvised me to
take prescriptions for: high blood pressure, insomnia, hot flashes, panic attacks, and minor back
pain. Instead of caving into the prescription drug monster, I have found alternative lifestyle
changes and alternative doctors whohave successfully balanced any disorder and/or mental
disease. I choose to take the treatment of my illnessesinto my own hands. I use herbal
supplements, with guidance from homeopathic doctors, and my high blood pressure, hot
flashes, and panic attacks have totally stopped. My back pain, which was temporary, diminished
significantly through exercise.I found easy alternatives with low costs and herbal supplements

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which are usually taken for only a month or two. Instead of a long term pharmaceutical
solutions, which physicians recommend with scare tactics, I haveadopted sensible lifestyle
changes with short term solutions. I realize that all medical conditions cannot be treated this
particular way but I know a sizeable amount of patients can choose the homeopathic way of
life.
Figure4-Etok, Susan Dr.
Prescription drugs, in moderation, can be helpful in certain treatments but physicians
need to be mindful of the effects of prescribing and pushing so many variations and such large
doses of unnecessary drugs.A monetary incentive to promote prescription drugs is just plain
wrong; they should have unbiased opinions whenevaluatingpatients’ careand when
theirpatients’ lives are at stake.They have taken the Hippocratic Oath which states, “I will
prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and
never do harm to anyone. I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked…”(Staff).
Physicians who over-prescribe and misprescribeneed to review their own code of conduct.

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In addition, the pharmaceutical industry has ulterior motives when promoting their
“new” drugs and the American public needs to reevaluate their uncontrolled advertising.
Promoting alcohol and cigarettes through advertisingwas stopped and controlled, why?
because they were both contributing to too many deaths. Prescription drugs advertising needs
to have the same regulations, there are just as many people dying.
Lastly, consumers have got to take their health seriously, stop taking the easy route with
prescription drugs and develop alternative solutions with personal research and conscience
decisions. When patients allow physicians and the pharmaceutical industry to dictate what is
“good” for them,they open themselves up for addictions todevelop, for interactions and side
effects to change their lifestyle,and they expose themselves to possible death.When you or
someone you love becomes addicted or dies from our Nation’s fastest growing drug problem
then the problem will become personal.

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