This document is an undergraduate thesis that examines the pharmaceutical industry and alternative medicine. It argues that while Western medicine has improved health outcomes for some acute illnesses, the over-reliance on drugs has significant downsides. Preventable medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US, with pharmaceutical companies more focused on profits than patient safety. The document also suggests that several holistic doctors working on alternative cancer treatments may have been murdered to protect the financial interests of the pharmaceutical industry.