According to their website, “PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies. Our members are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. New medicines are an integral part of the health care system, providing doctors and patients with safe and effective treatment options, and improving quality of life” (“About”). In reality, PhRMA is one of the biggest and most instrumental lobbyist organizations in Washington. “Representing 48 pharmaceutical companies, PhRMA has 20 registered lobbyists on staff and has contracted with dozens of lobby and PR firms - including Akin, Gump,
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This led to some patients experiencing extremely serious side effects. One example of this would be Rezulin (Troglitazone). Rezulin was produced by Parke-Davis/Warner Lambert (now Pfizer) and was on the market for a little over three years, from January 1997 to March 2000. It was used for those suffering from antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory symptoms. However, Rezulin was responsible for causing ninety liver failures and sixty-three deaths. There were over 35,000 personal injury claims filed against the company ("35 FDA-Approved Prescription Drugs Later Pulled from the Market - Prescription Drug Ads - ProCon.org"). Perhaps if corners were not cut and the creators of the drug had spent more time studying the effects, and if the FDA reviewed it longer, these injuries and deaths would not have occurred. Although speeding up the drug review and approval process may have benefitted some people who were desperate for a cure, it completely shattered the safety standards for everyone …show more content…
First, we need to quit making ourselves so dependent on medication. Every time someone has a cramp or a headache, the media convinces them that they’ve got around ten days to live. We are a nation seeking a miracle pill that does not exist. Next, there needs to be a halt in the prescriptions being dealt out by doctors themselves. In the movie, Shutter Island, a patient in an insane asylum cries, “...someday..., we'll medicate human experience right out of the human experience”. We have become a medicated nation and doctors have unknowingly become the dealers. Finally, we need to make a stand against the ones who are benefitting from this nation’s addiction. PhRMA and the FDA continue to mass produce, promote, and raise the prices of these prescription drugs. They are benefitting from our desire, our addiction, and our overdose deaths. Sadly, there is not one simple, perfect solution to fix this epidemic of abuse of prescription drugs in our society. But change starts at home and with the spread of awareness and education. Change can happen and a stand needs to be
This led to some patients experiencing extremely serious side effects. One example of this would be Rezulin (Troglitazone). Rezulin was produced by Parke-Davis/Warner Lambert (now Pfizer) and was on the market for a little over three years, from January 1997 to March 2000. It was used for those suffering from antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory symptoms. However, Rezulin was responsible for causing ninety liver failures and sixty-three deaths. There were over 35,000 personal injury claims filed against the company ("35 FDA-Approved Prescription Drugs Later Pulled from the Market - Prescription Drug Ads - ProCon.org"). Perhaps if corners were not cut and the creators of the drug had spent more time studying the effects, and if the FDA reviewed it longer, these injuries and deaths would not have occurred. Although speeding up the drug review and approval process may have benefitted some people who were desperate for a cure, it completely shattered the safety standards for everyone …show more content…
First, we need to quit making ourselves so dependent on medication. Every time someone has a cramp or a headache, the media convinces them that they’ve got around ten days to live. We are a nation seeking a miracle pill that does not exist. Next, there needs to be a halt in the prescriptions being dealt out by doctors themselves. In the movie, Shutter Island, a patient in an insane asylum cries, “...someday..., we'll medicate human experience right out of the human experience”. We have become a medicated nation and doctors have unknowingly become the dealers. Finally, we need to make a stand against the ones who are benefitting from this nation’s addiction. PhRMA and the FDA continue to mass produce, promote, and raise the prices of these prescription drugs. They are benefitting from our desire, our addiction, and our overdose deaths. Sadly, there is not one simple, perfect solution to fix this epidemic of abuse of prescription drugs in our society. But change starts at home and with the spread of awareness and education. Change can happen and a stand needs to be