No, it’s not just a Britney Spears lyric, it’s the catch phrase of the pharmaceutical industry. Once again, drugs have been recalled when new research with longer parameters than the last demonstrates concern for the drug’s safety. The drug Vioxx was recalled after a three-year clinical trial showed a link with increased cardiovascular incidents. Interestingly, the study was looking at the link between the drugs and another side effect, benign colon growths.
“Anti-inflammatory drugs have a high association with intestinal ulceration.”
The drug has been widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Estimates suggest that more than 84 million people worldwide have used the drug. Vioxx was first approved for use in 1999. And who wouldn’t want it approved? Vioxx accounted for more than $2.5 billion in worldwide sales back in 2003!
This is the largest drug recall in history and, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, “a preventable debacle” suggesting that initial discussions about Vioxx and cardiovascular incidents were first held in early 2001. Why does a recall take three years to happen?
The European Medicines Agency in London is now considering the effects of similar types of drugs. Rival drug Celebrex’s longest study was of 12 months duration, hardly a guarantee of long-term safety.
“Our health care system has been making the same mistakes over and over with a huge cost to human life.”
This style of drug was introduced to improve on other anti-inflammatory drugs that were having a high association with intestinal ulceration. The drugs were approved because they had only half of the incidence of intestinal side effects while still being effective for their intended use. The solution to intestinal side effects was partially solved, yet once again, the picture was not complete.
Many fail to realize that the most profound chemical and drug manufacturer in the world is our own body. Our body is capable of producing drugs that are equally as effective as those man designs. However, it has the benefit of knowing the body’s exact requirements and the consequences of the drugs elsewhere in the system.
It is chiropractic’s perspective that the body, given optimum environment and a nervous system that is functioning well, has every opportunity to exist without the use of man-made drugs surging through our veins.
Our health care system, driven by the pharmaceutical industry, has been repeating the same mistakes over and over with huge costs of both life and money.
We live in hope. Maybe one day when they say, “Oops, we did it again,” people will wake up and seek a better way. Somehow, this seems very unlikely, as there is too much money to be made and too many uninformed people as consumers.
Opps, We Did it Again!
This is the final week for the November Health Problem of the Month – “Medication.” Today, focus on people you know who rely heavily on medication but have never had their spine checked for subluxation.
Whether it is blood pressure medication, muscle relaxants, pain medication, cholesterol reducers or antidepressants, we don’t mind. We just want to meet them to determine if chiropractic can correct the CAUSE of their health problems.
Subluxation checkups are available for the remainder of this month for your friends, family members and co-workers who are on medication, whether over-the-counter or prescription…one is certainly not any healthier than the other!
Remember, this month’s Theme of the Month is Medication. This month, all of your friends, co-workers and family members who are battling with Medication are entitled to an Initial Subluxation Check-up. Be sure to speak to a member of our team to get your “New Patient Welcome Packet” that you can give to the friend, co-worker or family member that you have in mind.
For Your Health,
Dr. Mat Pastore