Phony Diseases

[TheScotsman]

Allot of the problem stems from the advertisement on public broadcast media. Big pharma is just another industry hawking their wares to sheeple that think they need them. A prime example is my ex-inlaws... their favourite topic was talking about their "new" ailment, and all the pills they take... second was complaining about the cost of their "medication"and the fact the taxpaying public wasn't funding them enough. Really, I think it is nothing more than their own little pitty-party. A way for them to seek attention, even if only from an MD that acts like he gives a damn.

6.5 billion$ reportedly spent on direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads has allot to do with it. Wouldn't it be nice to watch a night of telly, and not see more than 10 minutes worth of ED, BC, allergy, and cholesterol adverts?

Who in their right mind wants to take the anti-depressant that causes thoughts of suicide? Sounds like gasoline on a fire to me!

Restless leg meds that have side effects of renal failure, liver necrosis, stomach bleeding, and possible death. Damn, man, gimme the restless leg any day! Sounds like a med for people that sit on their butt all day, and never get out for a walk.

ADD is a myth, a disorder resulting from lack of discipline, improper diet, schools with a one-size-fits-all mentality, and parents (usually a single parent) that have cow-crap for brains. Take an average 5 year old boy, and make him sit down while the some crazy woman reads Laura ingles wilder books to kindergarten students... then say he has ADD when he has had enough. Stupid! One interesting bit can be found in the fact all of the school shooters have been prescribed various psychotropic drugs, usually for ADD. School shootings were once unheard of... the events began with the widespread prescription of psycho-altering drugs to teens/pre-teens. SSRI's on the other hand, have been proven to have no benefit, in studies they preformed at the same rate as a placebo, yet they increased the thoughts of suicide/violent acts more that 14 times that of a placebo. Hmmmm sounds like the things we need to pass out to every kid that can't pay attention to the general monotony of a 6th grade social studies class. Hell Ritalin is a form of methylphenidate... "crystal meth"... ya, that's the way to get kids to pay attention in Ms.droneon's class. Give me a break. (interestingly, most of the research debunking the whole ADD/ADHD myth originates from both the UK, and Canada. maybe their gov't is less invested in seeing a new disorder, and a new level of bureaucracy to deal with it... not to mention the soft campain contribs, and arse-kissing from the lobbyists, maybe even a kick-back here or there.)


To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a disease resulting from deficiency of pharmaceutical chemicals in your system.

[Ehorizon]

Also keep in mind that much of the current problem with percieved over-prescription of drugs for ADHD type issues is that many parents want a "magic pill" solution, rather than counseling or other kinds of slower, but possibly effective solutions that get to the root of a kids problem.

Since everyone has now heard of ADHD, giving kids meds for it is much less potentially stigmatizing for both the child and the parents than psyhcotherapy.

Not to mention it's probably cheaper to get the kid on pills rather than therapy under most health insurance plans.

[Bulldog_916]

I personally hate the media in general. I was just watching a show during my lunch on one of the big 3 networks because I was eating and the TV happened to be on. I counted at least 5 different drug advertisements claiming to treat 5 different "diseases." This was in ONE HOUR. It's disgusting to me. What's even more surprising is that not only do people fall for it, they eat it up! These companies are claiming multi-billion dollar sales in the US. Sick!

On the ADHD front, my brother's 2nd year of middle school, the school tried to encourage my mom to have him tested for ADD and ADHD. You know what she told them? "Fuck you, I'm not having my kid tested for anything! He doesnt have a disease, your teaching system sucks!" (Not those EXACT words, but she was pretty emphatic.) I was proud of her to be honest. I think more parents need to take that approach and discipline their children when they arent doing what they are supposed to be doing in school. My mom sat in my brother's class during some days. You know how fast he paid attention? SPLIT SECOND! He just never liked school, even through high school. I dont blame him any. All they ever teach now is reading, writing, and math, that's IT. No more wood shop, no more auto shop, no more home economics, no more job shadowing. NOTHING! It's pathetic!

[TheScotsman]

Not to mention it's probably cheaper to get the kid on pills rather than therapy under most health insurance plans.

I think you have hit the proverbial brat on the head.

[Brownman18]

Its actually quite sad that diseases and anything of that order will actually never be cured with todays modern drug companies.

Why even bother inventing a cure for anything, theirs simply no money to be made. Treatments are the gravy train for drug manufacturers/researchers.


No pharmaceutical wants to make a cure, why bother. Theirs plenty of news on this all over the internet.

Vitamin C can cure polio in high doses or has in lab tests in the 1950's but that's not even practiced or researched anymore. Thats just one example.

Best book i ever bought was

"Natural cures they dont want you to know about"


Oh yea remember the big Flu propaganda machine that flew around.. Man did tamiflu sell through the roof. Well its that time of year again.

I wonder what they'll manufacture for the flu this year, im not even going to get a flu shot ever again. Edited November 10, 2007 by Brownman18