Overprescribing of Pharmaceutical Drugs in America - Research Paper Example

Research Paper  Overprescribing and use of pharmaceutical drugs in America; How it affects the patient, the physician, the drug companies, and the cost of health care? Author Institution Date of submission Background Excessive usage of pharmaceutical drugs with constantly rising trend is prevalent in American Society. Different causes have been identified for this effect, suggesting that primarily, it may be due to the ‘pill’ obsessed American mindset. So firm is this mindset of users to consume prescribed drugs that, medical professionals are at times constrained to prescribe ‘Placebo’; which is simply a sugar and glucose pill, devoid of any chemical or an active ingredient. It is deceptively prescribed to satisfy the urge of patient to extend some psychological relief. It is in this perspective to endeavour and find facts relating to Overprescription; and other related causes and effects. Different surveys have indicated that DTCA not only influences the consumers but also the doctors to the extent that that they are much inclined to prescribe drugs as desired by the consumers, sometimes in preference to their professional opinion. . Objective I have conducted this search with an object to find the root cause of Overprescription with consequent rise in healthcare cost, and decline in the healthy mindset of consumers. It is related to my opinion that Americans want a pill for everything. It is also related with reviewing effects of Overprescription on increased costs of healthcare. Another objective is to know the role of DTCA; Direct to Consumer Advertisement, in inculcating the use of drugs in the minds of consumers. It is not my objective to enlist the most prescribed drugs or to inform about the best selling drugs. I do not intend to summarise my findings in an auto summation fashion but I aim at critically analyzing the observed facts to infer the truth that may serve as food for thought and may pave the way to a better situation. Methodology It is basically a web based research, not starting from scratch but from carefully reviewing what the researchers have already presented up to now. During the course of this research, I have collected sufficient data, ensuring that it comes from reliable resources. Although I had my opinion, yet during the conduct of the research, I have kept it aside, to allow free flow of all the facts even if they had not been in agreement with my preformed opinion. For its credibility I have acknowledged the works, quoted or otherwise utilized as ideas, of all those from whom I or my readers benefited or may benefit. I have kept in mind to ensure the ethics of research and not to harm or disrepute any one of the concerned; Medical professionals, patients, Pharmaceutical Industry, members of civil society, teachers or students, through an inappropriate content or biased inference from this research. Oversubscription An excessive amount of a drug that can not be obtained prior to having a subscription is generally known as oversubscription. The motive behind it, is to fulfil the requirements as desired by the consumer, who, on account of personal mindset and under influence of DTCA, tends to use the advertised drugs. “Increasing prescription rates of pain-relieving drugs suggest a worrying trend of drug abuse in the United States (bluesci)”, suggests by a Science magazine, commenting on Overprescription of pain-relief drugs. Similarly article about Over-Prescription of Antidepressants comments, “The over-prescription of antidepressants and other medications in situations where psychotherapy should be a first recourse (and may very well be all the treatment needed) is increasingly common.  A new report finds that in many cases, clinicians are going a step further (Good Therapy)”. Not restricted though to Antibiotics only, the misuse of drugs promotes prescription in the way DTCA inculcates their use in the minds of the consumer. This practice is doubly harmful; on account of the patient’s resistant against current drugs and secondly on account of the development of new resistant viral strains ,inviting prolonged and expensive researches, ultimately raising the cost of healthcare. “A recent study highlights the cultural and economic forces spurring the over-prescription of antibiotic drugs, and the evolution of super-resistant microbes.  The report notes that antibiotics cost the U.S. about $15 billion per year. Extra hospital costs associated with drug-resistant hospital-acquired bacterial infections.” Health care: Cost There is no doubt in that, compared with other advanced countries, America spends most on healthcare. However there is a question, why after all consumer confidence in heal care is falling? Is it due to some misappropriation or some lacunae in the health care policy? “It’s the Institutions” opine Colorado University researchers, while trying to answer. Why Comprehensive National Health Insurance Fails in America. They opine that, “People do not normally desire things that they cannot imagine getting. Thus, because institutions shape the rules and because institutions advantage some interests and ideas over others, they can also shape what people can imagine achieving. Moreover, in that people are not in reality the constantly recalculating rationa l decision makers, but instead tend to be habitual, satisfying decisions makers (Simon, 1985; Alford, 1991; Powell and DiMaggio; 1991),  “The United States spends a higher proportion of its GDP on health care (19.3% in ref cited, but now 16%,lagging other rich countries) than any other country in the worl The U.S. has the highest healthcare costs relative to the size of the economy (GDP) in the world, with an estimated 50.2 million citizens (approximately 10% of the population) without insurance coverage. (Healthcare Debate )”.“Cost and efficiency” A Pill for everything; the causative mindset Americans are staunch believers in the efficacy of the ‘pill’ (Germans call it ‘Dragee ’wherefrom the word ‘Drug’ originated).They take it for panacea and this is why they don’t want to waste time in futile a futile exercise, like counselling with kids in the time they need them, hence being denied this right, they suffer from complexes that have adverse effect on their wellness. To save time and to give themselves a psychological feeling that they are not doing any self medication, they resort to the medical professionals, who welcome them with open arms and prescribe what they desire, obviously in their own interest. Role of DTCA “Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is the promotion of prescription drugs through newspaper, magazine, television and internet marketing.The only two developed countries where DTCA is currently legal are the U.S. and New Zealand (Source watch )”.That, the drugs shall be advertised like grocery, had never been in the remotest corner of people’s minds. To day, however, it is in the uppermost strata of their minds and they expect to see an advertisement in as early a stage of their development as ‘Idea generation’. They want to know about the the drug to come and to get ready proactively, for exploring opportunity to use and testify its potentials. DTCA extends fullest cooperation to the users and never denies them the right of information. “DTC advertising was only legalized in the US after a 1985 United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruling, but the agency required the adverts to include a great amount of information on the risks of the drugs. Rufen, manufactured by Boots, was the first drug to be advertised on US television in 1983 (FDA)”. It was however soon realised that every thing was not right. People envisaged some ethical issues and it was probably on this account that Even the Government might have realised that something had wrong somewhere therefore FDA imposed a restriction. :” FDA clarifies risk information requirements for broadcast DTC, Aug. 9, allowing for the presentation of a “major statement” of serious risks in lieu of full risk information. Schering-Plough spends $124 million on consumer advertising for Claritin ( Source watch)”. The role of DTCA is interesting particularly in its influencing technique. Medical students, while studying, develop a fear of suffering from the disease ,they are studying. Is also known as ‘Nosophobia-Fear of Disease’, The phenomenon seems to be equally applicable on the viewers of DTCA on electronic media, and to me this is the secret of DTCA, s success and root cause of Overprescription. This complex is also experienced by doctors after completion of their studies and,” In comparison with "medical students disease," these doctors now exhibit "post-residency disease (Klitzman, Robert.)”. The economic Impact of DTCA on health care and the Pharmaceutical Industry can not be undervalued on account of its contribution to sometimes recessive economy. “DTC advertising was responsible for 12% of the increase in prescription drugs sales, or an additional $2.6 billion, in 2000.” Inference I have thoroughly reviewed this issue; oversubscription and use of pharmaceutical drugs, of national importance. I have also weighed cons and pros of DTCA, and have further analyzed critically all the influencing factors that appeared during the conduct of this research. I infer that the root cause is unambiguously, the Healthcare institution’s sole bearing the brunt of all repercussions. Of the four stake holders; the Pharmaceutical Industry, The Consumer, the prescriber and the Health care provider, it is only the last which suffers financially, the rest three have almost negligible contribution if considered in the true perspective and magnitude. It is on this account that, that Pharmaceutical Industry have no hesitation in continuing the production of a time barred drug because of the consumer demand. The medical professional; feels free to continue prescribe it because of the guaranteed consumer satisfaction. The consumer too is at ease because of fuilfilment of the desire. Under circumstances Healthcare stands alone against and constrained to let the others do what they want. As a corrective and preventive action, I would recommend to prompt promulgation of a law, allowing prescription of a drug as desired by the consumer, only if it is not contrary to the free will and considered professional opinion and also that the consumer pays a certain tax to the Government (Healthcare) in realisation of the facility or convenience extended for the purpose. My logic, behind this recommendation is that is people don’t bother to think even once and that for a moment, whereas they do ‘think twice’ and for quite due time, when they have to pay for something. Am of the opinion, that my recommendation can make a difference if considered duly and implemented sincerely. References Overprescription (APRIL 8, 2011) available at http://www.bluesci.org/?p=2769 [Accessed on May 23, 2011] Over-Prescription A GoodTherapy.org News Summary (September 21st, 2010) Available at http://www.GoodTherapy.org  [Accessed on May 23, 2011] DTCA FDA (No date) Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DTCA [Accessed on May 23, 2011] Overprescription IC ICPA Wednesday, (October22, 2008 ) available at http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Research/study-looks-at-over-prescription-of-antibiotics.html [ Accessed on May 23,2011 ] Healthcare Debate (May 19,2011) Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_reform_debate_in_the_United_States [Accessed on May 23, 2011] Its the Institutions (No Date ) Sven Steinmo and Jon Watts University of Colorado at Boulder available at http://stripe.colorado.edu/~steinmo/stupid.htm [Accessed on May 23, 2011]DTCA (No Date ) Available at http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Direct-to-consumer_advertising [Accessed on May 23, 2011] Nosophobia Available at muse.jhu.edu/journals [Accessed on May 23, 2011] Read More