Overprescribed Drugs - Essay Example

"Overprescribed Drugs" is a perfect example of a paper on drug therapy. There is a major challenge when it comes to the overprescription of drugs. Several articles give articles to show that overprescription is a major problem in America. For example, in the article by Cory Franklin (2011) appearing in the Guardian,  the author notes that on average, doctors in America now fill twelve prescriptions for every American each year compared to an average of seven during the 1970s.  He further notes that spending on drugs has increased from 5% in the 1970s to almost 10% of the total healthcare costs. Similarly, in an article by Sidney Wolfe (2010), the author notes that in 2008 alone, more than 3 billion prescriptions were filled, averaging twelve prescriptions per person. Some of the most common overprescribed drugs are those used to treat anxiety, stress, depression, and other similar health conditions. The prescription problem is mainly caused by the prevalence of promotional materials that emphasize drug treatment as well as the narrow focus by doctors.

            The over-abundance of prescription drugs in the market can be addressed if patients take charge of their health.  As noted in the above articles, patients are driven by the promotional campaigns that advocate for certain drugs. In the end, doctors are forced to give these drugs because patients demand them when in fact alternative methods of treatment are available. As noted in the article by Wolfe (2010), doctors have narrowed their focus by simply focusing on the prescriptions to give. It is therefore the responsibility of the patient to give doctors their detailed health history so as to allow for the use of alternative methods of treatment.  In the article by Franklin (2011), he notes that overprescription is on the rise due to the high prevalence of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. These conditions can be addressed effectively through lifestyle changes as opposed to using medications. Patients should therefore take charge of their health and stop the overreliance on drugs.

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