"Sickening - How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care"

[cjdewese]

I'm in healthcare and can say that a large majority of people I see choose not to get and/or stay healthy. They use the medical system to keep them "healthy" thinking that there is a pill to fix everything.

This is my neighbor to the T. He is older, almost 73 but he is always complaining of being out of breath, or gets dizzy when doing manual labor and is always saying "I need to talk to my Dr. about this, I shouldn't be getting out of breath"

However, the guy never walks or works past the point of being uncomfortable so he is out of shape in all ways. My dad on the other hand walks and works every day and is much more healthy and active because of it.

Mobility is the biggest factor as we age IMO, once we lose our ability or want to MOVE our health goes to shit pretty quickly.

There are a lot of other factors but if someone could do what they need to stay mobile I think it would go a long way.

 

[grfox92]

If you don’t mind, Could you share any books or articles you have read regarding diet helping with arthritis, back and joint pain?

The way you posted this statement it seems as though you may have a personal experience with this, and had positive results.

Not a specific book, just years of listening to the right PHD's, doctors and nutritionist weather it be in podcasts, articles or following individuals on Social Media.

Wheat, dairy and Sugar seem to be the biggest causes of inflammation. I cut out wheat, 2 months ago and have lost 12 pounds with out any effort and my wedding ring keeps falling off.

My wife, a few years ago cut out dairy and lost an entire ring size and gained vascularity through our her body, most noticed in her hands and feet, that she never had before. For the record she is and was at the time already thin and in great shape.

I would start there if you have chronic pain anywhere. Since I gave up wheat all my knee pain has disappeared.

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[WRM]

Can you name someone "saved" by pharmaceuticals? Maybe you can, but contrast that to the number of people you now who take meds.

My mother in law trusted every doctor she ever met (and she met a LOT). She took double fist fulls of pills every day. Sometimes different docs would have her on the same drug--so two scrips and no on cared not one bit. She passed last year and was in poor health at least the last 20. The drugs made not one bit of difference I can see (except that the side effects pretty well ruined what little quality of life she had).

In very few situations is the answer to your problem going to be found in a prescription medication bottle. If the health care system was virtually any other business, it would get charged with racketeering under RICO.

 

[ramsdude47]

I see patients whose lives are unequivocally saved by pharmaceuticals on a weekly basis. I still tend to agree the business model is unethical, and often the products cause harm with questionable (at best) benefits.

Insurance companies are a much bigger problem. The root issue is the same between the two. Unfettered greed.

 

[Billy Goat]

What's the lifestyle/diet change for allergies?


Best thing I have found is Bourbon, local honey ain't ever helped much.

 

[grfox92]

Can you name someone "saved" by pharmaceuticals? Maybe you can, but contrast that to the number of people you now who take meds.

My mother in law trusted every doctor she ever met (and she met a LOT). She took double fist fulls of pills every day. Sometimes different docs would have her on the same drug--so two scrips and no on cared not one bit. She passed last year and was in poor health at least the last 20. The drugs made not one bit of difference I can see (except that the side effects pretty well ruined what little quality of life she had).

In very few situations is the answer to your problem going to be found in a prescription medication bottle. If the health care system was virtually any other business, it would get charged with racketeering under RICO.

This is the thing. I saw people arguing earlier in the thread that people are living longer then they ever have in the past. That's true. But there is a big difference between living longer while being in terrible health and living longer in great health because you took care of yourself.

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[Fatcamp]

Mobility is the biggest factor as we age IMO, once we lose our ability or want to MOVE our health goes to shit pretty quickly.

There are a lot of other factors but if someone could do what they need to stay mobile I think it would go a long way.

Don't get me started! I am simply amazed at the number of people who can barely roll over, or pick something up off the floor. Of all ages!!!!

The number one thing I see in patients as a nurse that affects long term quality of life is an inability, from knowledge or ambition, to maintain full range of motion and strength in their bodies.

Obviously diet plays a huge role, as well but I don't see My Plate as the devil some do. It is a guide for the average person and if followed would be a massive improvement over how many, many people fuel their bodies. Tough gig trying to come up with a solution for diet reccomendation for 300 million people.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

If I was even a little computer savvy I would post the link to a story I just read on Yahoo news, about 1000% price increase in certain drugs since 2012. Big Pharm is being accused of not reinvesting profits for research, rather they are reaping the profits.

 

[Marbles]

FWIW, I think his take is more complicated. He walks through the history of insulin - from insulin derived from pig and cow pancreases, to recombinant human insulin (Humulin R and N), to insulin analogs. I don't think he argues that the changes are needless, but that the stated benefits of insulin analogs are exaggerated - including a 2003 Cochrane Collaboration study that compared recombinant human insulin to the predecessor, and three more Cochrane Reviews between '06 and '08 comparing analogs to recombinant human insulins - but 90% of insulin prescriptions were for analogs by 2010.

I'll have to read the chapter. The primary benefit of insulin analogs is altered subcutaneous absorption and prolonged action due to delayed release. The only way this can be matched is with an insulin pump, which comes with its own issues.

I believe his primary point, however, is the cost comparison. Humalog is said to have cost $21 per vial in 1996 and was $330 per vial by 2017 (compared to $38 in Canada).

These kinds of practices are a problem. However, here the issue is unscrupulous pricing, not a drug that confers inadequate benefits. The tangential relationship is that new drugs have no competition to control prices. Sometimes new drugs are over pushed and do not add enough advantage. Some insulin analogs may fit in that category, but certainly not all.

As for any changes for compliance and safety, if the source of any basis for the same is a drug company study, that ends up (almost invariably) touting the newer and more expensive treatment, then that's an axe to grind.

As the author has written a book on the topic, he should have addressed this and provided sources. It is intuitive that one injection a day results in better compliance than 4. However, intuitive conclusions are not always correct.

I haven't read any positive reviews - I don't personally trust anyone else to review something, even a movie, for me. As for the positive comments on this thread, I am not sure how many have read the book.

I like to uses reviews that contradict my preferred position as I know the information is not coming from someone I agree with, so they are not selectively presenting facts that support my preferences. And yes, due to the title, my default is to approach the book as sensationalism and arguing a corner, rather than trying to give the full story.

Thank you for the book. Hopefully I'm pleasantly surprised. As I am use to the extreme (which has been shown on this thread) I have a knee jerk reaction. Anyone who can ask if pharmaceuticals have ever saved someone is either naive to the point of lunacy (antibioticsare an easy example) or selling their own snake oil. But, allowing such positions to function as straw men for all arguments is lazy and stunts learning.

 

[fwafwow]

If the health care system was virtually any other business, it would get charged with racketeering under RICO.

Not the same RICO I think you are referencing, but Pfizer was found to have violated the civil RICO statute in a case brought by Kaiser.

This is the thing. I saw people arguing earlier in the thread that people are living longer then they ever have in the past. That's true. But there is a big difference between living longer while being in terrible health and living longer in great health because you took care of yourself.

Great point. In the longer life expectancy arguing/tangent I was careful to quote the “healthy life” expectancy stats.

 

[*zap*]

Life expectancy in Canada is 4-5 years more than in the USA, I believe....

Anyway, huge companies are doing things for max profit. The government is supposed to regulate them because an individual or small groups of citizens generally do not have the means to do that or force the big companies to be honest/do what is in the best interest of human beings. But, we are in a time period when government only does what is in government's best interest....until we the people hold government accountable to get back to doing what is in the citizens best interest instead of their own best interest this & other very bad situations will continue to exist. Since that is extremely unlikely to happen.....this stuff will continue and individuals will need to be the only one's who look out for their own best interest. All USA government is out of control....federal, state and local. It's a very, very bad situation and the issues with big pharma are minor compared to what really is at stake. Imo, we will not be able to vote our way out of this....which leaves very few other options.

 

[SouthPaw]

Yes, people in general ARE overweight, but this isn't really their fault. We've been lied to for many years, decades actually, about the proper human diet. This is the main problem. The "food pyramid" that our government has pushed on all of us and told us this is the healthy way to eat, is wrong. They tell us to eat lots of grain, and carbs, and sugar. They also tell us to avoid eating fat. So people following the guidelines, and trying to be healthy, still get fat. I'm 54 and only two years ago discovered I've been eating wrong my entire life. The other thing they tell people is that you should eat three meals a day and to eat "snacks" all day long in between your meals. All bad advice. One last thing- diabetes is a huge issue, and the only solution people are given is to take insulin the rest of their life, when all they need to do is change their diet and reverse their diabetes in a very short time. But they want to sell lots of insulin so they continue to lie to the people.

100% spot on. A huge root cause of the problem...

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[Forestryguy]

They only make money if they can keep you on more and more drugs. Drugs work best when you are healthy. Most pharmaceutical drugs are derived from plant compounds. For most just eat Paleo, Okinawa or Mediterranean diet and no sugar will correct 90% of issues.

 

[Billinsd]

I see patients whose lives are unequivocally saved by pharmaceuticals on a weekly basis. I still tend to agree the business model is unethical, and often the products cause harm with questionable (at best) benefits.

Insurance companies are a much bigger problem. The root issue is the same between the two. Unfettered greed.

I totally agree!! Asthma meds have saved my bacon and made my life a lot better!! The meds for asthma and allergies are night and day compared to the 60s.

 

[Tyrock]

Well...the current system is absolutely sickening.

 

[tony]

People are afraid of or don't do physical labor much anymore. I put on a few pounds when I took my present job as its not as active as when I was an ED nurse. I walked a few miles a shift then. Now, I'm lucky to get in a few hundred yards a night.
My granddad(s), dad, step dad all did physical work and while my dad passed in his late 70's my granddads lived into their late 80s and early 90s.
I always try to pack a lunch and toss in some fruit, vegetables. I do usually pack a sandwich or 2 of lunchmeat. I try to get low fat if that's even true in lunch meat! GF and I try and cook as much as possible and take leftovers.
I walk our dog and ride my bike as much as possible, I was into the whole lifting thing a few years back and got out of it.
People I work with can't understand why they can't loose weight or keep gaining weight. They eat garbage: Order out constantly, fast food, chips, candy, cookies, regular soda. All those monster drinks. Hell, one CO brings in a 6 pack of mountain dew a shift and drinks it all

And don't get me started on that pain as a 5th vital sign. You can thank some nurses that haven't worked hands on in decades for that. Everybody's a "11" in the ED.

 

[Shane]

Just one example of how corrupt the pharmaceutical/medical industry has become in some areas (not all). But statins are a glaring example of it.

 

[Rob5589]

People are afraid of or don't do physical labor much anymore. I put on a few pounds when I took my present job as its not as active as when I was an ED nurse. I walked a few miles a shift then. Now, I'm lucky to get in a few hundred yards a night.
My granddad(s), dad, step dad all did physical work and while my dad passed in his late 70's my granddads lived into their late 80s and early 90s.
I always try to pack a lunch and toss in some fruit, vegetables. I do usually pack a sandwich or 2 of lunchmeat. I try to get low fat if that's even true in lunch meat! GF and I try and cook as much as possible and take leftovers.
I walk our dog and ride my bike as much as possible, I was into the whole lifting thing a few years back and got out of it.
People I work with can't understand why they can't loose weight or keep gaining weight. They eat garbage: Order out constantly, fast food, chips, candy, cookies, regular soda. All those monster drinks. Hell, one CO brings in a 6 pack of mountain dew a shift and drinks it all

And don't get me started on that pain as a 5th vital sign. You can thank some nurses that haven't worked hands on in decades for that. Everybody's a "11" in the ED.

Probably not shocking that Perdue Pharma, maker of oxy, is where the big push for the pain scale being the 5th v/s came from.

 

[tony]

Very true.
WV where I live is /was the pill capital of the U.S.
As far as the pain vital sign thing, When I was in my bachelors program I had a class talking about nursing having a hand in creating this horse shit. Most nursing instructors have not laid hands on a person since becoming a teacher, 10, 20, 30 years. They still have that desire to "care".

 

[Fatcamp]

100% spot on. A huge root cause of the problem...

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I disagree. The "Food Pyramid" isn't being used, "Myplate" was rolled out in 2012 and is a much better set of recommendations. There are also private food pyramids that do a great job explaining basic diet.

The reason people are fat and diabetic is because we live in an incredibly prosperous place with unlimited calorie potential and food is a drug. People get addicted to sugar, fat, and salt to their detriment. Until I became a nurse and witnessed it firsthand I wouldn't have believed it. People completely ignore diet advice at every turn. Many, many attempts at intervening are made with individuals and they are in large part ignored. Not 100% obviously, but enough that kidney failure and foot amputations are very common.