Lina Mohamed-Assignment 8
Lina Mohamed Professor Kowach
MHC Writing Assignment 8
How Much Money the U.S. spends on Pharmaceuticals
The United States leads the world in spending on drugs. Our nation revolves around medication because we have been brainwashed into believing that man-made drugs are the only option. Every time we visit the doctors, we are prescribed pill after pill without considering natural alternatives or physical solutions. The United States spends about $1,000 per person per year on pharmaceuticals. This number is about 40% more than the next higher spender, Canada. And more than twice as countries like France and Germany.1 Growth in spending on pharmaceuticals is slowing but it needs to be lowered drastically to ensure that the U.S. inhabitants are getting the healthiest care from health care providers.
Revenue is a big part of why our pharmaceutical companies are politicized. However, people need to realize that we can make money off of advertising and selling homeopathic or physical remedies. These natural alternatives are never advertised in the U.S. All that is seen on television and other devices is man-made drugs.
Figure 1: Spending on drugs in certain countries, with the U.S. leading. (PBS)
The Unites States is one of only two countries that has legalized the diretct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisement of drugs. That is how dangerous this strategy is because it is extremely effective. As Dr. Mercola said:
Mood swings, weight gain, joint pain, tummy problems―you name the ailment, there’s a pill for it. And you, the American consumer, are helping Big Pharma sell it. Don’t believe it? Well, it’s happening right before your eyes, and believe it or not, the United States is one of only two countries in the world that allows this to happen. 2
It is a disgusting and immoral way to bring in revenue but it definitely works. The House Commerce Committee found that every $1,000 spent on drugs ads produced 24 new patients. If advertisements did not work, the drug companies would have abandoned them a long time ago. 40-50% of people go to their doctors to ask about a certain drug they saw an advertisement for. 2
References:
1-Paris, V., OECD (2014) Why Do Americans Spend So Much On Pharmaceuticals? PBS Newshour. Retrieved from:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/americans-spend-much-pharmaceuticals/
2-Dr. Mercola (2012) So Inherently Dangerous that Only Two Countries in the World Have Legalized This and the U.S. Is One of Them. Mercola.com, Retrieved from:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/07/16/drug-companies-ads-dangers.aspx
-Deepak, C., M.D. (2002) Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide (2nd Edition) Retrieved from Google Scholars: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=OyrhatOdk9gC&oi=fnd&pg=PA270&dq=natural+alternatives+to+painkillers&ots=68fhOAE58y&sig=-malo2jqTO8ylS5N_CVlAN-PFSo#v=onepage&q=natural%20alternatives%20to%20painkillers&f=false
– Berndt, Ernst R. (2002) Pharmaceuticals in U.S. Health Care: Determinants of Quantity and Price. American Economic Association.
-(Weeks, 2016). Harvard Study Has Good News for Homeopathic Medicine. Integrative Practitioner.
– Desmon, Stephanie. (2013, n. pg.) Politicization of Health Care Preventing Real Changes to Out-Of-Control System, Researchers Suggest. John Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from Google Scholar:
