Posts Tagged ‘pharmaceuticals’

Bill Maher understands the woo factor in medicine, and has proved it time and time again. From interviews on Larry King, to political satire, he has shown an understanding of the underpinnings of the legal drug culture.

I have seen the incredulous looks of newscasters, and other well known personalities as he talked about the dangers of vaccination. His take on the American diet is right on.

There are many posts that seem to say that Bill Maher spreads woo to the American public. What he does is set the record straight. He is left of center, and that sometimes is misunderstood. Conservatism in this case is keeping the status quo, so those in power can work the crowd.

The news commentary shows have an advertising base that pulls the strings. Pharmaceuticals and processed food make up much of the advertising dollars. It is rare that you have a newscaster with enough knowledge to know that there is a problem with not just the health care industry, but the whole premise of drugs for health.

If anyone ever watched a pharmaceutical ad it is obvious that something is wrong. If anything Bill Maher is the true conservative. He is saying take care of your own health, so you don’t have to rely on radical treatments.

Is Bill really a true conservative?

New research published in the American Journal of cardiology claims that fast food restaurants should give out statins to counter the effects of fatty foods. Fast food and statins are the new proposed combination plate.

Statin dangers

The statin pill can be as risky as the cheeseburger. Statins deplete your body of nutrients that you need to help the heart function. Statins have serious side effects. It can damage the liver, pancreas and muscles.

However, the reason some doctors give for not endorsing this idea, is that it would encourage people to lead unhealthy lives. This would mean that they would be at a higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

This is the case of dumb and dumber. The logic from each side can only be understood from a medical perspective. The issue here; treat everything with a pharmaceutical. In other words mask the problem.

When the cholesterol numbers are lower and the diet is the same junk, you wind up without any benefit from the pills. The drugs don’t cut the rate of adverse events; it just makes the numbers look better. The second part of the problem isn’t the fat, but the carbs in the form or processed flour, and sugar. Diabetes risk is manly a processed food problem, not a fat one.

Junk Food Junky

People are hooked on the taste of fast food. Giving them drugs with the meal isn’t going to solve anything. It would compound the problem, there would be two dangers, instead of one. Only the medical community with a drug company’s education could come up with anything this ridiculous.

Can Medication interfere with your cognitive abilities?  

It has been proven that medication causes cognitive impairment. Drugs taken for common medical conditions such as insomnia, allergies, or incontinence negatively affect the brain, and causes long term cognitive impairment. These drugs, called anticholinergics, block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, and are widely-used medications. They are sold over the counter. The offending drugs are Benadryl®. Dramamine®, Excedrin PM®k Nytol ®, Sominex®, Tylenol PM®, and Unisom®, there are others that are available by prescription.

Findings

This isn’t another bombshell; it is just another finding than adds to the pile of profit generating prescriptions that have terrible side effects.

Aging Expert Speaks out:

“Simply put, we have confirmed that anticholinergics, something as seemingly benign as a medication for inability to get a good night’s sleep or for motion sickness, can cause or worsen cognitive impairment, specifically long-term mild cognitive impairment which involves gradual memory loss. As a geriatrician I tell my Wishard Healthy Aging Brain Center patients not to take these drugs and I encourage all older adults to talk with their physicians about each and every one of the medications they take,” said Malaz Boustani, M.D., IU School of Medicine associate professor of medicine, Regenstrief Institute investigator and IU Center for Aging Research center scientist.

Seniors

Senior citizens are especially vulnerable to the side effects of anticholinergic medication. These medications cause acute confusion, poor attention, disorientation, and short-term memory problems. Any medicine that has a sedating effect can impair memory.

Many of the drugs typically taken by people over 50 can cause subtle thinking problems by themselves, but when several are taken at once, significant Alzheimer’s-like problems can appear. These problems may include memory loss, absentmindedness, confusion, disorientation, and emotional outbursts.

Pharmaceuticals

The customer-centric focus of pharmaceutical companies centers around consumer spending not health. The drug industry is not looking for a safe or environmental friendly dynamic advancement in medicine, they want to maintain value for their portfolio.

The mass appeal is to the millions of people who need it now, and want instant help. The consumer preference for quick fixes is what gives continuing relevance to this brand of medicine.

Marketing Matters

The major pharmaceutical houses know how to create sustainable campaigns. The audience for most products they produce is huge, and full of opportunities. Each chronic condition represents areas of untapped growth for the company.

A thinking consumer is the drug companies biggest fear.