Adverse Drug Reactions - What Every Body Should Know!

Every drug we put into our body has a reaction. Think twice before you pop your next pill.

No, it’s not just a Brittney Spears lyric, it’s the catch cry of the pharmaceutical industry. Once again, drugs have been recalled when new research with longer parameters than the last demonstrates concern for the drugs safety. The drug Vioxx was recalled after a three-year clinical trial showed a link with increased cardiovascular incidents. Interestingly, the study was looking at the link between the drugs and another side effect, benign colon growths.

“Anti-inflammatory drugs have a high association with intestinal ulceration."

The drug has been widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Estimates suggesting over 80 million people worldwide have used the drug. Vioxx was first approved for use in June 1999 in Australia. And who wouldn’t want it approved, it had made $84 million in Australian sales in 2003!

This is the largest drug recall in history and according to the New England Journal of Medicine “a preventable debacle” suggesting that initial discussions about Vioxx and cardiovascular incidents were first held in early 2001. how does a recall take three years?

The European Medicines Agency in London are now considering the effects of similar type drugs. Rival drug Celebrex’s longest study was of 12 months duration, hardly a guarantee of long-term safety.

Anti-inflammatory Drugs

The style of drug was introduced to improve on other anti-inflammatory drugs that were having a high association with intestinal ulceration. The drugs were approved as they had only half of the incidence of intestinal side effects whilst still being effective for their intended use. The solution to intestinal side effects was solved, yet once again, the picture was not complete.

We fail to realise that the most profound chemical and drug manufacturer in the world is our own body. Our body is capable of producing drugs that are equally as effective as those man produces, however, it has the benefit of knowing the body’s exact requirements and the consequences of the drugs elsewhere in the system.

It is chiropractic’s perspective that the body, given optimum environment and a nervous system that is functioning well has every opportunity to exist without the use of man made drugs surging through our veins.

Say ‘NO’ to drugs!

Our health care system, driven by the pharmaceutical industry, has been repeating the same mistakes over and over with huge cost of life and money.

We live in hope. Maybe one day when they say “Oops, we did it again” they will wake up and seek a better way. Somehow, this seems very unlikely, as there is too much money to be made and too many uninformed people as consumers.

“Our health care system has been making the same mistakes over and over with a huge coast to human life.”

What you can do.

If you are currently taking a medication, ask your Doctor for a list of the adverse drug effects from the specific drug you are taking. If you have been on a medication for a long period of time, why not ask if it is necessary that you continue to keep taking the same dosage, or if it can be reduced.

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