This excerpt from the article sums up the situation nicely, in the case of children with ADHD:
“Until recently, the drugs used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder weren’t very profitable. They’d been around for 40 years. Now, the pharmaceutical industry has developed a new generation of highly profitable patented drugs, which are marketed aggressively to doctors and – in the United States – consumers. The ADHD market has become a billion-dollar jackpot.”
Look, squirrel!
No, but in all seriousness, I do believe we’ve gone from ‘individuals making well informed choices in the free market’ to ‘individuals listening to the doctor, and buying anything promised to ease discomfort’. After all, if it is covered by your insurance plan, why not give it a try?
Because it’s a government sponsored medical monopoly selling you the goods. The competition for your medical dollar is between a few large government backed companies, instead of many smaller companies as in other industries. And those large companies are closely tied to the AMA and FDA in setting the standards for what is ‘good medicine’ and ‘bad medicine’. This is clearly evidenced by the article by nature of the fact there is exactly one well known handbook for diagnosing psychiatric conditions, known as the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ or ‘DSM’.
“The DSM, which is used by doctors, clinicians, health-care providers, social workers and insurance companies, is the bible of psychiatry. It has a big impact on the way millions of people lead their lives and on the way mental health resources are spent.”
Can you think of any other industry where just one handbook is mainly used? Please leave a comment… I’d be interested in reading that book!
In any case, I’ve made it a personal principle to always research a drug or treatment online before consuming it… after all, your doctor doesn’t have to live with the consequences of any drugs you consume.
Are you sure you want to use the word ‘Forward’?
Check out this piece from the Washington Times about the past usage of ‘Forward’… No surprises there, huh?
Check out this short clip of Jimmy Kimmel giving Obama a hard time for his administration’s crackdown on marijuana.
As a libertarian, I believe that what a person purchases, sells, or puts into his or her own body is none of the federal government’s business. Instead, regulation of such things should be left to states and local governments. Furthermore, such regulations should aim to prevent hurting others while certain substances are in a person’s body (such as laws against drinking and driving).
And if a person acquires too many counts of using a substance while driving, or otherwise hurting others, then the laws should aim to stop the person from practicing that activity.
Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think taxpayers should pay a dime for marijuana. (as we currently do, in the form of welfare) That means welfare reform too; requiring drug or alcohol tests in order to receive welfare or food stamps, and to only offer free enrollment into low cost substance treatment facilities until the substance abuse problem is cured.
