Pharmaceutical Companies Spend Double on Ads than they do on Research

I was not surprised when I read the latest study by Marc-André Gagnon and Joel Lexchin saying that Pharmaceutical Companies spent twice on advertising than they did on research last year but it nevertheless sickened me. Maybe it's too fresh in my mind, the way my doctors used to try and get me to "try this new drug" or "that new drug" for pain, sleep and depression (even though I was not depressed). Funnily enough they were usually the ones being advertised on TV at the same time (Oh those relaxing Lunesta commercials...). Maybe I am annoyed because I rarely decide to watch TV and now I cannot even relax for one show because of the non-stop drug ads. Perhaps I am upset because I thought that the point of a pharmaceutical company was to actually research cures for dis-ease instead of being greedy and trying to market medicines to people that don't even need them.

Whatever the reason(s) for my contempt the fact remains as Gagnon and Lexchin point out in their study that US Pharmaceutical companies last year spent $31.5 BILLION on research and development and (an under-estimated amount of) $57.7 BILLION on advertising. WHY? Because as I point out in my posts:

Prescription Drugs Are Dangerous -- Time to Look for Alternate Methods to Heal
Michael Moore's "Sicko"
Prescription Drugs NUMB Pain but Do NOT Heal Pain

It has been a LONG time since people's health was the primary concern of the Big Pharmaceutical Companies. Greed and money making is now #1.

My question is why did it become allowed for pharmaceutical companies to advertise at all? Smoking cigarettes can help some people to relax but they banned those ads because of the negative health effects. Somehow it is okay to advertise a pill that can do just as much damage. Half the time the issue/problem at hand is mentioned for 1-2 seconds in the beginning of the commercial and the rest of the time is spent on how good this pill will make you feel and on the numerous side-effects (spoken in a quiet but happy voice). Another interesting point is that drug ads are illegal in every country except America and New Zealand as stated on Dr. Mercola's site.

Sorry, I am confused. I thought when you were ill or feeling badly you sought out a doctor and they would do tests, talk to you, analyze results and THEN recommend treatment which may or may not involve a prescription. I know times have changed but at what cost? Does it really benefit ANYONE to see these commercials? Are there people with illnesses at home waiting for the right drug ad to come on so they can call their doctor for a prescription? I think it is time people start to say they don't want to see these ads. I personally would rather the drug companies spend their money researching cancer and other illnesses and coming up with ways to treat those illnesses. I don't need to see an ad to know if I am sick and need treatment. Half of the medicines I was put on have now been recalled or are under serious scrutiny. Maybe if they had spent the time on researching long-term effects instead of launching their new ad campaigns there would be fewer drugs being recalled. My mom is ill with a cancer that has few treatment options and I would MUCH rather they spent the money on research for that. I don't want or need to sit through ANY more drugs commercials!

When I sought out a naturopath in my community he told me how medical practice had changed dramatically in the last 25 years. He recounted that he used to get monthly binders filled with the latest medical research. He said instead he now received binders filled with advertisements and incentives for prescribing the latest pharmaceuticals. He told me the binders had between 1%-5% of articles on research and 95%-99% incentives and advertisements -- he even got out a binder to prove his point. So not only are pharmaceutical companies actively advertising in the media but they are romancing doctors with promises and rewards.

The most important thing for you to do is to be aware of all treatment options for any illness. Be aware of natural ways to heal. Be conscious of your thoughts and what toll your emotional health is playing on your physical health. Get a doctor that knows of all treatment options. Visit sites like those of Dr. Mercola and Dr. Deepak Chopra. Get informed and take charge of your health and encourage those around you to do the same. If you need to find a holistic doctor in your area use this search. I am always available for more research possibilities and information. Obviously this is an area I am passionate about. I don't mean any disrespect to the people out there that are researching and developing pharmaceuticals with good intentions. There are of course good people working at pharmaceutical companies as well. But somehow priorities got skewed and greed won out and I am hoping that I see things shift back and will do whatever I can to make that happen.

Prescription Drugs Are Dangerous -- Time to Look At Alternative Methods to Heal

I was saddened when I read the latest featured article on Dr. Mercola's site but at the same time was very happy to see the issue over the dangers of prescription drugs finally getting the publicity it so urgently needs. This country has gotten very used to popping a pill whenever anything feels a little out of whack with their body instead of investigating WHY they feel that way. Dr. Christopher Kent wrote a wonderful article, "Recreational Drugs are FAR Less Likely to Kill You Than Prescribed Drugs" that I HIGHLY recommend everyone read!

While I wrote a post, "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain but DO Not Heal Pain", I think the above article goes WAY deeper into the dangers of relying on one doctor's opinion of what medications you NEED. The number of adverse drug-reactions causing hospitalizations and deaths, the number of unnecessary antibiotics and other medications being prescribed annually and the number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures are growing at an alarming rate (each are in the millions -- for more info and exact numbers please read Dr. Kent's article)! The US medical system needs a total overhaul and quickly before these numbers get even worse.

Prescription Drugs are now the #4 recorded cause of death in the US. When you read Dr. Kent's article you will see that if you include all the figures it is actually #1. I am not saying ALL prescription medicines are bad -- there have been GREAT advances in medicine in the last 20 years that I am grateful for and that I have seen my friends and family greatly benefit from. The problem is in the way we tend to look at medicine in this country -- as a cure-all and a fail safe -- which it definitely IS NOT. Your body has a self healing system already in it -- if you fall and scrape yourself does that wound stay open forever? If you get a cold or the flu are you left coughing for the rest of your life? How come our parents and grandparents didn't "NEED" medicine for everything that ailed them and they got by just fine? What about the fact that a lot of prescription drugs have side-effects that sometimes make you feel even worse than your original ailment did? What about the fact that a LOT of these drugs haven't even been researched long enough to know what the "long-term" effects are, which is causing more drugs than even to be recalled?

I watched TV last night (a rare occasion for me) and was appalled that the number of prescription drug ads has grown exponentially. "Get back your energy", "end constipation", "get back your virility", "cure reflux", "cut cholesterol", "sleep better".... all of these ads showed attractive people smiling happily even as the announcer lists the long list of "possible reactions"..... stomach cramps, headaches, nausea, seizures and let's not forget "occasional death". All say contact your doctor for more information but none say "contact your doctor for ALL possible options for your problem including this drug" -- it is obviously just an ad to sell you their drug through your doctor and in short - -make money.

Prescription drugs need to be taken with care and to be monitored. If I am offered any medication now I would go get a second opinion AND make sure at least one of those doctors KNOW about integrative medicine and offer alternatives. I would also research the medication and the long term effects myself as much as I could online. I switched from a doctor that wanted me on SEVERE Pain Medication for my pain and illnesses to a doctor that asks me if I am meditating.... there is a HUGE discrepancy in the doctors and how they practice in the US. Make sure you and your loved ones have good doctors that know about ALL methods of healing and treatment.

We need to start concentrating on our mind's ailments and things we have not worked through before we start popping pills to cure ALL of our physical maladies. I was in SEVERE chronic pain EVERY DAY for over 2 years. I was ill and visiting SEVERAL doctors every week for over 6 years -- not once did someone mention natural ways that I could feel better. I had every pill imaginable offered to me as well as test after test, diagnosis and diagnosis and even was told I would only get worse, to "manage my pain" and that I would "most likely be in a wheelchair". I KNOW how powerful the mind is because I LIVED it and HEALED myself. It will always be my proudest accomplishment. I reclaimed my life and now feel healthier and happier than I ever did.

I did not consciously choose to be ill. It certainly was not "all in my head" because the pain was as real as the desk I am sitting at now. When you don't deal with "stuff" in your life and stop to REALLY listen to yourself -- your body will show signs of dis-ease. Are you still harboring guilt about a situation? Do you blame someone for something that you feel drastically changed your life for the worse? Do you have very low self esteem? Are you angry a lot? Do you have a "bad memory" you keep replaying in your mind? These all cause stress and are warning signs that a dis-ease or pain might be on it's way if you are not ill or in pain already. These are issues that can be dealt with and should be dealt with in order for you to be healthy and to grow.

There are TONS of ways to research for free online about ways to heal if you can't find a doctor that knows about alternative or complimentary methods. It did not cost me a penny to find out all the information I received that I used to heal myself. Friends and loved ones did buy me some requested books but I could have easily had gotten them out of the local library. I recommend Dr. Mercola's site and Dr. Deepak Chopra's site as well for information. There are TONS of personal development sites (Priscilla Palmer's List is a GREAT place to start) that offer tools on how to deal with past issues that might be plaguing your mind.

My e-book tells of the methods I adopted to heal myself... and if you cannot afford it but feel you would benefit from it -- email me.... I want to help as many people as I can heal from the inside and am available and willing to help. I am not a doctor so cannot advise on weaning off of ANY medication and certain medications you will need a doctor's assistance to wean yourself off of. I am not saying my methods will work for everyone for every disease AT ALL but I believe you need to be the healthiest you can be naturally and use prescribed medications only as absolutely necessary. I am on coumadin (a blood thinner) and have been told I will be on that for the rest of my life. It controls the thickness of my blood so I don't suffer from another blood clot. I am not convinced I will be on it forever but I know just stopping it would be reckless and put my body at risk. There ARE certain medicines that are necessary and beneficial.

I've written a bunch of other posts relating to this issue:

Holistic Doctor Search in the US
Study Shows Chronic Pain Can Be Healed By Natural Means
Having a Good Doctor is Indispensable in Your Quest to Heal Pain
Michael Moore's "Sicko"

A lot of my other posts deal with ways I used to heal my whole self inside and out. Exercise and fitness is needed as well as some mental housecleaning. It seems overwhelming to address issues that cause stress but the only way to let go of that stress is to face them head on. If you need a counselor or coach to do this -- by all means ask someone or find someone to help. Being on any "Extra" medications that are not NECESSARY for your health is detrimental to your health. It doesn't take long to start to feel the benefits of healing..... If you feel you are missing something in your life I just read an amazing post by Alex Blackwell at The Next 45 Years, "The Missing Piece". There are tons of GREAT articles and resources to be found... first you have to ask yourself some tough questions and actually LISTEN to the answers to start on your way to healing from the inside out.

Please, stop and think about ALL the medications you are taking. Do you reach for a pain killer after an extra stressful day? Is there any other method you can use to relax and feel better? I ask that if you use prescription drugs you are first as healthy as you can be without them, that you are knowledgeable about them and their effects and that you have a doctor that is monitoring you on them that you are totally comfortable with.

Prescription Drugs Numb Pain But Do Not Heal Pain

I wrote at Ezine article by this same title "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain But Do Not Heal Pain" a few months back. It occurred to me as I came across the post today that while this is SUCH an important issue for me -- I have never discussed it on my blog.

Since writing the article I have seen even more people around me be affected by prescription drug use. In addition to the CDC's Study on The Overuse of Prescription Painkillers, I recommend reading the more political take on the situation set forth by Dr. Mercola. Dr. Mercola is one of the leading contributors on health, health products and living well articles and resources and this video is about the town of Allopath.


Certainly there are very real conditions that warrant pain killers. Believe me -- I was in chronic pain for years and I know and remember clearly JUST how debilitating chronic pain can be. My message is one I have said before in my post on finding a GOOD Doctor that Treats the WHOLE You. PLEASE if you are ill or you know someone that is ill seek out other holistic treatments as well. Make SURE you have a good doctor that isn't just labeling you and handing you pills. What OTHER pain management techniques can you learn so you can limit these medications? ASK your doctor! What work can you do on your emotional state that might help the physical feel better? Being in pain can cause depression and stress which worsens most conditions. Are you open to learning methods on the mind/body connection that even if they don't heal you 100% will undoubtedly make you feel significantly better? 99% of the information I found was free online. What do you have to lose?

When I was taking pain killers I did feel better physically for the period of time they worked for -- then I plummeted into a worse pain. My tolerance built up so quickly and I hate to think what kind and what dosage of pills I would be on now if I had continued. I was 35 when doctors started offering me any pain pill I wanted.

I know people that have been put on hydrocodone or some other pain prescription for an injury and YEARS later are still struggling with dependence issues WAY after the pain has been gone. I've been talking to lots of people about health the last year and in my journey have heard horror story after horror story. People who have lost close friends or family (we're talking mid-20-40 year olds) to overdoses of these pills. People who have lost friends or family because of the gastrointestinal damage these pills do long term. People who have had friends or family develop worse conditions from their long term use. Teachers who have seen KIDS in their schools on these medications they took from their parents or a friend's parents.

The more studies that are done the more results are showing that these prescription pain killers have horrible long term effects on your body. I feel everyone owes it to their own body to be as healthy as they can be and if needed take medications to supplement that. I am still on coumadin for my blood disorder (don't get me started on that drug since it is really "rat poison"). I have my blood monitored regularly and HOPE someday to be free of it. But I am on no more pain pills. I have taken regular Tylenol twice since healing myself and have just had my first mini-illness a few weeks back. This is from someone who has always gotten colds, bugs and was in chronic head-to-toe pain for several years. In January I will celebrate a year of GREAT health!

It is possible to be pain pill free for MANY people who suffer from chronic pain -- not ALL but MANY. Find a good Doctor. If it's a loved one that's ill present them with information on alternative healing. There are so many methods -- find what rings true to you. Study Deepak Chopra, visit Dr. Mercola's site, see The Secret, study up on EFT or the Sedona Method, make a gratitude list so when you're really down you have somewhere to look for encouragement, find a meditation on youtube that relaxes you, pay attention to the influences around you, .... there are countless ways to heal yourself for free with NO medications....

If you are on a lot of prescription medications you must consult your doctor because serious withdrawal symptoms may occur. When I was on pain killers they numbed my pain and allowed me to get through my day. Now that I healed myself I am pain free and enjoy every day to its fullest naturally without worrying about side effects.

I am always available for anyone that wants to investigate ways to better their health. Just send me an email at jennymannion@yahoo.com and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have and give you tons of resources that helped me. My goal is to empower others to find out all they can about alternative medicine and natural ways to heal.

Holistic Doctor Link via the American Holistic Medical Association

I've talked a few times about the importance of finding a doctor that treats the "whole person" and not just the symptoms. Whether it be an illness you want treatment options for or some kind of pain you feel needs to be healed -- I was just made aware of a resource I wanted to share on my blog. The American Holistic Medical Association now has a link where you can search for a holistic doctor. You can break down your search by type of holistic treatment you are interested in or by city or state. I have a feeling this list is in its beginning stages but will continue to grow as time goes on. If you feel you need a different look at your health options, a more complete look at your health or just alternate methods to explore I recommend checking if there are any doctors in your area. Holistic Doctor Search.

"Study Shows Chronic Back Pain can be Healed by Natural Means"

I am so happy to see studies are finally being done and made public that PROVE natural means can heal chronic pain. I have healed myself of HORRIBLE lower back pain and as well as constant "all over pain" through all natural methods and am trying to empower people to do the same. It is refreshing seeing research being done in this field instead of JUST to approve the latest and greatest pain killer.

RESEARCH STUDY BY A LOS ANGELES PHYSICIAN SUGGESTS IT CAN BE DONE.

WEST LOS ANGELES, CA -- September 10, 2007 -- According to researchers with the California-based Seligman Medical Institute (SMI), it may be possible to relieve chronic back pain by simply reeducating sufferers about the physical and emotional origins of their pain. The SMI study, which was just published in the Sept/Oct 2007 issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (www.alternative-therapies.com ), suggests that chronic back pain patients can often be effectively treated without surgery, medication or even physical therapy. Using a program consisting solely of office visits, reading assignments, a structured workbook (guided journal), educational audio-CDs, and, in some cases, individual psychotherapy, the study's Principal Investigator David Schechter, MD was able to reduce pain levels of 51 chronic back pain patients (average nine years of pain before treatment) by over 50%.

Commenting on the phenomena of the incidence of back pain in America, Dr. Schechter noted that chronic, nonspecific back pain is a ubiquitous problem that has frustrated both physicians and patients for quite some time. It is also one of the most expensive, costing the U.S economy alone over $100 Billion annually. Dr. Schechter stated that, "The treatment program we used was completely non-invasive and non-pharmacological — and very inexpensive to administer. While educational approaches have always played a prominent role in the prevention of illness, we think they can also play an important role in their treatment, especially conditions such as chronic pain, where most conventional and treatments don’t seem to work that well." He further stated that, "This should be of interest to health-care entities, employers, HMOs, insurers, and anyone else who is adversely affected by the spiraling cost of treating chronic pain." The mind-body approach Dr. Schechter used was originally developed by John Sarno, MD, a rehabilitation specialist at NYU’s The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. To learn more about this study please click here . To read the article in its entirety please pick it up at your local newstand (Sept/Oct 2007 issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine) or subscribe to the magazine at: (www.alternative-therapies.com ). There are countless wonderful articles in this magazine to look at if you are interested in alternative health.

Wouldn't it be great if all doctors were required to be educated in this matter and suggest this approach to patients before automatically putting them on painkillers for life? The majority of the arguments I get when I tell people they can heal themselves is that "their pain is real" and "no studies have shown your mind can heal your body". Well -- my pain was as real as it comes too. I lived with it (as did my friends and family) for over 6 years. I am not saying anyone is making up their pain or illness. The point is JUST how powerful the mind is and that the subconscious can internalize things physically. If you don't look deeper than the surface and try to heal what is wrong inside you subconsciously -- the physical can't heal. I don't even mean major issues -- perhaps a friend that drains you but you feel responsible for, perhaps an old accident or even an argument or fear you never came to terms with. Many things in life cause stress and if they are not dealt with at the emotional level at the time they will manifest into dis-ease. As for the second argument about no proof -- I am SO thankful to see studies being done like this one to validate what I know is true because I LIVED it.

Pharmaceuticals have their place in the medical world. But I truly believe if all people spent the time and energy on themselves and on their emotional healing rather than reaching for pills to mask symptoms -- they would be surprised at how much control their mind had over their body and how much they could actually heal themselves and limit pills.

If you want to learn more about me and the methods I used to self-heal, please visit me at http://healpain.weebly.com, or http://www.thankfulformyhealing.com.

"Having a GOOD Doctor is Indispensable in your Quest to Heal Pain"

I have become involved in studying health-care practices ever since I healed my chronic pain. I also have tons of first-hand experience from my 8 years in and out of doctor offices. It is imperative you can really talk to your doctor and that they really listen. In my studies I was very fortunate to come across Dr. Michael Kaye who is a chiropractor and has an amazing website. He is exactly the kind of doctor I believe people with chronic pain need in order for them to start healing. He has a wonderful site where he also maintains a blog and is a gifted writer. I love to visit http://www.frompaintopersonal gain.com and read his uplifting articles on health and life. He knows a lot about chronic pain because he treated and continues to treat tons of patients that live with it. He takes a very "hand on" approach and gets to know the patient and where they are coming from and helps them make a gradual plan to heal their pain as much as possible. I was lucky enough to read his e-book and speak with Dr. Kaye firsthand and I was very moved and inspired to hear that doctors like him exist!

I think if you are in chronic pain you need to ask yourself is your doctor REALLY listening to you and HEARING you. Are they just quickly prescribing medicines and more medicines for the side effects of the first prescriptions? Medicine definitely has its place in the medical field -- I am not against all medications. There were days that I would not have gotten through if it was not for something numbing my all-consuming pain. But the goal should be to get you on as few medications as possible instead of increasing prescriptions and dosages. Most of these prescriptions have long term health repercussions if taken long enough. You need optimum health to move forward with your life and be happy.

Please make sure you have a competent, caring, nurturing doctor who listens to you. Please visit Dr. Kaye's site to learn more about how involved your doctor SHOULD be with your health -- it is your life after all -- don't you want someone who works with you so you can live to your full potential?