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> there is definitely a problem with the way doctors prescribe drugs these days Why? Painkillers have a clear function and are useful in many scenarios. Most p

> there is definitely a problem with the way doctors prescribe drugs these days Why? Painkillers have a clear function and are useful in many scenarios. Most people using them have no problem quitting when it is time. The minority of people abusing painkillers do it because they have an addiction problem (which is the actual issue to target) and obtain them through the black market. > prescription drugs kill more people than illegal drugs Most likely not.

encoderer 12y ago
Why? Because the last I heard, doctors wrote like 300 Million prescriptions for pain killers last year. So, one prescription for every man, woman and child. You might say that if all are medically necessary than who cares, but why the ramp-up over the last decade?
- btian 12y ago
  Maybe it's because people are getting older? I'd like to see some statistics on prescription pain killers for people of different age.
  - UrMomReadsHN 12y ago
    Found this on wiki- Opioids are being used more frequently in the management of non-malignant chronic pain.[9][10][11] This practice has now led to a new and growing problem with addiction and misuse of opioids.[3][12] I saw a documentary a few months ago. It was saying how many herion users got first addicted to the medicine prescribed from their doctor. They resorted to herion when they couldn't get more from their doc and they were hooked. They had this doctor saying how back in the 90s drug companies encouraged prescriptions of their pain relievers for chronic pain and talked about how safe they were. They played a few of those ads. I only caught it in passing for a little while, but is interesting if true.
  - encoderer 12y ago
    America consumes 80% of the worlds prescription painkillers. It's not because we're getting older. We have a problem.
groby_b 12y ago
> Most likely not. Or, as about 3 seconds of searching would've told you, yes they do. (53% of drug deaths were prescription drug deaths in 2012[1]) > > there is definitely a problem with the way doctors prescribe drugs these days > Why? Painkillers have a clear function and are useful in many scenarios. Yes, they do, and they are. But unless you wish to argue that the level of pain that requires opioid pain killers has consistently been increasing and almost tripled since 1991[2], you'll have to face the idea that maybe doctors have gotten quite a bit more liberal with the rx pad. 207 million opioid prescriptions per year really seems a bit over the top, no? [1] http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/overdose/facts.html http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/overdose/facts.... [2] http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2014/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/t...
- ridgeguy 12y ago
  I disagree. First, following your first link, I found the CDC bullet point that says 53% of drug overdose deaths in the US in 2012 were "related to pharmaceuticals". Note that doesn't say "were prescription drug deaths" as you did. "Related" includes those deaths in which someone who had a legal prescription for a drug used something with it that was fatal - a simple example would be alcohol combined with many of the opiate painkillers, but it would also include somebody on the antidepressant drug selegeline who ate a tyramine-rich food like bleu cheese or sausage and died of hypertensive crisis. There are many other examples of deaths "related to pharmaceuticals" that would not involve painkillers, nor other pharmaceuticals used as directed. I recommend you do the analysis needed to see what's actually going on, not merely that which may constitute confirmation bias for your views. Second - of course there are externalities that could well account for the increase in painkiller prescriptions since 1991. Just one example - we have an aging population. When people age, they encounter illnesses that hurt. Osteoarthritis, for example - it is common for those who have it to be unable to do something as simple as remove a twist-off jar lid because of the pain involved. Ditto climbing three or four steps because of pain in their feet and knees. Nevermind diabetic neuropathy, and other such painful, age-related diseases. Have you explored the increase in our aging population and projected the numbers of people who could reasonably be expected to need painkillers to remain functional as they age? What did you find? Further, one reason for the increased level of painkiller prescriptions could well be that analgesia has been underprescribed due to irrational prejudice against it and we're finally realizing it. In the US, opioid pharmaceuticals seem be regarded as "The Great Satan" by some Americans and by American law enforcement. Consequently, pain relief - which should be a straightforward (if complex) medical issue - is demonized, hindered, and encumbered with useless transactional friction. So, yes - it's certain that our aging population has increased the need for painkiller prescriptions since 1991. How much, I don't know. If you look into it quantitatively, please let us know. But from what I've seen in the medical profession, the increase could well be independently explained by the recognition that pain relief is critical to quicker recovery from acute illness and equally critical for prolonged productivity and quality of life, and the shedding of prejudices that have blocked such recognition. I understand YMMV.

encoderer 12y ago

Why? Because the last I heard, doctors wrote like 300 Million prescriptions for pain killers last year. So, one prescription for every man, woman and child. You might say that if all are medically necessary than who cares, but why the ramp-up over the last decade?

btian 12y ago
Maybe it's because people are getting older? I'd like to see some statistics on prescription pain killers for people of different age.
- UrMomReadsHN 12y ago
  Found this on wiki- Opioids are being used more frequently in the management of non-malignant chronic pain.[9][10][11] This practice has now led to a new and growing problem with addiction and misuse of opioids.[3][12] I saw a documentary a few months ago. It was saying how many herion users got first addicted to the medicine prescribed from their doctor. They resorted to herion when they couldn't get more from their doc and they were hooked. They had this doctor saying how back in the 90s drug companies encouraged prescriptions of their pain relievers for chronic pain and talked about how safe they were. They played a few of those ads. I only caught it in passing for a little while, but is interesting if true.
- encoderer 12y ago
  America consumes 80% of the worlds prescription painkillers. It's not because we're getting older. We have a problem.

groby_b 12y ago

> Most likely not. Or, as about 3 seconds of searching would've told you, yes they do. (53% of drug deaths were prescription drug deaths in 2012[1]) > > there is definitely a problem with the way doctors prescribe drugs these days > Why? Painkillers have a clear function and are useful in many scenarios. Yes, they do, and they are. But unless you wish to argue that the level of pain that requires opioid pain killers has consistently been increasing and almost tripled since 1991[2], you'll have to face the idea that maybe doctors have gotten quite a bit more liberal with the rx pad. 207 million opioid prescriptions per year really seems a bit over the top, no? [1] http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/overdose/facts.html http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/overdose/facts.... [2] http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2014/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/t...

ridgeguy 12y ago
I disagree. First, following your first link, I found the CDC bullet point that says 53% of drug overdose deaths in the US in 2012 were "related to pharmaceuticals". Note that doesn't say "were prescription drug deaths" as you did. "Related" includes those deaths in which someone who had a legal prescription for a drug used something with it that was fatal - a simple example would be alcohol combined with many of the opiate painkillers, but it would also include somebody on the antidepressant drug selegeline who ate a tyramine-rich food like bleu cheese or sausage and died of hypertensive crisis. There are many other examples of deaths "related to pharmaceuticals" that would not involve painkillers, nor other pharmaceuticals used as directed. I recommend you do the analysis needed to see what's actually going on, not merely that which may constitute confirmation bias for your views. Second - of course there are externalities that could well account for the increase in painkiller prescriptions since 1991. Just one example - we have an aging population. When people age, they encounter illnesses that hurt. Osteoarthritis, for example - it is common for those who have it to be unable to do something as simple as remove a twist-off jar lid because of the pain involved. Ditto climbing three or four steps because of pain in their feet and knees. Nevermind diabetic neuropathy, and other such painful, age-related diseases. Have you explored the increase in our aging population and projected the numbers of people who could reasonably be expected to need painkillers to remain functional as they age? What did you find? Further, one reason for the increased level of painkiller prescriptions could well be that analgesia has been underprescribed due to irrational prejudice against it and we're finally realizing it. In the US, opioid pharmaceuticals seem be regarded as "The Great Satan" by some Americans and by American law enforcement. Consequently, pain relief - which should be a straightforward (if complex) medical issue - is demonized, hindered, and encumbered with useless transactional friction. So, yes - it's certain that our aging population has increased the need for painkiller prescriptions since 1991. How much, I don't know. If you look into it quantitatively, please let us know. But from what I've seen in the medical profession, the increase could well be independently explained by the recognition that pain relief is critical to quicker recovery from acute illness and equally critical for prolonged productivity and quality of life, and the shedding of prejudices that have blocked such recognition. I understand YMMV.