PrescriptionDrugs-related stories
Decoding Rx Instructions
Healthy Aging, Healthy Habits, Healthy Home, Vitamins and Supplements, Womens Health, HealthWatch, Healthy Kids, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
I have a total love/hate relationship with medicine. Although I value science and medicine, quite often I can't stand the affects they have on me. I simply can't stand to be drowsy, foggy or affected in any way. Prescriptions are great if they fix what's wrong with you, but all of the side effects are for the birds. I suppose if we all took each drug correctly, we may have less. So, I was particularly intrigued when Women's Health posted a study regarding drug labels.
According to a survey in the Annals of Internal Medicine, almost half of the participants misunderstood drug warning labels, and most ignored the directions altogether. This gallery provides some of the most common instructions you'll find on those little stickers slapped on each bottle and what they really mean.
Can metal jewelry really ease arthritis?
Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health
My great grandmother swore by them. Gleaming copper bangles adorned with turquoise or curvy designs etched into the metal often clattered on her wrist, reaching up toward her elbow. They decorated her wrinkled and freckled skin and distracted somewhat from her enlarged knuckles.
But she wasn't wearing them to complement her eclectic style. She suffered from arthritis in her hands and believed the metal jewelry eased the pain. I don't know that she ever opted for any other form of alternative therapies for pain management or popped pills for it. My Grandma Hall, as everyone referred to her, never was big on consuming much besides coffee and leftover chicken pilfered from a buffet restaurant and carried home in her Ziploc-lined purse.
Whether they really worked or generated a powerful placebo effect remains debatable. One might be better off improving nutrition and keeping up with an exercise regimen. Beyond that, there's a more modern version of the copper bangle for those whose style might be a bit more edgy. Or gender neutral.
But she wasn't wearing them to complement her eclectic style. She suffered from arthritis in her hands and believed the metal jewelry eased the pain. I don't know that she ever opted for any other form of alternative therapies for pain management or popped pills for it. My Grandma Hall, as everyone referred to her, never was big on consuming much besides coffee and leftover chicken pilfered from a buffet restaurant and carried home in her Ziploc-lined purse.
Whether they really worked or generated a powerful placebo effect remains debatable. One might be better off improving nutrition and keeping up with an exercise regimen. Beyond that, there's a more modern version of the copper bangle for those whose style might be a bit more edgy. Or gender neutral.
When it comes to prescriptions, you better shop around
Medication costs aren't set in stone. Recent findings published in the June issue of Consumer Reports show that the costs of medications can vary widely from store to store, even within the same chain of stores. One hundred and sixty three pharmacies nationwide were contacted and asked the costs for three-month supplies of four common medications: Detrol, Plavix, Levoxyl, and a generic osteoporosis medication. The costs varied greatly -- Detrol ranged from $365-$551, Plavix from $382-$541, Levoxyl from $29-$85, and the osteoporosis medication from $124-$306. While some bigger chains, such as Costco, did prove to have the lowest prices overall, many small pharmacies were competitive.
As consumers, it's important to shop around. However, a good relationship with your pharmacist is also important. And, there are benefits to having one pharmacy that knows your prescriptions and can help detect potential problems.
Drug samples not so free after all
When doctors hand out free prescription drug samples to patients it doesn't necessarily end up being a cost savings. In fact, a recent study surveyed nearly 6,000 patients; a total of 2,343 drug samples were given to participants during the course of the study. 80% of those who received free samples were wealthy and/or insured; uninsured and/or poorer patients were less likely to receive samples. Ironically, those who received free drug samples went on to have significantly higher out-of-pocket prescription costs. On average patients spent $166 on prescriptions during the six months prior to the survey, $244 during the six months in which they received samples, and $212 for the following six months. Patients who didn't receive free samples spent $178 on average.
Researchers surmise that the higher costs might be because patients who receive the free samples are sicker and therefore have increased prescription needs. Or, patients who receive the free samples want to continue on the same (likely more expensive) medication rather than switching to a generic alternative.
Mixing medications? What to know
If you're on any type of daily or regular medication, then it's in your best interest to take a look at this article from MSNBC. Whenever you have to take more than one kind of medication, you run the risk of them interacting. Side effects can range from dangerous to simply rendering one of the medications inactive. But either way, it's good to know how to properly take your meds so that you can get the most use out of the smallest dose.
Mention all of the drugs you take -- over the counter, herbal, and prescription -- to both your prescribing physician and your pharmacist to make sure that you fully understand how to use the medication and how to add it to your daily regimen.
Mention all of the drugs you take -- over the counter, herbal, and prescription -- to both your prescribing physician and your pharmacist to make sure that you fully understand how to use the medication and how to add it to your daily regimen.
FDA again weighing drug distribution without doctor's prescription
Should pharmacists be able to sell prescription drugs -- but without a doctor's prescription? The FDA is considering (for a reported fourth time) to allow this across national pharmacies.Those drugs designated by a newer "behind the counter" designation would be available to those who ask, but would not be able to be sold 'over the counter' like many drugs are today.
It's another attempt at pharmaceutical companies wanting more sales in light of massive problems in that industry, and it's at the expense of patient health if you ask my opinion. But then again, corporate greed has never stopped the FDA from making ludicrous moves before.
Doctors need to prescribe more exercise than drugs
Instead of easy-to-prescribe drugs, should doctors be prescribing more exercise to many patients? I've said that for years, and in an odd twist, the American Medical Association and others are now saying the same thing.Perhaps its an overload of patients that cause many doctors to just write a prescription instead of the hard task of telling people to exercise -- who knows.
The new push for exercise should be prescribed to virtually all patients, according to the AMA. That is awesome and it's something I completely agree with. Now, if we could get all these processed foods out of people's kitchens...
Drug wholesaler McKesson sued for drug price fixing
One of the leading pharmaceutical distribution firms in the U.S., McKesson Corp., has just been sued by a class of consumers who feel the company overinflated the average wholesale price of certain drugs in order to set payments in stone handed out to insured patients and Medicaid recipients.In other words, the company used a "price fixing" scheme to artificially set prices that insurers had to pay -- hence, those insured patients had little choice than to pay the requested amount form their insurance company.
I'm not sure how this customer group can prove that the average wholesale price was artificially boosted, but I'll be watching this case with interest. If you're a Medicaid subscriber or an insured person with prescription drug coverage, perhaps you should also.
Just how do you dispose of prescription drugs?
When you're done with those prescription medications (without taking every last one), is throwing them away the best course of action? It's well-known that there are more prescription drug residues in the waste treatment plans across the country, but sometimes the actual drugs are directly thrown away instead of ingested. The problem is that the environment can be harmed by these products just as throwing toxic waste can harm the environment. In fact, I consider some prescription drugs toxic already, but that's another post. If you're on some prescription drugs, what do you do with leftover tablets or capsules?
Don't flush them down the toilet, but ask your pharmacist about a "drug take-back" policy that allows you to return unused drugs back to the place of purchase for safe disposal. In other words, I'd prefer not to have that Vicodin residue in that public drinking water.
Prescription drugs more popular than street drugs with kids?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
I'm sure we will here more about Al Gore's son and his alleged prescription drug charges come next week. Before we get to that, we have to ask ourselves: are prescription drugs being abused more than street drugs these days?Drug abuse experts are stating that prescription drugs may indeed take over street drugs in popularity soon. Oddly, this comes as no surprise: prescription narcotics and other drugs seem to be at the center of drug arrests from what is reported in the media, and I hear about street drugs (heroine, cocaine and meth) less and less. Sure, that's an objective statement, but it's true.
Are prescription drugs safer than street drugs? That probably varies by use and dose, but that is an ill-conceived perception by young people if that is what is thought. According to experts, prescription drug abuse is particularly common among upper middle class students.
Rising prescription drug costs cause consumers to limit use
One thing I've been critical of in recent years has been the incredible costs of prescription drugs. The profit margins on many blockbuster drugs is so high it makes the oil industry look timid.In fact, a new group of studies that looked t 20 years of former studies suggested that the huge costs of many prescription drugs causes many patients to either cut back or stop taking drugs altogether. This, then, puts the patient's health at risk (naturally).
Specific examples cited were higher co-payments, monthly limits and benefit caps -- all of which were believed to have an effect on the rates of drug use. I'm sure that the pharmaceutical companies really do not want to have customers no longer taking their products -- so perhaps price changes are in order at some point for many of their products?
Splitting pills to cut the costs
I thank my lucky stars that I'm not on any medications. But my father takes meds every day to help manage several chronic conditions. The co-pays are an expense my parents have to work in to their budget. Medications and medical coverage in general are becoming a concern even for those who are still lucky enough have employer-sponsored insurance. (In this respect, I'm not so lucky.) The University of Michigan conducted a study to see if the practice of "pill-splitting" can help reduce costs for insurance companies, employers, and ultimately patients.
Pill-splitting isn't a new concept. Basically, patients just cut larger doses in half to increase the amounts of their medications. (As instructed by their physician. Lowering your dosage just to extend medications is never recommended.) Since drug companies don't typically double the cost of medication for higher dosages, this can translate to cost savings.
Certain medications are more conducive to splitting that other. For example, pills that are coated in a time release coating are not good choices for splitting. 89% of patients in the study stated that they'd be willing to continue with the slight inconvenience of splitting pills if it meant a cost savings for them. The practice doesn't come without some concerns, however. The elderly and people with arthritis or other dexterity issues would likely have trouble splitting pills. Also it could result in people accidentally doubling their dosage or halving the dosage of medications that should not be split.
Pill-splitting isn't a new concept. Basically, patients just cut larger doses in half to increase the amounts of their medications. (As instructed by their physician. Lowering your dosage just to extend medications is never recommended.) Since drug companies don't typically double the cost of medication for higher dosages, this can translate to cost savings.
Certain medications are more conducive to splitting that other. For example, pills that are coated in a time release coating are not good choices for splitting. 89% of patients in the study stated that they'd be willing to continue with the slight inconvenience of splitting pills if it meant a cost savings for them. The practice doesn't come without some concerns, however. The elderly and people with arthritis or other dexterity issues would likely have trouble splitting pills. Also it could result in people accidentally doubling their dosage or halving the dosage of medications that should not be split.
More kids taking long-term prescription drugs
"There's increasing use of medication in children the last 20 years, but does that mean we're treating them successfully or that we're overmedicating?"
That speculation by Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, was quoted by the Associated Press in response to a recent study that found more and more adolescents are being prescribed long-term medicines designed for adults.
For instance, the number of girls taking drugs for Type 2 diabetes has tripled in the last five years, and the use of drugs to combat psychotic behavior and insomnia has doubled.
But is it working? Or should we instead be focusing on strategies that don't require medication -- like counseling, exercise, changes in diet, caffeine intake, etc.
We all want what's best for our children -- anything to keep them healthy and happy. On the other hand, especially because adolescents' brains are still developing, maybe we've been too quick to jump on the prescription drug bandwagon.
Do you trust Internet "pharmacies?"
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Have you ever bought prescription-level drugs from a website or from some overseas source? While the FDA may say on and on that these drugs may not be safe and/or counterfeit, the reality is that U.S. drugs are very expensive for some people. What to do?There are websites that have sprung up to take advantage of this need -- and they are growing. The risk is that drugs from these websites may not have been tested by the FDA (which seems pointless in some cases, but they may in fact be worthless as drugs anyway (or filed with sawdust).
Bottom line -- it takes diligent research to find a source you trust -- in the U.S. or not. I'm not advocating buying drugs form websites at all -- but for some that will do this regardless, always do your homework.
Merck's Arcoxia found to be too risky
It seems like the more popular some pharmaceutical drugs become, the more and more we hear about the side effects of certain drugs that make many of us shudder. In that vein, a few high-profile medical heart experts from the U.S. stated that Merck's arthritis drug Arcoxia showed risks that should effectively ban its use in the U.S.In addition, the medical experts stated that Arcoxia posed unacceptable dangers in the 63 countries where it is already sold. Both Dr. Steven Nissen Dr. Curt Furberg concluded that "All versions of Arcoxia should be taken off the market now."
Nissen and Furberg were also an ardent critics of Merck's Vioxx drug as well -- and that drug went crashing down in history just a few years ago after patients starting dying from heart complications while using that drug.
