RE: Do Gifts From Pharmaceutical Companies Really Affect The Way Doctors Prescribe Drugs?
Good article.
Another problem is pharmaceuticals being advertised on tv. I have personally heard physicians on conference calls I've been on complain of patients that come in and demand a drug they saw on tv. When the doctors tell them they don't need that drug, the patient demands it or they will find another doctor.
My unprofessional approach to pharmaceuticals is to get diagnosed by a competent doctor, take the medication as recommended after you have discussed with your doctor what the side effects might be, search information on dietary changes and natural supplements that might help that condition, try only those things that are safe to restore health.
When you are under a doctor's care, If there is a supplement that you want to try, don't hide it from your doctor. Doctors tend to tell patients that they don't need that supplement. But the question to ask your doctor is: "Are there any contraindications for me to take this supplement?" And let your doctor see the ingredients of the supplement. Your doctor can let you know if there is anything harmful in it.
There is a lot of information on the internet. Not all of it is true. Be sure to search for agreeable and disagreeable information from credible sources. Do your homework and read from many sources, and don't believe everything. Your and your family's health is important.
And don't forget to pray.
Your described course of action with regards to all of this, seems like a very logical and smart path to take. I understand how many drugs work, and what many are for. I understand many things better than my physicians and we often spend time in my checkups with me lecturing them on mechanism of one thing or another. Yet still, I don't decide what drugs I need or how much I need, I leave that to them and always try their prescribed course of action.
I don't think there should be drug advertisements at all. Leave that to physicians. The average person lacks the training to effectively self diagnose.
Pharmacists have also told me that it is common for them to have to fix errors doctors have made in their prescriptions. It is important to have a competent pharmacist.
Indeed they are essential to check for drug interactions with other medications already being taken.