We're Sick, but There's a Pill for That (Page 2): The biggest mistake we ever made was abdicating responsibility for managing our own health care expenses. Almost no one gets or sees...

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

sb wrote:

But of course NO drug is tested in the setting of ... (show quote)

The biggest mistake we ever made was abdicating responsibility for managing our own health care expenses. Almost no one gets or sees an itemized bill any more. So we ALL get screwed by the system.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

sb wrote:

A little bottle is almost $500! Abilify

They had some very clever drug names on The Simpsons. I remember Represitol and Focusyn.

steffro1 Loc: Murrells Inlet, SC

Hi Gerry, I worked for big pharma for 41 years and believe me prescription drugs are tested to death! It's the side effects that scare me! It is those vitamins and herb supplements you have to worry about! If we have the worst health why do we have one the longest life expectancies? ;o)

jerryc41 wrote:

As I sit here on UHH, my son has the TV on, and th... (show quote)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

steffro1 wrote:

Hi Gerry, I worked for big pharma for 41 years and believe me prescription drugs are tested to death! It's the side effects that scare me! It is those vitamins and herb supplements you have to worry about! If we have the worst health why do we have one the longest life expectancies? ;o)

I know they're tested, just like weapons-makers test their products. What concerns me is how the results get reported. "Yes, this item works (one time out of 100)."

I get a kick out of the long list of side effects the announcer reads on TV commercials. When I hear "death" as possible side effect, I wonder if the cure is worth it.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Jerry, sometimes I wonder if the physician dont get a kick back from pharmaceutical companies. A few years ago I was diagnosed to have some form of collides and a medication was described which worked fine. After paying my co-payment if found out that the price charged to Medicare was $4,800 which almost limited me out for the year. After a few months I got the symptoms back so I searched for a better price which was from Canada about 50% less. So I emailed my doctor if there are any cheaper medications and she replied the over the counter Pink Bismuth work also. So I got $20 worth of the stuff and it worked just as good as the $4,800 stuff and so far when I had a flare up it never failed. I think somebody is getting rich on such non-sense.

Blue Spark Loc: Sandy Springs, GA

Blame the big electric box your son is watching Jerry.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

jerryc41 wrote:

As I sit here on UHH, my son has the TV on, and th... (show quote)

I take drugs for a couple medical conditions. My doctor has me on low cost, generic drugs. Whenever I see commercials for "better" drugs for my conditions, I only think that they are probably very expensive to pay for all that advertising, and no guarantee they are any better.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

JohnSwanda wrote:

I take drugs for a couple medical conditions. My doctor has me on low cost, generic drugs. Whenever I see commercials for "better" drugs for my conditions, I only think that they are probably very expensive to pay for all that advertising, and no guarantee they are any better.

I hate the non-generics. A friend uses an inhaler, and the company had to change the propellant. That knocked the generics out of the game. Now he pays $25, rather than $5, for his inhalers. Big difference. It will be years before the generics are allowed to start production.

YoungEsqr Loc: Minnesota

Read "The Healing of America" by T.R. Reid and you'll see how low the U.S. ranks with life expectancies compared to the top 15 or 20 industrialized countries. I won't mention which country has highest death rate at birth or the most expensive health care in the world, either. HELP!!!!!

steffro1 wrote:

Hi Gerry, I worked for big pharma for 41 years and believe me prescription drugs are tested to death! It's the side effects that scare me! It is those vitamins and herb supplements you have to worry about! If we have the worst health why do we have one the longest life expectancies? ;o)

lfleischer1 Loc: Garrison, NY

steffro1 wrote:

Hi Gerry, I worked for big pharma for 41 years and believe me prescription drugs are tested to death! It's the side effects that scare me! It is those vitamins and herb supplements you have to worry about! If we have the worst health why do we have one the longest life expectancies? ;o)

Actually according to the WHO the US is number 36 on life expectancy, below Slovenia, Costa Rica, Greece, Malta, Lebanon, and on and on and on. We have the most expensive care and outcomes worse than many second world couontries.

YoungEsqr Loc: Minnesota

I agree with your point and please don't get me started on the rip off of seniors and who wrote the Prescription Drug Program that is part of Medicare.

lfleischer1 wrote:

Actually according to the WHO the US is number 36 on life expectancy, below Slovenia, Costa Rica, Greece, Malta, Lebanon, and on and on and on. We have the most expensive care and outcomes worse than many second world countries.

davidheald1942 Loc: Mars (the planet)

jerryc41 wrote:

As I sit here on UHH, my son has the TV on, and th... (show quote)

I take about 16 pills every day. I sure wish I could just flush them.

hopthecop Loc: salisbury md

jerryc41 wrote:

As I sit here on UHH, my son has the TV on, and th... (show quote)

there used to be career for persons who visited doctors and left samples of drugs...no more, it's all on tv now...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

lfleischer1 wrote:

Actually according to the WHO the US is number 36 on life expectancy, below Slovenia, Costa Rica, Greece, Malta, Lebanon, and on and on and on. We have the most expensive care and outcomes worse than many second world countries.

We need more pills! :D

JPi3.14 Loc: Seattle, WA

My brother-in-law has made a commercial about the drug STRYREECHLINSTRAL. Side effects include sudden dissolving of the teeth,withering of the brain cortex, aggressive clot worm clusters in the ear canal, daytime night tremors,(RSC) rapid snap coiling of the penis,corpse syndrome,foul smelling cauliflower shaped growths on the face and anus, internal tissue liquification, testicular gigantism in men over 55, coughing up bones,(aka Butcher's Hack), loud cracking of the nipples,early onset mortality,unexpected localized calcified growths and weak stream. This drug is available though Juggernaut Pharmiceuticals and you can see the advertisement on You Tube.