Big Pharma Complacency and the Drug Crisis
Factors influencing the ongoing drug crisis range from how accessible drugs have become over the years to how often they are prescribed in doctors’ offices across the county. Some may fail to consider the pharmaceutical company’s influence in today’s day and age. For years, there has been speculation that pharmaceutical policies neglect to properly serve communities the way they should. Perhaps there was a time when pharmaceutical companies focused on providing care to the general public.
Still, it’s become very apparent that the primary focus for most companies now is monetary. It’s not surprising that big companies need to focus on profit to survive, but it should be standard practice that human value is placed high above monetary value, and that does not seem to be the case any longer.
Additionally, it has to be asked if the continual growth of the pharmaceutical influence on the 21st century perpetuates the drug crisis even further. At the Lakehouse Recovery Center, we prioritize individualized treatment for every client who walks through our doors. If avoiding addiction recovery medication, along with holistic care, is the type of treatment you are looking for, then we encourage you to reach out today. We can help create a treatment plan that’s best for you.
Pharmaceutical Take Over
Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost in the United States over the past two decades alone. Many of these deaths have been due to illegally and illicitly manufactured drugs. However, addiction to drugs like heroin or opioids often begins with prescription drugs. The high volume of individuals and overdoses resulting from prescribed painkillers warrant questioning the integrity of the companies supplying the drugs.
It appears that the interests of pharmaceutical companies seem to decline once the pills return the desired profit. If these companies cared more about the people than the revenue of the product they’re selling to those people, they would most likely make more of an effort to reduce the problem. Pharmaceutical companies could donate to organizations that treat and educate about addiction or provide other kinds of resources to those in need. If these companies’ intentions were pure, they might also spend more time educating consumers on the dangers of drug use and caution when deciding to use.
It’s rare, though, that we see this. Mainly, we witness big pharma taking more initiatives to roll out their products than prevent people from becoming addicted to them. However, pharmaceutical companies are not the only ones who should take responsibility.
How May Doctors Be Part of the Problem?
Pharmaceutical companies may hold much of the responsibility for the mass distribution of prescription drugs, but doctors hold some of that responsibility as well. After all, they are the ones with the prescription pads, aren’t they? As the drug crisis has continued, some doctors have become more cautious about their prescription-writing habits, whether due to moral obligations or lawsuits brought against them and their practices. Doctors take an oath to do no harm, and they should be more diligent when considering prescribing addictive medications to patients.
One best practice doctors can adopt is questioning a family’s history more in-depth. If someone comes into a doctor’s office with an injury, chronic illness, or an ailment that causes severe pain, a doctor may be quick to prescribe some sort of pain medication. However, if someone’s parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle have suffered from or is suffering from addiction, it may be prudent to err on the side of caution. A holistic and alternative treatment method may be a more challenging, long road, but if it prevents the chance of addiction, it’s well worth it.
How We’ve Begun to Combat Big Pharma
While many have taken strides in decreasing the influence big pharma has over us, much more work is to be done. Despite this world of ever-present development, more and more people are turning to some tried-and-true methods to promote healthy living. Whether it’s just the trend right now or not, people are getting serious about practices like yoga, herbal treatments, meditation, mindfulness-based techniques, and even acupuncture. Acupuncture has been successful in treating several different illnesses, even ones as serious as cancer.
Some people need to find a balance between alternative methods and medications. Big pharma doesn’t necessarily need a takedown, but it does need reform. Too many lives are lost because of access to prescription drugs. Then, when people can no longer get access to those prescriptions, they turn to other substances that are illegal, illicit, and highly dangerous. If you or someone you love has been affected by the distribution of pharmaceutical company’s medications, you are not alone. The Lakehouse can help you on your path to recovery today.
Pharmaceutical companies have been producing and distributing highly addictive pain medications for decades. With the number of deaths by overdose increasing every year, it’s only natural for us to question the integrity of these companies in terms of their agenda. If they were concerned about the increasing number of deaths resulting from drug overdoses, they would be doing more to slow the distribution of drugs across the county. Still, that distribution doesn’t seem to be slowing. Slower distributions lead to less revenue, and it’s rare to see major companies and corporations put people over profit. If you or someone you love has been negatively affected by the impact of big pharma, avoiding medications along with a holistic approach to treatment may be of interest to you. Our individualized treatment programs at the Lakehouse Recovery Center can provide the treatment you need in the way you need it. To find help, call (877) 762-3707 today.