RE: Judge Strikes Down FDA Ban on Ephedra- Other Info

[Guest guest]

Here is some info I gathered from a website.....it is from 1998 but I think

still very relevant....

 

Keep in mind from 1995-present ephedra has been linked to 155

deaths.....that is 15 per year....read the facts below to put that into

perspective....(plain old aspirin causes 1500-2000 deaths / year)

 

Drugs and Their Dangerous Effects

A vitally important story reported in the April 15,1998, issue of the.

Journal of the America Medical Association (JAMA), sums up that a minimum of

106,000 people die each year from properly prescribed medications.

This death toll may be as high as even 196,000 which places deaths from

prescribed drugs between the 4th and 6th leading cause of death in the

United States, just behind heart disease, cancer and stroke.

While only approximately 15,000 people die each year from illegal street

drugs, over 100,000 are killed each year from

Properly prescribed medications.

The real drug problem seems to be the misuse and overuse of both

prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug

Administration say there are about. 300,000 over-the-counter drugs

available. Did you know that 75 percent of all visits to an MD end with a

prescription? Did you know that pharmaceutical companies spend 10 billion a

year to market their drugs'?

The following article contains some alarming facts that you should be aware

of. After reading it over, please share it with your friends. It is part of

my job to keep you informed on health-related matters.

In an average year, 1.6 million people are hospitalized due to the side

effects of prescribed drugs. Up to 160,000 will die from their reaction

(Dangerous Drugs, 1992).

Americans consume 15 tons of aspirin a day, 19 billion tablets per year.

Although thought to be harmless, a single aspirin will

....Be responsible for 1500-2000 deaths

....Be the leading cause of kidney disease

....Cause ulcers, toxic headaches and children's Reye's syndrome.

The average senior citizen gets 15 prescriptions each year (U.S. Health and

Human Services Department 1992).

For people over the age of 60, in one year there will be...(from the Public

Citizen Health Research).

....1 million adverse reactions to prescriptions

....243,000 hospitalized due to drug reactions

....163,000 suffering from memory loss due to prescriptions drugs

61,000 Americans will suffer drug induced Parkinson's disease this year.

32,000 suffer hip fractures annually including 1500 deaths from drug-induced

falls (USA Today, July 29, 1994)

7,600 deaths and 76,000 annual hospitalizations are due to internal bleeding

by non-steroidal inflammatory drugs, most used for arthritis. Forty-one

percent of these prescriptions are unnecessary (Ann Intern Med, 1997;

127:429-438).

23% of the elderly receive repeat prescriptions for more than a year without

seeing a physician.

In U.S. hospitals, a serious drug error occurs in one out of every 14

patients. (Harvard Scholl Of Public Health, Sept. 22, 1994).

Medical malpractice is responsible for 80,000 deaths per year, one every

seven minutes (Public Citizen. May/June 1994).

Between 106,000 and 196,000 people die each year in U.S. hospitals from

properly prescribed drugs. Over 2 million suffer serious side effects.

(JAMA, 1998)

A 13-year study showed that 66% of all non-prescription drugs don't work.

(U.S. Public Health Service, 1986).

4,500 people die each year due to angiograms for the heart, with no evidence

they work at all (Health & Healing)

No studies have shown that heart bypass surgery extends life at all. Most

studies show plaquing of the arteries again six weeks after surgery (Health

& Healing).

At present, there are in excess of 54,000 prescription drugs and 300,000

over- the- counter drugs on the market. (CNN Headline News, Sept. 18,1995).

Americans consume over half of all the drugs in the world today. We are only

5% of the world population. This is at a rate of over 25 million drugs per

hour.

Every third TV commercial is a drug advertisement. By the time the average

child reaches 18, they have seen 20,000 hours of drug commercials such as

" Plop-plop), fizz-fizz, oh what a relief it is! "

Three of every ten patients now request a prescription drug they have seen

advertised. Doctors can net up to $4,000 per patient referred to drug

companies to participate in their studies. Smart Money November 1999.

More than 11 billion is spent each year by pharmaceutical companies in

promotion and marketing, $5 billion of which goes to sales representatives,

" It has been estimated that $8,000 to $13,000 is spent per year on each

physician. This is about $30 million each day. Physicians and the

pharmaceutical, JAMA, Jan. 19, 2000.

If you take just one non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory (Motrin, Datril,

Anacin, Ibuprofen, etc.) drug every four days, over your lifetime you will

have nine times the normal risk for vital organ damage (kidney failure,

liver failure, etc.) (New England Journal of Medicine, 1994).

37% of the people over 60 years are taking five or more prescriptions at one

time.

Adverse reactions kill 73,000 elderly Americans each year (Sacramento Bee,

3-24-91).

One- fourth of all older Americans are prescribed at least one

" inappropriate and dangerous drug " each year (USA Today, 7-28-94).

40-60% of all the antibiotics in this country are misprescribed (Health

Letter, 1989; 5(7): 1-5.

Approximately 180,000 people die each year partly as a result of doctor-

caused injury. This is equal to three jumbo-jet crashes every two days

killing all passengers (JAMA, 1994; 272: 1851-52)

Drug " problems " each year cost as much as $182 billion, kill as many as

198,815 people, put 8.8 million in hospitals, and account for up to 28 % of

all hospital admissions (American Medical News; Jan.15, 1996 P.1l)

Adverse drug reactions add an average of 4.6 days to the length of a

hospital stay, at all average cost of $5,857 (JAMA, 1997; 227(4): 307).

Over $75 Billion per year is spent on treating patients injured from bad

reactions to prescribed drugs. Almost $2 billion of this is spent on

additional prescriptions (Arch Intern Med., 1995; 155: 1949-1956).

Properly prescribed drugs are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

only heart disease, cancer and stroke kill more Americans (Newsweek. April

27, 1998 P.61).

Overall, 51% of the approved drugs have serious adverse effects not detected

prior to approval (JAMA, May 20, 1998).

Up to 140,000 people die annually due to side effects or prescribed drugs

(US News & World Report, Jan. 9, J.995).

University Group Diabetes Program then conducted a large trial. Result: 250%

more deaths in the group of diabetics taking oral hypoglycemic's, compared

with a control group of diabetics. These drugs were killing people fast.

Diabetes, 1970, 19, Supplement 814.

A whopping one out of every 17 times a medication is ordered to be given to

a hospitalized child the child receives the wrong drug or dose according to

a study in JAMA. . JAMA. 2001; 285 (16): 2114-2120.

The National Center for Health Statistics reported 14,843 deaths in 1996 as

a result of using illegal drugs. For that same period of time, The NEJM

1999; 34A: 1888-1899, reported 16,500 deaths as a result of using

anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen- 1,657 more deaths

than caused by all illegal drugs combined. And that does not include deaths

caused by legal drugs other than anti-inflammatory.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in February of 2000

that the use of certain

Psychotropic drugs, like antidepressants and stimulants, in 2-to-4-year-olds

doubled or event tripled between 1991 and 1995.

In 1999, the pharmaceutical industry spent $1.8 billion to advertise

prescription drugs, encouraging a projected 21.2 million consumers to " ask

their doctor " about a drug they were not using.

A Merck-Medco Managed Care report round sales of prescription drugs in 1990

to have generated $50 million; by 1998 that figure had risen to $90 million

due in part to a 30%, increase in the number of users and a 34% increase in

days of use per user.

Forbes magazine ill 1999 round that the top 12 pharmaceutical companies

generated a profit of $27.3 billion.

The United States consumes 90% of the world's Ritalin, production of Ritalin

is up 700% since 1990 and nearly 5 million people in the U.S. - mostly

children are on Ritalin.

Between 1990 and 1996, the number of children in the U.S. using Ritalin grew

by 250%

Up to 30% of cocaine addicts also take Ritalin. New Scientist, April 16,

1998.

Ritalin users arc three times as likely to develop adult use of cocaine.

Susan Schenk Texas A & M New Scientist.

The average family has over 29 different drugs in their home at any given

time.

Every year, people consume 26 billion over-the-counter (OTC) aspirin and

non-aspirin pain relievers, and doctors write more than 100 million

prescriptions for these drugs. NSAIDS's include medications such as aspirin,

ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen sodium (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprox,

dicofenac (Voltaren), indomethacin (Indocin), and many others. We estimate

that approximately 16,500 deaths occur annually in the U.S. from ulcer

related complications associated with their use. The New England Journal of

Medicine, June 16, 1999.

Swiss researchers report that painkillers are probably killing 2,000

patients each year in the UK. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

are causing bleeding ulcers responsible for most of these deaths, they say.

NSAIDs appear to block a coenzyme (COX-1) that protects the stomach lining.

This research suggests that about One in 1,000 patients who take these drugs

for at least two years will die from them. Pain, March 2000. Martin Tramer,

et al., University Hospital, Geneva.

Researchers from the University of Iowa, using a driving simulator to test

allergy patients, report some rather unsettling findings: Those taking a

standard dose of an antihistamine (diphenhydramine) were more impaired

behind the wheel than those who had consumed a few alcoholic drinks. Some

test judged the subjects' ability to match speed of another vehicle and stay

in one's own driving lane. Those on antihistamines also did poorly when

trying to judge if they were too drowsy to drive. Annals of Internal

Medicine, March 6, 2000.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

suggests that calcium channel blockers (CCBs) may have a detrimental impact

on the brain. More than 65 years and older age group, all on blood pressure

medication, were subjected to brain scans and intelligence testing. Those

taking CCBs (and also those taking " loop " diuretics) did poorly on the

intelligence tests. Their brain scans also demonstrated higher " white matter

sensitivities, " a finding previously linked to impaired mental function.

JAGS, December 1997

In any given year 13% of doctors will be sued for malpractice. LHJ, March

2000, P. 102

In a 1991 study of physicians it was found that only 1 in 5 physicians

admitted serious mistakes in patients for fear of law suits, lost licenses

and other negative outcomes. Albert Wu, MD, Johns Hopkins School of Public

Health.

From 1997 to 1998, there was a startling 14.5% increase in prescription drug

sales. National Institute for Health Care Management.

[Guest guest]

Wow! Thanks, Rob! I'm going to save this one!

 

Carole

 

___________

herbal remedies

[herbal remedies ] On Behalf Of Rob Combis

Friday, April 15, 2005 9:14 AM

herbal remedies

RE: Herbal Remedies - Judge Strikes Down FDA Ban on Ephedra- Other

Info

 

Here is some info I gathered from a website.....it is from 1998 but I think

still very relevant....

 

Keep in mind from 1995-present ephedra has been linked to 155

deaths.....that is 15 per year....read the facts below to put that into

perspective....(plain old aspirin causes 1500-2000 deaths / year)

 

Drugs and Their Dangerous Effects

A vitally important story reported in the April 15,1998, issue of the.

Journal of the America Medical Association (JAMA), sums up that a minimum of

106,000 people die each year from properly prescribed medications.

This death toll may be as high as even 196,000 which places deaths from

prescribed drugs between the 4th and 6th leading cause of death in the

United States, just behind heart disease, cancer and stroke.

While only approximately 15,000 people die each year from illegal street

drugs, over 100,000 are killed each year from

Properly prescribed medications.

The real drug problem seems to be the misuse and overuse of both

prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug

Administration say there are about. 300,000 over-the-counter drugs

available. Did you know that 75 percent of all visits to an MD end with a

prescription? Did you know that pharmaceutical companies spend 10 billion a

year to market their drugs'?

The following article contains some alarming facts that you should be aware

of. After reading it over, please share it with your friends. It is part of

my job to keep you informed on health-related matters.

In an average year, 1.6 million people are hospitalized due to the side

effects of prescribed drugs. Up to 160,000 will die from their reaction

(Dangerous Drugs, 1992).

Americans consume 15 tons of aspirin a day, 19 billion tablets per year.

Although thought to be harmless, a single aspirin will

....Be responsible for 1500-2000 deaths

....Be the leading cause of kidney disease

....Cause ulcers, toxic headaches and children's Reye's syndrome.

The average senior citizen gets 15 prescriptions each year (U.S. Health and

Human Services Department 1992).

For people over the age of 60, in one year there will be...(from the Public

Citizen Health Research).

....1 million adverse reactions to prescriptions

....243,000 hospitalized due to drug reactions

....163,000 suffering from memory loss due to prescriptions drugs

61,000 Americans will suffer drug induced Parkinson's disease this year.

32,000 suffer hip fractures annually including 1500 deaths from drug-induced

falls (USA Today, July 29, 1994)

7,600 deaths and 76,000 annual hospitalizations are due to internal bleeding

by non-steroidal inflammatory drugs, most used for arthritis. Forty-one

percent of these prescriptions are unnecessary (Ann Intern Med, 1997;

127:429-438).

23% of the elderly receive repeat prescriptions for more than a year without

seeing a physician.

In U.S. hospitals, a serious drug error occurs in one out of every 14

patients. (Harvard Scholl Of Public Health, Sept. 22, 1994).

Medical malpractice is responsible for 80,000 deaths per year, one every

seven minutes (Public Citizen. May/June 1994).

Between 106,000 and 196,000 people die each year in U.S. hospitals from

properly prescribed drugs. Over 2 million suffer serious side effects.

(JAMA, 1998)

A 13-year study showed that 66% of all non-prescription drugs don't work.

(U.S. Public Health Service, 1986).

4,500 people die each year due to angiograms for the heart, with no evidence

they work at all (Health & Healing)

No studies have shown that heart bypass surgery extends life at all. Most

studies show plaquing of the arteries again six weeks after surgery (Health

& Healing).

At present, there are in excess of 54,000 prescription drugs and 300,000

over- the- counter drugs on the market. (CNN Headline News, Sept. 18,1995).

Americans consume over half of all the drugs in the world today. We are only

5% of the world population. This is at a rate of over 25 million drugs per

hour.

Every third TV commercial is a drug advertisement. By the time the average

child reaches 18, they have seen 20,000 hours of drug commercials such as

" Plop-plop), fizz-fizz, oh what a relief it is! "

Three of every ten patients now request a prescription drug they have seen

advertised. Doctors can net up to $4,000 per patient referred to drug

companies to participate in their studies. Smart Money November 1999.

More than 11 billion is spent each year by pharmaceutical companies in

promotion and marketing, $5 billion of which goes to sales representatives,

" It has been estimated that $8,000 to $13,000 is spent per year on each

physician. This is about $30 million each day. Physicians and the

pharmaceutical, JAMA, Jan. 19, 2000.

If you take just one non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory (Motrin, Datril,

Anacin, Ibuprofen, etc.) drug every four days, over your lifetime you will

have nine times the normal risk for vital organ damage (kidney failure,

liver failure, etc.) (New England Journal of Medicine, 1994).

37% of the people over 60 years are taking five or more prescriptions at one

time.

Adverse reactions kill 73,000 elderly Americans each year (Sacramento Bee,

3-24-91).

One- fourth of all older Americans are prescribed at least one

" inappropriate and dangerous drug " each year (USA Today, 7-28-94).

40-60% of all the antibiotics in this country are misprescribed (Health

Letter, 1989; 5(7): 1-5.

Approximately 180,000 people die each year partly as a result of doctor-

caused injury. This is equal to three jumbo-jet crashes every two days

killing all passengers (JAMA, 1994; 272: 1851-52)

Drug " problems " each year cost as much as $182 billion, kill as many as

198,815 people, put 8.8 million in hospitals, and account for up to 28 % of

all hospital admissions (American Medical News; Jan.15, 1996 P.1l)

Adverse drug reactions add an average of 4.6 days to the length of a

hospital stay, at all average cost of $5,857 (JAMA, 1997; 227(4): 307).

Over $75 Billion per year is spent on treating patients injured from bad

reactions to prescribed drugs. Almost $2 billion of this is spent on

additional prescriptions (Arch Intern Med., 1995; 155: 1949-1956).

Properly prescribed drugs are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

only heart disease, cancer and stroke kill more Americans (Newsweek. April

27, 1998 P.61).

Overall, 51% of the approved drugs have serious adverse effects not detected

prior to approval (JAMA, May 20, 1998).

Up to 140,000 people die annually due to side effects or prescribed drugs

(US News & World Report, Jan. 9, J.995).

University Group Diabetes Program then conducted a large trial. Result: 250%

more deaths in the group of diabetics taking oral hypoglycemic's, compared

with a control group of diabetics. These drugs were killing people fast.

Diabetes, 1970, 19, Supplement 814.

A whopping one out of every 17 times a medication is ordered to be given to

a hospitalized child the child receives the wrong drug or dose according to

a study in JAMA. . JAMA. 2001; 285 (16): 2114-2120.

The National Center for Health Statistics reported 14,843 deaths in 1996 as

a result of using illegal drugs. For that same period of time, The NEJM

1999; 34A: 1888-1899, reported 16,500 deaths as a result of using

anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen- 1,657 more deaths

than caused by all illegal drugs combined. And that does not include deaths

caused by legal drugs other than anti-inflammatory.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in February of 2000

that the use of certain

Psychotropic drugs, like antidepressants and stimulants, in 2-to-4-year-olds

doubled or event tripled between 1991 and 1995.

In 1999, the pharmaceutical industry spent $1.8 billion to advertise

prescription drugs, encouraging a projected 21.2 million consumers to " ask

their doctor " about a drug they were not using.

A Merck-Medco Managed Care report round sales of prescription drugs in 1990

to have generated $50 million; by 1998 that figure had risen to $90 million

due in part to a 30%, increase in the number of users and a 34% increase in

days of use per user.

Forbes magazine ill 1999 round that the top 12 pharmaceutical companies

generated a profit of $27.3 billion.

The United States consumes 90% of the world's Ritalin, production of Ritalin

is up 700% since 1990 and nearly 5 million people in the U.S. - mostly

children are on Ritalin.

Between 1990 and 1996, the number of children in the U.S. using Ritalin grew

by 250%

Up to 30% of cocaine addicts also take Ritalin. New Scientist, April 16,

1998.

Ritalin users arc three times as likely to develop adult use of cocaine.

Susan Schenk Texas A & M New Scientist.

The average family has over 29 different drugs in their home at any given

time.

Every year, people consume 26 billion over-the-counter (OTC) aspirin and

non-aspirin pain relievers, and doctors write more than 100 million

prescriptions for these drugs. NSAIDS's include medications such as aspirin,

ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen sodium (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprox,

dicofenac (Voltaren), indomethacin (Indocin), and many others. We estimate

that approximately 16,500 deaths occur annually in the U.S. from ulcer

related complications associated with their use. The New England Journal of

Medicine, June 16, 1999.

Swiss researchers report that painkillers are probably killing 2,000

patients each year in the UK. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

are causing bleeding ulcers responsible for most of these deaths, they say.

NSAIDs appear to block a coenzyme (COX-1) that protects the stomach lining.

This research suggests that about One in 1,000 patients who take these drugs

for at least two years will die from them. Pain, March 2000. Martin Tramer,

et al., University Hospital, Geneva.

Researchers from the University of Iowa, using a driving simulator to test

allergy patients, report some rather unsettling findings: Those taking a

standard dose of an antihistamine (diphenhydramine) were more impaired

behind the wheel than those who had consumed a few alcoholic drinks. Some

test judged the subjects' ability to match speed of another vehicle and stay

in one's own driving lane. Those on antihistamines also did poorly when

trying to judge if they were too drowsy to drive. Annals of Internal

Medicine, March 6, 2000.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

suggests that calcium channel blockers (CCBs) may have a detrimental impact

on the brain. More than 65 years and older age group, all on blood pressure

medication, were subjected to brain scans and intelligence testing. Those

taking CCBs (and also those taking " loop " diuretics) did poorly on the

intelligence tests. Their brain scans also demonstrated higher " white matter

sensitivities, " a finding previously linked to impaired mental function.

JAGS, December 1997

In any given year 13% of doctors will be sued for malpractice. LHJ, March

2000, P. 102

In a 1991 study of physicians it was found that only 1 in 5 physicians

admitted serious mistakes in patients for fear of law suits, lost licenses

and other negative outcomes. Albert Wu, MD, Johns Hopkins School of Public

Health.

From 1997 to 1998, there was a startling 14.5% increase in prescription drug

sales. National Institute for Health Care Management.