Pharmageddon - the prescription pill epedemic

By the time I got to the local garage to buy a Sunday paper this week the choice was abysmal. It was a mangled copy of the Times or The Independent on Sunday. I mourned the absence of my favourite – The Observer - but thought I’d give The Independent a go.

The lead story focussed on how Britain has become a nation who expect and indeed demand “a pill for every ill” and how the consumption of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines has gone through the roof.

Every so often, I have a real “Grumpy Old Woman” moment and bang on about how people don’t want to take responsibility for their health.

Here are two quotes I particularly enjoyed:

“Evidence that patients want a "pill for every ill" is supported by the fact that more than 900 million non-prescription or over-the-counter items were also sold last year, and there is growing alarm at the number of people buying drugs from unregulated online pharmacies. Dr Richard Taylor, GP and independent MP for Kidderminster, said: "People now think it is better to take a pill than do something themselves about their own health; for example people want obesity drugs, when the basic thing about obesity is to take exercise and eat only what you need.”

and

“….. some doctors argue that pressure from growing patient expectations is also behind the increase in prescriptions. Dr Chris Steele, GP and resident doctor on ITV's This Morning, said: "People expect to leave their GP appointment with a prescription in their hand, so if they don't, they are very disappointed. If you tell a patient that you are not prescribing something but want them to do 30 minutes' exercise every day and reduce the fat, sugar and salt content in their diet, a glazed look comes over their eyes and it is like to talking to a brick wall."

It’s quite a hefty article but makes for interesting reading for anyone interested in the health care system.

Pharmageddon - The Independent on Sunday