...Progress: Drugs In The Health Care Market This is a review of the above fore mentioned article. The U.S. health care system in the new century comes with good and bad news both stemming from the same source; medical innovation. The good news: life expectancy and health status in the United States are improving; infant mortality is declining and disability rates among the elderly have been falling. These improvements all point to one source: major pharmaceutical breakthroughs in the 1990s. The bad news: This medical progress is expensive meaning better medicine increases cost in the long run. Debate over our specific choices seems always to devolve back to a list of competing alternatives: restrict patient access; shift costs to the recipients of progress; shift risk to providers; or share through higher premiums the cost increases. . Unnecessary Regulations That Increase Prescription Drug Cost This is a review of the above fore mentioned article. As drug coverage has become more widespread, so too have calls to impose additional regulations on drug plans and the firms managing them. A reason sometimes given for increasing drug plan regulation is the need for transparency to prevent drug plan managers from excessive mark-ups for drugs at the expense of patients and health plans. In the pursuit of protecting consumers, there are frequent calls for state and federal lawmakers to enact laws that hamper the efficient management of prescription drug benefits...
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...individual experimenting with drugs for the very first time. According to National data 2.5 million youths in America have misused or abused prescription drugs in their lifetime, reporting that one in five high school students have at least taken one prescription painkillers without a doctor’s prescription during adolescence, More disturbing yet, is the fact that they 47% of adolescents admit getting their drugs from their own medicine cabinets at home, and nearly two-thirds of youths aged 12–17 who abused pain medications admit to having received them from friends or family members. Experts say youths are in greater danger of ingesting unfamiliar or unidentified pills when sharing...
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...Medications can be taken in oral which would be a pill or liquid, sublingual in tablet or drops, topically in cream or ointment, inhalation, drops etc. The type of medication and the route will have an effect on where the drug will enter the body and what areas the drug will focus on. In this paper I will explain how antidepressants work with chemicals in the body and also the good and bad of taking antidepressants. About 20 million people in the United States suffer from some form of depression (Schimelpfening, 2012). Depression occurs in someone when endogenous chemicals in the brain are used by the central nervous system to help communicate signals from one area to another. This imbalance in neurotransmitters, such as Serotonin, Dopamine and Norepinephrine plays a role in clinical depression. Decreased production of these neurotransmitters, a lack of receptor sites able to receive these neurotransmitters, and the inability of these neurotransmitters to reach a receptor site plays in an important factor in depression. The most common and effective drug used for people with depression are Tricyclic antidepressants. This medication works by increasing the release of norepinephrine. According to National Science Digital Library, the action of the Tricyclic drugs depends on the central ring of the atoms which looks like the shape of a twist. The side chain must have at least 2 carbons. The amine group is either tertiary or secondary. The goal of tricyclic...
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...Effects of Street Drugs Krystal Colosimo Mohawk Valley Community College Abstract This paper explores the psychological effects of street drugs, classified as legal, illegal and controlled substances. The legal drugs that I cover are caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. The illegal are marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin. I will also discuss controlled substances, but mainly in reference to prescription pills. I discuss the short-term and long-term effects of all the drugs I cover as well as withdrawal symptoms. I will close with drug abuse treatment help and support and follow with my conclusion. Psychological Effects of Street Drugs A street drug is defined as any substance taken for nonmedical purposes. They can be legal or illegal and are comprised of amphetamines, barbiturates, opiates, psychoactive drugs and as well as natural sources. A drug is a chemical substance that has known biological effects on humans. For this paper I will be discussing drugs under the three categories of being legal, illegal and controlled substances. The most common legal drugs I will discuss are caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. The more common illegal drugs that I will discuss are marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin. There are numerous controlled substances as well and it is defined as a drug or chemical that is regulated by the government. For controlled substances I will only be covering prescription pills. Legal Drugs Caffeine is a...
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...Americans didn’t go to the drug store and pick up plastic pill bottles; they improvised with what they had and created various new medicinal techniques. Practices like these are starting to become more popular every day. It can range to anything from ancient Chinese recipes to the everyday chiropractor. They are environmentally friendly and for most of them are much cheaper than prescription drugs. They focus on treating the whole person not just physically but spiritually as well. It gives the individual receiving the medicine more attention, Prescription drugs were not made to fit just one person’s individual needs. So when consumers use an alternative medicine they can experiment and see what suits them best. They reduce their level of stress by doing something other than taking pills by doing things like, yoga and meditation. Many people consider medical marijuana one of these drugs; it is used to treat glaucoma, epileptic seizures and can even increase lung capacity. Alternative medicine is being used all around the world. Many people don’t even realize what alternative medicine really is. At the cobble health center in Brooklyn New York there’s a woman there by the name of Elizabeth Johnson. She is a patient in the Alzheimer’s unit. She has an advanced form of dementia, this used to cause her to have episodes. Previously the staff at Cobble hill health center would put her on an antipsychotic drug. The usage of antipsychotic drugs has risen in the last few years...
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...Research Paper Direct to Consumer Marketing of Prescription Drugs Abstract Advertising of prescription drugs remains a controversial topic due to the American citizen health and the doctor-patient relationship. There have been many changes in the federal regulation of print and broadcast advertising over the past twenty years. This has been a gray area of regulatory developments since the original Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906, which limits the informal and indirect marketing of pharmaceutical drugs. Other than the voluntary decision to follow the AMA Code of Ethics, no formal regulation has been enforced. Direct to Consumer Marketing of Prescription Drugs My research paper will show both sides in the lively debate of Pharmaceutical companies directly marketing to the American public. On one side of this debate is the argument that the growth of Direct-to-Consumer advertising has changed the role of a physician in reducing his/her authority. It is also concerning that the non-medically trained average American absorbing the information on benefits and risks from Direct to Consumer advertising instead of trusting the medically trained physician. The other side of this debate is a lack of public awareness of Pharmaceutical Drug options for medical conditions. Studies have shown mixed results and in 1985, the FDA gave notice in the Federal Register claiming jurisdiction of the Direct to Consumer advertising of prescription drugs so it would provide the American consumer...
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...Pain Killers: A Deadly Addiction Prescription pain killers help millions of people manage chronic pain due to illness and disease every day. These medications make it possible for people with chronic diseases, injuries or cancer to continue doing the things they enjoy instead of cringing from horrible pain. They also allow comfort for those close to passing and help others heal after surgery. Despite the benefits, millions of prescription pain medications are being over prescribed and misused, creating an epidemic of addicted individuals and causing thousands of deaths each year. There are two types of painkillers: narcotic opioid drugs and over the counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Aspirin works by going to the site of the pain and blocking pain signals from being sent to the brain. Although we may still have an injury, our body isn't letting our brain know it. Opioids work in a similar manner by blocking pain signals to the brain; however, they also alter the way the pain feels to the brain. This can translate to a feeling of euphoria, reduced inhibitions and a feeling of wellbeing. It is these feelings that drive people to misuse opioids. According to a 2010 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 7 million people in the United States -- or 2.7 percent of the population -- annually abuse prescription drugs (SCIUTO, 2013). Prescription painkiller overdoses killed nearly 15,000 people in the US in 2008. This is more than 3 times the...
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...showed his perseverance to break his drug addiction. For these things why would Nebraska not be proud of Jason? Jason Peter deserves the respect and acknowledgement from Nebraska. A main reason they should be proud of Jason is, because he is an outstanding athlete and contributed too many wins at Nebraska .Any person that helps win football games has to be respected. According the Kirk Herbstreit, “the Huskers are aiming for their third national title in four years, thanks to--as usual--a high-level option offense (keyed by Scott Frost) and a stout defensive front four (led by end Grant Wistrom and tackle Jason Peter)” (Herbstreit 21). This shows that Jason was a large part of the Nebraska defense; even rough Jason’s rough times they should still be proud of him. Also in the book it shows that he was respected “with us as captains we can’t lose” (Peter 55). This show that coach Osborne felt like he trusted and respected Jason in that he let him be a captain. Usually the school is proud of the captain of the team, because he is the leader and shows good examples. In this case Jason shows good behavior at Nebraska, which keeps a good word with the university. Jason should not be judged by what happened to him, because it can happen to anyone. Also they should be proud of Jason because, he made it to the NFL; he added another first round draft to Nebraska football history. Even though Jason was drafted to a young team that wasn’t very good he still should get respect for that...
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...marijuana as a harmful drug. It is really obvious that the others, who don’t do drugs at all, still look down upon those who only smoke marijuana. Why is that? Do they not know that marijuana is actually helpful for cancer patients, people with extraordinary pain, and severe cases of depression? Marijuana is the only drug that is natural, (if not laced with another drugs), that can be used for natural causes. Causes such as muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, nausea from cancer chemotherapy, weight loss caused by chronic illness, such as HIV, or nerve pain, seizure disorders, Crohn's disease, and people with poor appetite. It is known that marijuana, is used to treat nausea and improve appetite. It can be used for people with anorexia issues. Now, why is marijuana not legal? Studies from doctors show that marijuana is not harmful at all. In fact a lot of doctors recommend it for people with severe pain and depression. About twenty-three states have finally legalized marijuana for prescription patients. Other states allow un-prescribed patients to consume it. However, you can only carry a certain amount according to state laws. The majority of our society today would say pain may be the main reason people ask for a prescription. Most of them could be from cancer, constant headaches, or long-term conditions. So should marijuana be legalized? I would assume that the reason why drugs are even to be made prescriptions is to avoid others to abuse the drugs, which is understandable...
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...Tackling Top Teen Problem – Prescription Drugs Reaction Paper 1 By Jessica Lieurance Being the parent of an 8, 9, and 10 year old, I was in total shock reading this article. You can imagine the fear that struck my gut when I read kids are starting to abuse prescription drugs as early as the age of 12. How does a 12 year old get access to prescription drugs? Well, the answer to this question was less shocking but equally disturbing. This article was an eye opener and a learning lesson for me. Not only do we, as parents, have an obligation to be involved in our children’s lives, we also must gain awareness to the dangers that surround them outside of our homes. Everyone knows that illegal drugs are a threat to our children on a daily basis. We are all taught in elementary school to “just say no”. Kids are told all kinds of horror stories about drug deals gone wrong, chemicals added to the drug that were lethal, and the physical effect of the drugs. Not once in school do I remember being warned about prescription drugs. After all, who wants to confuse a child by telling them that the medicine a doctor gives them can be equally harmful as the drugs sold on the street? However, failure to inform our children of the dangers of abuse of prescription drugs leads children to trust that these drugs are not harmful to them. Doing so results in children believing illegal drugs are bad and can hurt you, but prescription pills are good and were made to “fix” you. Unfortunately, children...
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...Drug Addiction Leah Richards PSY326: Research Methods Maleka Hillsman August 27, 2012 The topic that caught my attention when I was reading my choices was “Drug Addiction”. Drug addiction is something that should not be taken lightly by anyone who has a family member or friend with this issue. We often wonder how and what make people turn into being a drug addict. “Drug addiction is rooted in long-term adaptations within the brain that promotes escalating drug use, difficulty quitting, and relapse—all despite the awareness of negative consequences.” With that being said I have always wondered what keep a person going back to their addiction and why can’t they quit. When I read the article and it mention how drug addiction is rooted a light bulb clicked in my head. When something is rooted inside of you whether it is for good or bad it is hard to break. “It was previously hypothesized that addiction was caused in part of an imbalance between an impulsive system that governs appetitive motivation and is driven by immediate rewards on the one hand and a reflective system that regulate and control impulsive according to future pleasurable or aversive consequences.” With this study they were able to predict the hypothesis and see what causes addiction to happen in some cases. I think that the method used in order to see how people become an addict was efficient and it was very precise that made the validity of the experiment a success. It is important to...
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...A Prescription or Gym Membership? They say you can never be too rich or too skinny. The quest for a diet that will finally shed those pounds is a never ending battle for many people. There are many options when choosing a plan to lose weight. Taking a pill that will magically shed the weight versus hours in a gym and monitoring calories appeals to many people. If the traditional method of losing weight through diet and exercise does not produce results, a non-traditional method could be the answer. There are questions to ask before choosing a method. How much weight loss is needed to improve health? How quickly is the weight loss needed? What lifestyle changes are required? How much can I afford financially? Weight loss occurs when the calories burned are greater than the calories ingested over a period of time. Two of the most common prescription or over-the-counter drugs are appetite suppressors and fat absorption inhibitors. There are also many natural herbs and supplements that claim to shed fat or increase metabolism. The natural way to lose weight is through diet and exercise. Limiting calories and increasing physical activity will cause a person to lose weight. Prescription drugs require doctor visits and are regulated by medical staff. Supplements can be purchased over-the-counter and are rarely approved by the Federal Drug Administration. Losing weight with diet and exercise on your own can be the least costly method. Taking a walk outside in a park...
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...Drugs and technology While it is almost impossible to get an actual percentage of people affected by drug addiction, the use continues to grow. Most people will admit to trying some form of illegal drug, but addicts have a hard time even coming to grasp that they are addicted. Our society has been struggling with addiction for hundreds of years. Those affected vary in age, and are not limited to adults. According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2011), there are approximately 27 million Americans today that either use illicit drugs regularly or are “heavy drinkers”. Sixteen million of these are in need of immediate treatment for their addiction problem. By the age of 18 almost 12 percent of young people in America are addicted to drugs. Statistics also show that about 70 percent of users who are employed contribute significantly to absenteeism in the work place, workplace accidents, workplace injuries, decreased productivity, increased insurance premiums, and large employee turnover and violence in the workplace. The total estimated cost to our society in America for substance abuse exceeds 250 billion dollars per year. Addiction has become prominent as one of the worst health and social problems in the United States today. (coachinginternational.com) Through the last two decades, addiction rates in the United States have increased significantly because of the advancements in Information Technology. Social networking, internet access...
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...Prescription / Oxymoron by Schoolboy Q The song I’m choosing to dissect is Prescription / Oxymoron by Schoolboy Q. This song contains a lot of deeper meanings and his lyrics express his struggle with his prescription drug addiction. Initially, Schoolboy Q was just trying to sell drugs in order to support his daughter and give her the best chance at life that he could. The first line in this song, “Prescription drugs, show me love” is intended to show that Schoolboy Q was turning to selling drugs in order to make a better life and provide for his family, however, the stress of selling the drugs eventually got to be too much for him and he mixed business with pleasure and got addicted to them in order to try to numb his own mental and physical handicaps. The song doesn’t narrate that substances are being used in the song but he does note how he’s felt while using and on the drugs. The lyrics that portray this best is “my chin press on my chest, my knees press the floor, I’m blanking out, woke up on the couch, dinner on my shirt, my stomach hurts”. The drugs are physically harming his well being and making him sick all over from the pains in his chest to the fact that he can’t even stand up and is on his knees trying to get a grasp on reality. Multiple slang terms are thrown in throughout the songs. Q refers to “Xannies” and needing “wood for the trees” which is slang for the wrappers that are used to roll blunts to smoke weed with. Q really doesn’t seem to leave any drug...
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...According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of national drug overdose deaths is 14.68% (Taft). Nationally, that is a high percentage. However, there is a drug called Naloxone that can save overdose victims. Some people believe that Naloxone is a waste of resources, but a human life is never a waste of. Naloxone should be available to overdose victims and their families. To begin with, Naloxone is cheap, effective, and safe. Naloxone, or Narcan, is a prescription drug found in most pharmacies. In order to buy this drug in most states a person would have to have a prescription from a physician. Naloxone is mostly used by emergency room doctors, paramedics, and advanced EMTS. (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Naloxone has three different forms: nasal spray, a pre loaded injectable shot, and a vial (Taft). It is relatively cheap- costing only twenty dollars (National Institute on Drug Abuse). This is not a large sum of money for a drug that saves lives. Naloxone works very effectively and quickly. It takes two to three minutes to activate and the effects last up to ninety minutes. This process happens by binding the brain’s opioid receptors and this basically switches them off. Naloxone does not cure an overdose, but it does slow down the process so addicts can...
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