The British Journal of Psychiatry runs a series where an author’s view is published in a 100 word article – it’s a neat idea. This piece, by David Healy, really appealed to me –
Little Pharma made profits by making novel compounds; Big Pharma does it by marketing. Doctors say they consume (prescribe) medication according to the evidence, so marketeers design and run trials to increase a drug’s use. They select the trials, data and authors that suit, publish in quality journals, facilitate incorporation in guidelines, then exhort doctors to practise evidence-based medicine. Because ‘they’re worth it’, doctors consume branded high-cost but less effective ‘evidence-based’ derivatives of older compounds making these drugs worth more than their weight in gold. Posted parcels meanwhile are tracked far more accurately than adverse treatment effects on patients.
Heroes Not Zombies 
Healy has consistently demonstrated that he is a man of high ideals who is willing to challenge the established order. If only there were a few more like him.
It is not a surprising aspect of a businesss model that companies wish to maximise profits is it ? New markets in the ‘illness’ industry are often created by inventing labels for social and personal distress (particularly in mental health)
As well as this, the whole medical enterprise seems to be built on ‘creating health’ by screening the whole population and attempting to improve longevity via things like statins and other products .The health care industry seems to have a vested interest in the status quo and there does not seem to me to be much interest in non- pharmacological appraoches in the health service to date. Those that pay the bills should scrutinise the situation and suggest and fund other types of intervention and avoid over ‘medicalisation?
I would suggest electing Des Spence for the role –no free lunch is a worthwhile moto !
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/powerful_rest_and_fluids_industry
treatment of the common cold!! You will like this I am sure!
Ha! Ha! Excellent Ian!
I DO enjoy the Onion! Great wee piece!
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language 😉
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo