When the UK government ask for a review into prescription drug addiction and dependence it is very clear that there is a very serious issue. There are very serious issues about most pharmaceutical drugs, and we are rarely told about them! And even the BBC has today (24th January 2018) told us about it, which must mean that the situation is very serious indeed.
The UK government, the NHS, health professionals and the mainstream media are usually too busy promoting pharmaceutical drugs to bother telling us about problem side effects!
Apparently the Department of Health (DoH) has tasked Public Health England (PHE) to undertake what they describe as a 'landmark' review into prescription drug addiction and dependence. DoH said that this has arisen from NHS Digital data revealing that 1 patient in 11 (8.9%) has been prescribed an addictive medicine, which is an increase of 3% over the past five years. It wants to know why there has been such an increase, and will look in particular at benzodiazepine and z-drugs, gabapentinoids, opioid pain medicines and antidepressants. Health minister, Steve Brine, is widely quoted
"We know this is a huge problem in other countries like the United States - and we must absolutely make sure it doesn’t become one here. While we are world-leading in offering free treatment for addiction, we cannot be complacent."
Indeed it is a problem in the USA. It would appear that it is such a serious problem there is even the prospect of pharmaceutical drug company executives being prosecuted. Perhaps this is why these dangerous drugs are the subject of an enquiry when so many other dangerous drugs are not! One PHE director is quoted as saying,
"It is vital that we have the best understanding possible of how widespread these problems are, the harms they cause, as well as the most effective ways to prevent them happening and how best to help those in need. Many will have sought help for a health problem only to find later on they have a further obstacle to overcome.’
As usual, these warning about the harm caused by drugs come alongside reminders of how 'useful' they are - "many of the prescribed medicines are effective in treating conditions such as pain, anxiety and insomnia" we are told, the balm applied to the warning that these drugs are highly addictive, causing dependence and, if stopped, withdrawal symptoms. The balm is essential. Doctors have been prescribing these drugs for decades, with the blessing of government, the NHS, the entire conventional medical establishment, and the connivance of the mainstream media!
Well, better late than never to have a review into these nasty, harmful and dangerous drugs. We will now have to wait to see if the review will focus on patient safety rather than the need to pour more balm on to the oily waters of patient harm.
Many of the comments about the review seem to indicate that what is important is to better understand the drugs, especially in relation to addiction, in order that future prescribing will be safer.
What nonsense! The conventional medical establishment has known for a very, very long time that these drugs are addictive and dangerous. If they didn't they have been either grossly negligent or inexcusably ignorant! This review is probably more to do with doctor's trying to extract themselves from the responsibility of prescribing dangerous drugs to patients, and damaging them in the process.
The UK government, the NHS, health professionals and the mainstream media are usually too busy promoting pharmaceutical drugs to bother telling us about problem side effects!
Apparently the Department of Health (DoH) has tasked Public Health England (PHE) to undertake what they describe as a 'landmark' review into prescription drug addiction and dependence. DoH said that this has arisen from NHS Digital data revealing that 1 patient in 11 (8.9%) has been prescribed an addictive medicine, which is an increase of 3% over the past five years. It wants to know why there has been such an increase, and will look in particular at benzodiazepine and z-drugs, gabapentinoids, opioid pain medicines and antidepressants. Health minister, Steve Brine, is widely quoted
"We know this is a huge problem in other countries like the United States - and we must absolutely make sure it doesn’t become one here. While we are world-leading in offering free treatment for addiction, we cannot be complacent."
Indeed it is a problem in the USA. It would appear that it is such a serious problem there is even the prospect of pharmaceutical drug company executives being prosecuted. Perhaps this is why these dangerous drugs are the subject of an enquiry when so many other dangerous drugs are not! One PHE director is quoted as saying,
"It is vital that we have the best understanding possible of how widespread these problems are, the harms they cause, as well as the most effective ways to prevent them happening and how best to help those in need. Many will have sought help for a health problem only to find later on they have a further obstacle to overcome.’
As usual, these warning about the harm caused by drugs come alongside reminders of how 'useful' they are - "many of the prescribed medicines are effective in treating conditions such as pain, anxiety and insomnia" we are told, the balm applied to the warning that these drugs are highly addictive, causing dependence and, if stopped, withdrawal symptoms. The balm is essential. Doctors have been prescribing these drugs for decades, with the blessing of government, the NHS, the entire conventional medical establishment, and the connivance of the mainstream media!
Well, better late than never to have a review into these nasty, harmful and dangerous drugs. We will now have to wait to see if the review will focus on patient safety rather than the need to pour more balm on to the oily waters of patient harm.
Many of the comments about the review seem to indicate that what is important is to better understand the drugs, especially in relation to addiction, in order that future prescribing will be safer.
What nonsense! The conventional medical establishment has known for a very, very long time that these drugs are addictive and dangerous. If they didn't they have been either grossly negligent or inexcusably ignorant! This review is probably more to do with doctor's trying to extract themselves from the responsibility of prescribing dangerous drugs to patients, and damaging them in the process.
