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A new study shows that dealing with side effects of prescription drugs costs almost half a trillion dollars. Every year. It's estimated to be 16% of total healthcare costs.
Cost of Prescription Drug-related Morbidity and Mortality
Watanabe et al.
Annals of Pharmacotherapy; March 2018
Objectives: Applying the most current nationally representative data sources, our goal was to estimate the cost of prescription drug–related morbidity and mortality in the United States.
Results: The estimated annual cost of prescription drug–related morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication therapy was $528.4 billion in 2016 US dollars, with a plausible range of $495.3 billion to $672.7 billion. The average cost of an individual experiencing treatment failure, new medical problem, or treatment failure and new medical problem after initial prescription use were $2481 (range: $2233, $2742), $2610 (range: $2374, $2848) and $2572 (range: $2408, $2751), respectively.
Conclusions: The estimated annual cost of drug-related morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication therapy was $528.4 billion, equivalent to 16% of total US health care expenditures in 2016.
What I think would be hilarious if it weren't so upsetting is that nearly every time I've gone back to a physician detailing the side effects I've experienced, the reaction has been, "I doubt it is from the medication." Even when the side effect is clearly outlined in the insert for that medication, it's something totally weird and I never experienced it before taking that drug.
Yup, no one ever gets that side effect, that's why it's listed as a side effect.
And so what? Any biologically active substance (your body does not know whether its a pharma drug, a native medicine drug, a biologically active plant growing in your garden, an alt medicine drug - all your body knows its that its a molecule) will have one or more side-effects. Because its... biologically active. ie - it does something in your body. A side effect is only a "side effect" because its what you, subjectively, don't want.
Some side effects even become useful. Most migraine prophylactics were discovered as side-effects of drugs being used for another purpose. There are myriad examples of serendipitous therapeutic side effects from drugs designed for another purpose.
Pretty much the only thing you take into your body as a medicine that does not have a side effect is something that has no biological effect at all (on your illness or otherwise). Thankfully at least pharma drugs are extensively tested and examined so their side effects are listed for anyone to find. All there in black and white. And they are monitored after release so any side effects that didn't turn up in the studies, for example those that take longer to develop, are discovered also.
What I think would be hilarious if it weren't so upsetting is that nearly every time I've gone back to a physician detailing the side effects I've experienced, the reaction has been, "I doubt it is from the medication." Even when the side effect is clearly outlined in the insert for that medication, it's something totally weird and I never experienced it before taking that drug.
Yup, no one ever gets that side effect, that's why it's listed as a side effect.
How often have your physicians taken action to report your side effects? In our experience, never.
Sometimes its difficult to even get them to adjust medication dosages to reduce some of those side effects.
Sure I've had side effects, most negative (for me), and a few positive.
Cymbalta gave me such dry mouth I coughed ALL the time, so the doc switched me to Lyrica which caused weight gain. It was trade off, and I was fine with that.
I've had allergic reactions to antibiotics.
The doctors always listened, and worked with me to find an alternative, if available.
The Enbrel I take may increase my chances for cancer. I'm aware of it. To me the trade off is fine, because otherwise I would be crippled at 50.
The meds come with huge inserts outlining the possibilities, it is for everyone to decide whether or not to take them. No one forces you.
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A new study shows that dealing with side effects of prescription drugs costs almost half a trillion dollars. Every year. It's estimated to be 16% of total healthcare costs.
Cost of Prescription Drug-related Morbidity and Mortality
Watanabe et al.
Annals of Pharmacotherapy; March 2018
Objectives: Applying the most current nationally representative data sources, our goal was to estimate the cost of prescription drug–related morbidity and mortality in the United States.
Results: The estimated annual cost of prescription drug–related morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication therapy was $528.4 billion in 2016 US dollars, with a plausible range of $495.3 billion to $672.7 billion. The average cost of an individual experiencing treatment failure, new medical problem, or treatment failure and new medical problem after initial prescription use were $2481 (range: $2233, $2742), $2610 (range: $2374, $2848) and $2572 (range: $2408, $2751), respectively.
Conclusions: The estimated annual cost of drug-related morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication therapy was $528.4 billion, equivalent to 16% of total US health care expenditures in 2016.
From your link:
"It also encompasses the additional medical costs of morbidity and morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication regimens, including medication nonadherence."
It looks like a big chunk of the cost in that article is due to nonadherence:
"The New York Times reported this week on an “out of control epidemic” in the U.S. that costs more and affects more people in the U.S. than any disease Americans are concerned about right now—and it is 100 percent preventable. The culprit? Medication non-adherence. A review in the Annals of Internal Medicine estimates that a lack of adherence causes nearly 125,000 deaths, 10 percent of hospitalizations and costs the already strained healthcare system between $100–$289 billion a year."
If you are going to discuss the adverse effects of prescription drugs, you have to also discuss the adverse effects of not using them.
It would also be helpful to know how much insurance reimbursement has to do with selection of a drug that may be less than optimal for a particular patient.
"It also encompasses the additional medical costs of morbidity and morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication regimens, including medication nonadherence."
It looks like a big chunk of the cost in that article is due to nonadherence:
"The New York Times reported this week on an “out of control epidemic” in the U.S. that costs more and affects more people in the U.S. than any disease Americans are concerned about right now—and it is 100 percent preventable. The culprit? Medication non-adherence. A review in the Annals of Internal Medicine estimates that a lack of adherence causes nearly 125,000 deaths, 10 percent of hospitalizations and costs the already strained healthcare system between $100–$289 billion a year."
If you are going to discuss the adverse effects of prescription drugs, you have to also discuss the adverse effects of not using them.
It would also be helpful to know how much insurance reimbursement has to do with selection of a drug that may be less than optimal for a particular patient.
Explain how not using a drug causes a drug-induced side effect./face palm/ The article discusses nonadherence as an issue, which is NOT a cause of side effects.
And then you pick a completely unrelated MSM article that is discussing a separate issue and pretend that it is related to what is in the OTHER peer-reviewed article... which is discussing something else.
Good lord. The stupid is strong today ...
Side effects are different from nonadherence. Want to discuss people who do not want to take drugs? START YOUR OWN THREAD.
The article is using non optimized medication regimes due to the upfront cost of some medications.
It's addressing the problems of choosing low cost options for medications (not optimal meds), costing more in the long run.
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Anti inflammatory drug sent me to the ER in the 80's with a stomach ulcer.
Opioids in recent years for surgery and then staph infection == constipation, nausea, major fatigue. And then there was the memory, felt like I was losing my mind.
Ibuprofen -- don't what it's doing to me, hope not too much damage if any.
Can't think of any others off hand, but I do as much as possible to avoid taking these drugs. I can manage my pain with what I use...
Last edited by jaminhealth; 04-12-2018 at 10:37 AM..
What I think would be hilarious if it weren't so upsetting is that nearly every time I've gone back to a physician detailing the side effects I've experienced, the reaction has been, "I doubt it is from the medication." Even when the side effect is clearly outlined in the insert for that medication, it's something totally weird and I never experienced it before taking that drug.
Yup, no one ever gets that side effect, that's why it's listed as a side effect.
I don't even chance the drugs, but a friend will take a chance and often does not after she reads the inserts but a recent drug messed her up again....Levaquin generic. She's 90 and still trys to have some faith in the drugs for her issues. By the time one reaches 90 they have some issues or they've lived a great life...I think many issues are caused by interactions over the years. She takes many supps.
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