Conventional Medicine the Right Choice?

Is Conventional Medicine the Right Choice?

Americans are turning to a safer, affordable, and more natural means of treating ailments due to the increased number of deaths, addictions and side effects from conventional medicine. Alternative medicine offers a wider range of natural drugs and treatments with fewer side effects than that of prescription medication. The benefit is to the consumer and not to the pharmaceutical companies that continue to make large profits off of below standard drugs. The danger lies in the misconstrued clinical trials that the pharmaceutical companies' conduct and the fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses their biased opinions to approve their "safe" drug.

There is a variety of complementary and alternative medicine, also referred to as CAM, available to Americans that are less risky than prescription medication. "CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine . . . ." (NCCAM). Complementary medicine is often used in conjunction with conventional medicine such as aromatherapy. Alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine such natural herbal supplements, acupuncture, and massage. These methods of treatment are becoming more popular as the prescription of choice rather than conventional medicine.

Deaths from conventional medicine have not been brought to light. Statistical evidence has been researched to prove that there have been an increased number of deaths due to dangerous prescription drugs that should have never been put on the market to begin with. "The total number of deaths caused by conventional medicine is nearly 800,000 cases per year. It is now evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the U.S." (Null, Feldman, Rasio, & Smith, 2006 p.67). With such strong statistical evidence, how can the government continue to let pharmaceutical companies bully them around? Millions of Americans are dieing and no one seems to be concerned about it.

Vioxx, a COX-2 inhibitor, is one drug that is an example of extreme negligence released by the Merck & Co. and approved by the FDA in 1999.