Pharmacetical Comps. The same as street drug pushers, or worse?

[Mia]

(If this is in the wrong forum, please a mod or Sean move to where you think it's more appropriate. Maybe society and Rights?)

I think they are worse. They give sample packs of powerful drugs that addict the brain so fast the person has to continue them, unless it's one that gives bad side effects or make the person worse. In which case, they just slap on another.

That's no different than crack dealers giving the first hit free knowing the person will addict and be back for more and more!

I have a degree in psyc that I never used but am planning on trying to soon. I have a friend with depression that is on 5 meds and still wants to kill herself almost every day. I am hoping to learn enough to help her. She is a good friend and I am sick of her suffering.

Her doc seems to change and/or add meds too quickly. How do they even know which one is causing what? Everyone reacts differently to different ones.

I have gotten into heavy reasearch lately. Too tired to go into all of it now. But I will tell you this part:

Anyone ever wonder why all of a sudden we have all these people going 'postal' and shooting up their work place? And women or men shooting their famalies, then themselves...and women killing their children?

Case after case has revealed that most of these people were on an anti-depressant!

The people who become suicidal and/or homacidle is like 6%. Not much you say? Considering they hand out this stuff to anyone feeling blue for a couple of days, 6% adds up to a lot of people! In any case, 6% is unacceptable. Even if so many weren't on them.

I will post my sources later when not so tired. I just wanted to start a discussion and see if anyone out there has done this kind of research and what you think?

[Robin]

I think both pharmecuitical companies and drug dealers are categories that are broad and need clarification. I don't have a problem with most pharmecuitical companies (besides the fact that they don't let other people make cheaper versions of their drugs and often market drugs that aren't really effective) but there is definitely a problem with some, such as the anti-depressant ones. There's nothing wrong with people that make Birth Control Pills or Cholesterol medicine or beta blockers etc etc.

There's nothing wrong with most people who sell pot or XTC or LSD, but there is something wrong with people who sell crack, most of those people are just assholes.

[Prometheus]

Quote by: Robin I think both pharmecuitical companies and drug dealers are categories that are broad and need clarification. I don't have a problem with most pharmecuitical companies (besides the fact that they don't let other people make cheaper versions of their drugs and often market drugs that aren't really effective) but there is definitely a problem with some, such as the anti-depressant ones. There's nothing wrong with people that make Birth Control Pills or Cholesterol medicine or beta blockers etc etc. There's nothing wrong with most people who sell pot or XTC or LSD, but there is something wrong with people who sell crack, most of those people are just assholes.

You are being pretty arbitrary by excluding crack.

[Prometheus]

Pharma companies are just like any other company - all they care about is making a profit. Is this bad? You can answer that for yourself - it's a subjecttive question. However when you answer that question remember that it's because of these dollar-chasing companies that we have amazing, life-saving drugs that greatly increase our standard of living.

[tman_ndsu08]

all they care about is making a profit. Is this bad?

Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.

[Mia]

Let me tell you, there is an FDA approved drug available by prescription that is identicle or close to any street drug. One the one hand, this is good since it's 'safer' On the other, it's hypocritical to punish 'drug dealers' while ignoring the biggest dealers of all - doc's and pharm comps.

[tman_ndsu08]

Isn't it true that cocaine and oxycotin (I assume that's the drug you're talking about) are chemically very close?

Aren't they both derived from oxycodone or something like that?


Anyway, oxycotin is safer since when you crush it, it inerts itself.

[Lilith]

Oxycontin is a synthetic form of Morphine. By synthetic I mean it's made in a lab not from nature aka the poppy plant. It's highly addictive like Mscontin(Morphine), Vicodin, etc. It's called "Hillybilly Heroin" and for good reason. Most addicts crush it, dilute it down and inject it. I think it's cheaper for paitents so that's why docs prescribe it, hence they get it and then sell the pills *starting at* 5 bucks a tab. The higher the dose the higher the price, usually in increments of $5. How I know, I'm a nurse, deal with these kinds of meds all the time, espacially for cancer paitents, we have to keep them under triple lock and count them from shift to shift. You kinda get an informal education on the street value of these drugs working in the medical profession. I've had friends of friends of friends approach me and offer me hundreds of dollars for one little bottle of Morphine elixer. When I turn them down, they sometimes resort to begging, it's all very sad. These highpower pain meds should be used as a last resort, when nothing else works to relieve pain, IMO, because it's awful to watch someone get an addiction to these drugs and then seek them out all the time.

[tman_ndsu08]

Why don't they simply invent a way to "turn off" pain without any other side effects?


Isn't it true that some people are born without the ability to feel pain? Why not study their brains and try to make something that would give that effect to other people?

[Prometheus]

Quote by: tman_ndsu08 Why don't they simply invent a way to "turn off" pain without any other side effects? Isn't it true that some people are born without the ability to feel pain? Why not study their brains and try to make something that would give that effect to other people?

It is not *nearly* that simple. Even if we could find a neural difference in those who could not feel pain, we have no ability to affect the brain with that kind of precision. Besides - pain is important for daily life. There's a reason we feel pain. It would be nice for those with chronic pain though.

[Robin]

tman, oxycontin doesn't make itsself inert when it's crushed, I don't even know how such a mechanism would be possible.

And there is something wrong with solely following profit if your profit causes direct harm to your customers. Hitler just wanted profit, he just happened to do it in a bad way.

And I'm not being arbitrary in singling out crack dealers. They are probably the worst. Heroin dealers can be bad, high level cocaine dealers can be bad, but crack dealers are the ones who have done the most damage to humans.

[Prometheus]

I invoke Goodwin's Law!

[tman_ndsu08]

Quote by: Robin tman, oxycontin doesn't make itsself inert when it's crushed, I don't even know how such a mechanism would be possible.

Maybe inert is the wrong word. But when it's crushed (to defeat the time release mechanism), it the oxycotin no longer takes affect.

And there is something wrong with solely following profit if your profit causes direct harm to your customers.

There is something wrong with it: you'll lose all your customers when they figure out you don't care if you harm them or not. The market is self regulating.

[tman_ndsu08]

Quote by: Prometheus It is not *nearly* that simple. Even if we could find a neural difference in those who could not feel pain, we have no ability to affect the brain with that kind of precision.

Maybe.

Who knows in the future.

Besides - pain is important for daily life. There's a reason we feel pain.

I agree. But there are those who feel it everyday for no good reason and shouldn't have to.

It would be nice for those with chronic pain though.

LOL!

You thought I meant that all people, regardless if they're in a state of pain or not, should be rendered unable to feel pain?!

Obviously I meant for it to be used only for those who feel chronic pain.

[italiangm]

Quote by: Prometheus I invoke Goodwin's Law!

Do you mean Godwin's Law?

[RickSp]

I am amazed this absurb thread is still continuing. Sure pharmacetical companies are worse than drug dealers. That's why childhood diseases don't kill millions like they used to and thousands of HIV positive folks aren't contracting AIDS. Damn those evil drug companies. How dare they!

[Prometheus]

Quote by: RickSp I am amazed this absurb thread is still continuing. Sure pharmacetical companies are worse than drug dealers. That's why childhood diseases don't kill millions like they used to and thousands of HIV positive folks aren't contracting AIDS. Damn those evil drug companies. How dare they!

That's what I've been saying throught this whole thread. No one is listening.

[tman_ndsu08]

We're just not as smart as you.