How Should Drug Companies Respond to People Who Abuse Drugs?
Question by Nick Jinn: How should drug companies respond to people who abuse drugs?
Which approach makes more sense to you? Should drug companies make drugs that are highly toxic if abused (shot up, ect) to discourage their abuse, or should they make drugs that are safer even if abused, not because you want them to be abused but because you believe in harm reduction? If making the pills more toxic turns out to not dissuade everyone from abusing these drugs, it is ethical to be increasing the harm these people experience when that harm could be reduced?
Many binders and time release formulations are dangerous to people who shoot up. They shouldnt be shooting up anyway, but if we are further endangering their lives are we doing the right thing?
Another thing is additives like tylenol in Vocodin and Percocet. Despite what they tell you, the tyenol does not add significantly to the pain relief. Tylenol is good for minor aches and pains and it worthless for moderate to severe pain. It doesnt make enough of a difference. Its put in there however to make people sick if they take too much of the opiate. Too much tylenol will destroy your liver and is more toxic than the hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is dangerous if you take more than you have a tolerance for but is comparably non toxic if you use the right dosage. If you increase your dose of hydrocodone to tolerance, you will eventually destroy your liver with the tylenol rather than from the opiates. Many doctors are now switching to norco instead of vicodin because it contains less of the harmful tylenol which should never ever be shot…but it happens and people die.
So, should we err on the side of preventing drug abuse by making it scary by adding stuff that can kill you, or should we err on the side of compassion and harm reduction even when these people are breaking the law by abusing their medication?
“How about we manufacture drugs that do the optimum good for the patient and let the docs do what they do best”
That would be nice. However, the DEA breaths down the neck of doctors and drug companies in the name of trying to prevent drug abuse, and because of this many doctors are afraid to do their job and end up letter legitimate pain patients suffer. Drug companies are also pressured to cater to the DEAs wishes rather than just focus on making the best medications for pain they can make.
Best answer:
Answer by Well Duh!
How about we manufacture drugs that do the optimum good for the patient and let the docs do what they do best. There are many programs already for the drug abuser, no sense screwing up the whole process to cater to them.
Add your own answer in the comments!
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From Twitter:
LASG backs anti-drug abuse initiatives http://t.co/GHCtkkv7 – by NewsBytesNow (News Bytes)
From Twitter:
Crime and Drug Abuse – #rehab #recovery http://t.co/lNzrXmRN – by drugrehabfl (Drug Rehab Florida)
From Twitter:
LASG backs anti-drug abuse initiatives http://t.co/YySgDRsa – by MobilePunch (Punch Newspapers)