ethics of drugs

[aubieRx]

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I was wondering if any of you guys ever have inner moral quetions about whether a drug should be given to a patient. Let me explain:

My grandfather has a new arthritis medicine (since they discontinued celebrex) and it makes him feel poorly. I think the medicine might be worse than the actual ailment in certain cases such as this.

Do any of you guys ever have such thoughts in your day to day activities? Does it make you feel guilty?

Don't get me wrong; i know that drugs do a world of good to humanity when they are needed but i think in some cases they may not be needed......

 

[imperial frog]

People are going to react differently to the same medications. If your grandfather is worse off taking the medication then what's stopping him from not taking them, or better yet, discussing this with his doctor or pharmacist in order to see if a drug or dose change can help him. I don't see an ethical issue here...just a poor drug/patient fit.

 

[Caverject]

I was wondering if any of you guys ever have inner moral quetions about whether a drug should be given to a patient. Let me explain:

My grandfather has a new arthritis medicine (since they discontinued celebrex) and it makes him feel poorly. I think the medicine might be worse than the actual ailment in certain cases such as this.

Do any of you guys ever have such thoughts in your day to day activities? Does it make you feel guilty?

Don't get me wrong; i know that drugs do a world of good to humanity when they are needed but i think in some cases they may not be needed......

This is not an ethical issue, more of a drug selection issue

 

[ChemAngel]

I was wondering if any of you guys ever have inner moral quetions about whether a drug should be given to a patient. Let me explain:

My grandfather has a new arthritis medicine (since they discontinued celebrex) and it makes him feel poorly. I think the medicine might be worse than the actual ailment in certain cases such as this.

Do any of you guys ever have such thoughts in your day to day activities? Does it make you feel guilty?

Don't get me wrong; i know that drugs do a world of good to humanity when they are needed but i think in some cases they may not be needed......

I think I understand what you are coming from. As a pharmacist tech, I get alot of people complaining about how their medications aren't right for them. A piece of me wants to give them advice as to what types of medications they can ask their doctors to give them instead (we all know how some doctors like to stay with the same type of medication and prescribe them for most of their patients).

But the problem is time. You have a load of medications to fill out and don't know how long you'll be with that patient...talking to them.

I don't know how many times I feel guilty leaving a patient with something that I KNOW they can change....because I don't have the time to devote to them.


If this is what you mean....than I'm happy to give my two cents.

And if it was just a matter of switching information....oh well...sorry about the rant

 

[ZpackSux]

I was wondering if any of you guys ever have inner moral quetions about whether a drug should be given to a patient. Let me explain:

My grandfather has a new arthritis medicine (since they discontinued celebrex) and it makes him feel poorly. I think the medicine might be worse than the actual ailment in certain cases such as this.

Do any of you guys ever have such thoughts in your day to day activities? Does it make you feel guilty?

Don't get me wrong; i know that drugs do a world of good to humanity when they are needed but i think in some cases they may not be needed......

All the time, everyday.. our pharmacists are constantly asking "why is this patient getting this??" It's a good thing. It's our job.

 

[baggywrinkle]

I was wondering if any of you guys ever have inner moral quetions about whether a drug should be given to a patient. Let me explain:

Don't get me wrong; i know that drugs do a world of good to humanity when they are needed but i think in some cases they may not be needed......

I am a pharmacist who does not like drugs. IMHO much of what we sell is snake oil. Much of what we sell the patient could do without or something else would do just as well at a cheaper price.

However, there is more going on here than simple morality. One must also look at the psychology of drug use as well as the cultural context of drug use.
Some of the polypharmacy I see going on is derilection of duty on the part of the medical establishment. People walking out with grocery bags full of medicine and usually on state assistance. Practitioners are too busy to really treat people, and people feel like they have not been treated unless they get a prescription. America is a drug taking culture. Better living through chemistry and all that rot. Sure, it helps, but many folks cannot survive without a chemical to assist them in everything they do throughout the day.

For some of my chemicalphyles I have a mental image of them sitting on the floor surrounded by all their little drug vials wondering which one to take next -- truely a full time hobby. 😀

 

[aubieRx]

Practitioners are too busy to really treat people, and people feel like they have not been treated unless they get a prescription. America is a drug taking culture. Better living through chemistry and all that rot.

I agree; most people go to the doctors thinking they will get a perscription of some sort. and some of these drugs are very very powerful. The joint in my jaw got irritated once and the doctor perscribed vioxx to reduce the inflammation and that stuff just about knocked me out cold. It was so strong! These doctors hand out drugs very readily i have found.

Thank you for your honesty... However, i still think pharmacists are more of a blessing than a curse (overall).

 

[meg]

Yeah my great-grandmother was on Celebrex for this horrible pain she had in her knees. The doctors diagnosed her with arthritis and put her on meds, but it never helped. Then she fell and broke her hip and they did an x-ray of her knee. Turns out a bolt from a surgery 20 years ago was out of place the whole time causing all that pain. Once it was corrected all the pain was totally gone! And she was on all those drugs when she didn't need to be, just because no one looked hard enough. I hate how some doctors just prescribe a drug instead of really trying to find the root of the problem.

 

[baggywrinkle]

And she was on all those drugs when she didn't need to be, just because no one looked hard enough. I hate how some doctors just prescribe a drug instead of really trying to find the root of the problem.

Physicians are busy people. Many patients refuse to take responsibility for their own health and well being and waste much health services time. When they are allowed to run around without
adult supervision they get into trouble. Then they expect the authority figure to fix it & make it better. Rather than look inside themselves and do what needs to be done - get that exercise, quit smoking, and watch that diet - they look for instant gratification. Thirty years of self abuse undone by taking an expensive magic little pill. In an ideal world Marcus Welby might hold their hand and give them wise counsel. In an ideal world they would have the support of an extended family unit. In an ideal world the patient would take the advice to heart. But we don't live in an ideal world. Cranky old farts set themselves on fire trying to smoke with their oxygen cannulae on their nose and we are stuck with Walgreens.

 

[aubieRx]

Physicians are busy people. .

They damn well ought to be busy people for what they charge! hehe. I am no socialist health care proponent but health care is expensive. One doctor visit for 15 minutes or less cost me 55 dollars today.