Having suffered from several health related issues I can personally attest to the fact that every doctor and/or specialist that I have seen seems to have an office filled with pens and notepads that have been supplied by certain pharmaceutical companies. However, according to AARP magazine drug makers actually spend billions every year to woo doctors into prescribing their drugs. This bribery includes everything from pizza and clipboards to consulting fees and trips. Everything is done to persuade doctors to prescribe their drugs in a quest for the almighty dollar even if it means losing sight of the patient’s best interests.

The good news is that many doctors are now speaking out against these gifts and favors and the Institute of Medicine is actually trying to pen a conflict of interest guideline for doctors to use when dealing with pharmaceutical companies. In addition, Congress and state legislatures across the country are forming committees and drafting statutes that would require drug companies to publicly declare their gifts to physicians so patients can find out which doctors are benefiting from prescribing certain drugs.

In my own experience, I developed Cushings disease as a result of a doctor prescribing large doses of the steroid Prednisone to combat a diagnosis of Lupus. This, along with osteoporosis, cataracts, and skin problems has been the result of my overexposure to this drug. Unfortunately, my current doctors do not concur with the diagnosis but due to the prior treatment I will forever be haunted by the terrible side effects of a drug I am unable to discontinue.

This was even seen when I sought a holistic doctor to try and wean off the many prescriptions. The only difference was that this doctor was in cahoots with the natural medicine companies and the cost of vitamins and supplements was staggering. When all was said and done, my diet was restricted to organic foods and supplements with no improvement in my adrenal gland function. This meant that the reason I went to see him, which was to get off the Prednisone, was never accomplished.

While this is my problem I know that at the time I was too uninformed to notice the obvious signs of drug company propaganda that filled the doctor’s office even though at one time he had prescribed a combination of some 18 prescriptions. I am hoping that by writing this article that others with health issues will seek more comprehensive care when they notice the tell tale signs of pharmaceutical evidence.

Today there is a building momentum to restore a sense of medical ethics which has been sorely lacking in the last several years. However according to a 2007 article in the New England Journal of Medicine 94 percent of the doctors polled said that they had “direct ties” to the drug company.

My solution was to seek out a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy). He did his residency at the Mayo Clinic and concentrates on preventative medicine, even though he is qualified to take care of acute and chronic conditions as well. His advice: Use as few prescriptions as medically necessary, eat a healthful diet (low in fat in sugar), and exercise. Sound like something you have heard before? Well, overall it works. While I have not been able to wean myself from the Prednisone, I am now down to a basic pain medicine, a high blood pressure diuretic, Prednisone , a hormone replacement, and once-a-week Actonel to try and rebuild my bones.

While this may still sound like a lot of pills it is the original eighteen that I was on when I first went to see him. So remember Vioxx, and the current finding on the cholesterol lowering drugs that have been found to have cost consumers a lot of money and have had no positive effect. In other words, beware of the dangers lurking in your physicians prescription pad and do your own research on possible side effects before subjecting your body to the chemicals (yes, drugs) that the drug companies want to sell you.

Tags: pharmaceutical companies, drugs, prescription drugs, doctors prescriptions, cholesterol lowering drugs, vioxx, actonel, prednisone, lupus, osteoporosis, cataract, new england journal of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, mayo clinic, physician ties to drug companies