Do You Trust the Pharmaceutical Companies ?

[PlateletGal]

You know... the more progress that I'm making on this treatment, the more upset I get with the pharmaceutical companies. In my opinion, they no longer care about curing chronic illneses because they are making billions of dollars from medications that help with our symptoms only. I know it is a negative view... but there are facts to back up my view.

So here is my question:

Do you trust the pharmaceutical companies ?

[deedee332]

I AGREE, the pharmaceutical companies are all about making the money and someone mentioned something about the perks that is absolutely correct!!!  I worked within a medical hospital and we had scheduled drug reps 3 days a week.  The drug reps brought lunch and breakfast on Fridays for all the staff members.  There ought to be a law against it.  

[RobinHood70]

Even more than the pharmaceutical companies, I don't trust the supplement companies or any treatment that recommends supplements primarily.  And of course, with CFS, that's a problem since most of the treatments that seem to have ANY effect are based on supplements.

For the time being, the only supplements I'm taking for the CFS are Ginkgo Biloba 100 mg x 2/day and Magnesium 50 mg x 2-3/day.  I've tried a few others, but with little or no noticeable effect.

[patsy10]

It's all about money with drug companies.  I personally think that govt. should put price controls on them.  They make record profits and people are forced to pay the price in order to survive or live without serious problems.

[VaBreeze]

I have to say I do not.  They are all about pushing a product in order to make financial gain.  They use commerical tv to promote their own drugs making them seem as if they are a miracle cure when all else has failed.  You can go to their websites and you see research they have done, but they don't put all of the information about the failures or negative effects their products may have.  

I also have to say that not only are the pharmaceutical companies doing this, but they give some very good perks to the doctors who will prescribe their products.  I consider this a conflict of interest.

There are some good medications that are very beneficial to someone who is ill or suffering pain.  I am not going to downplay their usefulness, but I do feel that as  consumers we are not told all we should know about their potential harm.  Also, many do not reflect any type of long-term usage factors.

Best thing to do is always check out a medication before taking it and know it's side-effects or potential for addiction.

[PlateletGal]

I think some of these long term disability insurance companies should branch out and start their own pharmaceutical companies. I think we all of a sudden start seeing new cures then ! ; ^ )