Health Care Reform Project: Prescription Drug Abuse

Health Care Reform Project
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Health Care Reform Project
Prescription drugs are one of the main increasing costs in health care. It has an impact on the population that could not afford prescription drugs, including brand name. The use of generic and OTC (over-the-counter) drugs gave the underprivileged groups in America a better chance for purchase. People believe that the generic form of the drugs do not have the same effect that brand name drugs do. It is a concern that prescription drug addictions rise in the elderly and the younger groups who use for nonmedical reasons. The availability of drugs is one of the causes of abuse. Most people take medicines only
for the reasons their doctors prescribe them. An estimated 20% of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons; this prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem (Harv Health Lett, 2012). This information will explain the spending cost of prescription drugs are increasing, how to control the addiction of prescription drugs better among the elderly and those just addicted, and some ways to cut prescription drug cost. The information will further explain why prescription drug abuse is on the rise, why most of expenses of prescription drugs have a negative impact on health care, and how to control or reduce some of the spending of prescription drugs in America.
Description of Articles
Prescription drugs are a highly regulated industry in the United States.
Strict FDA guidelines to the research, development, testing, sale, and consumption have a direct impact on the supply curve. Drug manufacturers invest years and millions of dollars in research and development of new drugs and own long-lasting patents on new drug production. Once these drugs have passed the various levels of FDA approval, drug manufacturers market these to consumers who begin making the demand curve. Limited supply, regulatory compliance, and research costs put upward pressure on price.
Prescription drugs whose patents have expired are highly elastic; however, prescription drugs whose patents still exist are highly inelastic. Many consumers will substitute generic brands for drugs that have had their patents expire. These generic drugs can be produced at a much lower cost and yet still contain the active ingredients and FDA approval to their brand name equivalent. As a result, supply increases along with demand and puts downward pressure on price. Because there are no substitutes for patented drugs, consumers have no choice but to pay the higher prices determined by supply and demand
markets.
United States drug manufacturers are in constant war to protect their patented drugs from the global prescription drug marketplace to maintain the market price. Many non-FDA approved drugs can be produced internationally and sold at a substantially reduced cost to consumers, essentially creating a black market. These drugs enter the US market often unnoticed by having a near identical appearance. As a result, there is an increased demand for these cheaper branded substitutes where consumers are choosing price over perceived quality. Drug manufacturers, such as Lilly or Merck, spend millions of dollars on legal fees to uphold their patents and ensure consumers a consistent quality of an FDA approved drug at a higher price.
Solution 1
Concerning prescription drugs some people think just because a doctor prescribes the patient the medication it is safe but when an individual miss uses a certain type of drug just because he or she get some type of an effect from it becomes dangerous.
This is a signs that a person is addicted to prescription drugs. Most of the time when a prescription drug comes in a child proof container there is a chance that the medication in the container is addictive it is like the drug heroin or crystal meth. A way that a person could avoid the chance of overdosing or getting addicted to prescription drugs is if he or she would not take any medication that was not prescribed to he or she should go by what the instructions on the individual’s bottle of
medication. If a person or someone sees that an individual needs help with his or her addiction. There is two ways an individual can get help; for instance, there is behavioral and pharmaceutical. * Behavioral shows how an individual can cope by not using drugs by going to some type of drug rehabilitation or attending Narcotics Anonymous. * Pharmaceutical coping is an individual who is addicted to drugs like heroin takes methadone to help him or her, but him or her can take a different type of drug to help him or her with the withdrawals and cravings that he or she have when coming off a drug.
Solution 2
One problem with prescription drugs is lack of knowledge about these drugs. Many people are not aware of what they can do to their body and by having lack of knowledge it is a way that people can become prescription drug addicts. About 16 million people in the United Sates from the ages 12 and older say that they have taken a prescription pain reliever, anesthetic, stimulant or narcotic for nonmedical purposes within the past year, according to a 2009 national survey (Rettner, 2012). It is important that people become more educated on the topic of prescription drug abuse. It is easy for people to put the blame on physicians and doctors for them not knowing about these drugs but that is not right. There are plenty of ways that people can research the type of prescription that they are getting, and they can ask a pharmacist or a doctor for more information regarding the prescription. Asking questions and doing the research on prescriptions that are given will help out by giving knowledge of if a person can drive while taking the medication, if it is safe to take with other medications and most important how to take the medication. There are too many side effects that can affect a person in a negative way for he or she to take prescription drugs without knowing the precautions and information about it first.
Solution 3
Finding solutions to prescription drug costs has been a topic of debate and will continue to be a topic of debate in the United States. An increased cost of prescription medications for individuals has contributed to the largest percentage of out-of-pocket costs from income to date. Governmental agencies and private insurance plans have researched ways to decrease prescription drug costs, only to run into barriers either from pharmaceutical manufacturers or consumer concern for safety.
One solution that has been suggested is the use of generic and over-the-counter (OTC) forms of medications versus brand name. The cost for generic and OTC drugs are significantly cheaper and work the same as brand name medications. Consumers should be proactive with their health care and asking their physicians to write prescriptions so a pharmacy can fill for the generic version over brand or would be just as beneficial to try an OTC agent for therapeutic results. No matter what solution a consumer or governmental agency comes up with to help with increased pricing of prescription drugs, individuals should also rely on his or her own instincts and knowledge to help make decisions. In another term “common sense” always look at the whole picture and weigh the pros and cons of something before committing to any decision the individual has to make.
Conclusion
Prescription drugs are very costly and can be very dangerous; many addictive qualities and easy access. Creating generic forms of the drugs have shown solutions to the high costs of brand name prescription drugs. Also purchasing OTC medications when prescription drugs are not a necessity is a way of cutting costs on medications. It is important for consumers to look at every angle when needing to purchase prescription or non-prescription medications. Another issue that has been discussed is the addictions to prescription drugs and the easy access patients have to them. Two solutions to help with this issue are known as behavioral and pharmaceutical. Behavioral coping shows an individual coping by not using prescription drugs and by going to a drug rehabilitation center or NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meetings. Pharmaceutical coping is an individual is addicted to one drug and takes a pharmaceutical drug to help with withdrawals and cravings. Knowledge of the prescription drugs being prescribed to the consumer is also a vital solution to preventing addictions and allowing for costs to be lower, knowing is there is a generic brand available. Finding solutions to the economy’s current prescription drug problems and ways to avoid future issues is vital in improving the economic issues.

References
Ehow. (1999-2012). Prescription Drug Abuse Solutions. Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/info_7923291_solutions-teen-drug-abuse.html Getzen, T. E., & Moore, J. (2007). Health care economics: Principles and tools for the health care industry (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Harve Health Lett, 2012 Aug; 37(10):8. No abstract available. PMID: 22991736 [PubMed indexed for MEDLINE] https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx?assetMetaId=5be60439-33c5-499e-94f0-f79d5c433026&assetDataId=4944137e-9082-46f3-bab8-10118f823852 Ma, J. (2006). Lowering Prescription Drug Prices In The United States: Are Reimportation And
Internet Pharmacies The Answer? Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal,
15(2), 345-375. Retrieved from http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~idjlaw/PDF/15-2/15-2%20Ma.pdf
Rettner, R. (2012, June 21). Prescription drug problem sparks debate over solutions [Web log comment]. Retrieved from
http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/2748-prescription-drug-abuse-solutions.html