Thank you. I had never heard of Marcia Angell.

[astral]

And I don't have time to find out what all the fuss was about right now, (and probably will never know) but this lady possibly deserves our attention:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcia_Angell

_____________
Here is a link to her interview on PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/other/interviews/angell.html

What is it about? Well basically, more people are taking more drugs. "People who are covered have no idea what these drugs actually cost Seniors are one of the few groups who actually know the market price."

We don't WANT to continue down this path, as a nation, I mean. Of course, stuff happens and some people need to take more drugs, but should this be a national trend?

My only recent experience, as a health-insured worker, was the sticker shock I felt when "MY" share of a 10-day supply of pills to kill a stomach issue was almost $600. I had to try two different series of medications to actually get results and this was the second of the two. (The first was only around $160 out-of-pocket for me including the recommended probiotic pills). The pain/nausea came back after I finished the first prescription but the second round of medication was successful and my misery has ended.

So I am not totally anti-medical profession; in this case it helped me, and all I can say is thank God for health insurance(!) and a JOB.

My job now is to make sure I don't have to go back to the doctor....

[SheilaT]

1. Is there any chance that too many people are

over medicated?

Which is a separate issue from the cost of drugs, but still needs to be addressed.