Doctors are reportedly failing to properly inform patients of side effects for prescription drugs

We put our lives in the hands of doctors, and we expect to be provided with a health service designed to help and protect us.

As we know, however, this is not always the case.

Sometimes, prescription drugs are required to treat certain ailments, but are usually only recommended if the benefits outweigh the risks. Reportedly, there are alarming concerns surrounding doctors allegedly failing to warn patients about the potential side-effects of prescription drugs they are being given.
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Over-prescribing medicine may be fuelling drug addiction

When we think of drug addiction, most of us think of illegal drugs. However, studies have found that over-prescribing painkillers is starting a potential epidemic of people getting addicted to prescription medications.

Apparently, some manufacturers and marketers may be allegedly going above and beyond to ensure health providers underestimate the strength and prevalence of prescribed drugs. Some suggest that hospitals and pharmacies are prescribing excessively strong doses of addictive medication like opioids, fuelling a public dependency and consequential addiction.
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The U.S. opioid “crisis” and how it may be coming to the U.K.

In 1995, U.S. regulators approved a new drug called OxyContin; a highly effective opioid manufactured by Purdue Pharma. The oxycodone hydrochloride controlled-release painkiller was hailed as a wonder drug for many aches and pains, and drug manufactures have made an absolute fortune selling this drug as part of a $400 billion-a-year industry.

However, the manufactures stand accused of serious wrongdoing that helped them cement their success, namely: deceptive advertising; and excessively aggressive marketing.

That’s what the law firms suing these giant drug companies allege is happening.
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The reported rise in U.K. prescription drugs use

There’s a false perception that drug misuse comes from taking illegal highs. Reportedly, there is also a growing problem with prescription drugs that first swept the U.S., and is now possibly making its way to the U.K.

The extent of the problem is not yet known over here as there doesn’t seem to be enough data. In one example, prescriptions for opiate-based painkiller Tramadol has apparently doubled in the past decade to 24 million prescriptions annually.

So, what are we seeing here? A pandemic of overusing prescription drugs? Growing addictions to prescription drugs? Should we be worried, and what can be done?
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