Side effects of prescription drugs is the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer.
Obviously many drugs, like antibiotics, are also saving tons of lives every day. But the pharmaceutical industry is not just interested in saving lives, they are primarily concerned with increasing shareholder value. And that is done by selling as much as possible, using any means available.
This new article from Dr. Aseem Malhotra is well worth reading:
The Guardian: How too much medicine can kill youThe problem can only be solved through legislation. As long as massive fines for research fraud and marketing useless drugs are seen as the cost of doing business, nothing will change. Not when it's this profitable. Not when it helps the responsible people get their bonuses.
They don't even pay the fines - their company does - so it's all profit for them. The system is only encouraging them to keep cheating.
How about putting the responsible people behind research fraud (that kills innocent people) in prison instead? On a murder charge?
That could discourage a few CEOs out there.
