Table Of ContentDEATH BY
THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND AN OVERMEDICATED NATION
¢ The use of prescription medication is the third
leading cause of death in the U.S.
e An adverse drug reaction is five times
more likely to ki// you than an automobile
accident or AIDS
¢ Don't become the FDA's guinea pig...
the use of newly released drugs could be
potentially life-threatening
e Discover the ‘partnership formed by the
U.S. Congress between the FDA and
pharmaceutical companies
we
Harnett County Library System
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DEATH BY
PRESCRIPTION
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DEATH BY
RESCRIPTIO
THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND AN OVERMEDICATED NATION
Ray D. Strand, M.D.
with Donna K. Wallace
i) Al
NY
Pet
OLIVER
NELSON
THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS
Nashville
A Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
www. ThomasNelson.com
Harnett County Library System
Every effort has been made to make this book as accurate as possibleT.h e purpose of this book
is to educate. It is a review ofs cientific evidence that is presented for information purposes. No
individual should use the information in this book for self-diagnosis, treatment, or justification
in accepting or declining any medical therapy for any health problems or diseases. No individ-
ual is discouraged from seeking professional medical advice and treatmentA.nd this book is not
supplying medical advice. Any application of the information herein is at the reader's own dis-
cretion and risk. Therefore, any individual with a specific health problem or who is taking med-
ications must first seek advice from his personal physician or health-care provider before starting
a nutrition programT.h e author and Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., shall have neither liabil-
ity nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to loss, damage, or injury caused or
alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.W e assume
no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein.
Each clinical story has been significantly changed as to place, person, and sex in order to pro-
tect the individuals concerned. Any similarity to any individual case is purely coincidental.
Any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional.
Copyright © 2003 by Ray D. Strand
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transinitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording,
or other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the
publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Nelson Books titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales
promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].
Scripture quotations are from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE’, © Copyright The
Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.
Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, 7680 Goddard
Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Strand, Ray D.
Death by prescription : the shocking truth behind an overmedicated
nation / Ray D, Strand, with Donna K.W allace.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 10: 0-7852-6484- 1 (hardcover)
ISBN 10: 0-7852-8828-7 (trade paper)
ISBN 13: 978-0-7852-8828-2 (trade paper)
1, Drugs—Side effects—Prevention—Popular works. 2. Medication errors—Popular
works. 3, Drugs—Toxicology—Popular works. 4. Drug approval—United States—Popular
works. I. Wallace, Donna K., II. Title.
RM302.5.S775 2003
615'.7042—dc21 2003013641
Printed in the United States of America
07 08 09 10 QW 5 432
CONTENTS
Introduction vii
PART |: THE “SYSTEM”
. Death by Prescription
. The Drug-Approval Process 16
. A Deadly Partnership 30
Nk . Thwe G reat Clinical Trial—You! 43
PART Il: SYSTEM GONE WRONG
. The Rezulin Story 57
. A System Gone Wrong 74
90
. Clear and Present Danger
103
. Mix and Match: Drug Interactions
118
. Polydoc
oDUCWWO ON
137
. Polypharmacy
a COc S
PART Ill: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH
14. Over-the-Counter Medications 159
12. Herbal Therapies Whe)
13, Protecting Yourself 191
14. Health Concepts 211
Appendix: Resources Doe
Notes 236
Bibliography 244
Index 252
About the Author Pe 4
Acknowledgments 260
This book is dedicated to the most precious of my gifts—
my children: Donny, Nick, and Sarah. You have brought me great joy.
ee
Introduction
I YAWNED WITH FATIGUE AND FELT MY EARS POP AS I ADJUSTED
to the cabin pressure in the airplane. Loosening the seat belt, I leaned
back, attempting to rest my head in spite of the jarring vibration of the
twin engines. Harried events of the past forty-eight hours played out in
my mind like disjointed reruns. I hadn’t noticed the sterile smell of anti-
septic in the air ambulance on my previous ride, but now as the plane
returned to my hometown, | kept swallowing and shifting restlesslyT.h e
air felt tight.
A little blonde girl with big round eyes now lay in a children’s hos-
pital connected to tubes and IVs, fighting for her life. She had almost
died during transport. I glanced at my watch, wondering if Heidi was
still alive. Hers was not an anonymous face; Heidi was my patient—the
child of a close friend.
Wiping the sweat from my brow, I prayed yet again for healing and
for mercy. You see, Heidi was not the victim of a drunk driver or a seri-
ous illness. An adverse drug reaction to a medication I had prescribed
for her was threatening her life.
Nothing in medical school or my postgraduate education had pre-
pared me for this. Feelings of helplessness and frustration washed over
vii
INTRODUCTION .
me, and I kept seeing her eyes pleading, ‘Doctor, please help me.” Was the
tremor in my stomach trom the vibration oft he plane, or a deep shaking
of my confidence? I wanted to quit, run away, never again have to face
another sick child or parents desperate for answers, Iw as exhausted.
I may have dozed off. I’m not sure if I was asleep or awake, but
undoubtedly, | sensed a voice whisper deep within saying, “Come to
Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt.
11:28).“Cast your cares upon Me.” As I repeated these words over and
over, they began to fill me, and I was able to relax and breathe freely.
This personal message of God’s compassion for all who are afflicted has
since carried me through many years of medical practice and now
through the pages of this book.
I don’t anticipate a book such as this being a big hit in the medical
community. But since that evening flight high above the South Dakota
plains, my heart has grown fiercely protective of young and old alike. I will
do whatever it takes to relieve pain and suffering for people of all ages.
Heidi couldn’t read the plaques in my office that spelled out my
awards, licenses, and medical degrees. She was not aware of the volumes
of scientific research I had pored over late at night. She might never
comprehend the politics involved in the lengthy and complicated
processes of drug approval and the FDA’s role in protecting her from
the very event that threatened to crush her. This little child certainly
couldn't recognize the hundreds of medical staff members needed for
her care. Heidi simply wanted to live.
Medical training, much like that of military personnel or policemen
and firemen, teaches us to distance ourselves from emotional crises that
can arise in our work.W e must remain strong, no matter what degree of
trauma we see. Statistics and technical jargon help to dull potential dis-
tress in the medical community, but the opposite reality also rings true.
Medical statistics represent faces. I have based this book on research
statistics, but | have written about real people. Every statistic on these
pages represents a life: a mom, a dad, grandma, a close friend, son, or
daughter. When I cite cases of those injured from adverse reactions to
drugs, I recall the faces and families of my patients who’ve come into
viii
