Efficiency, Equity, and Outcomes
An article was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on November 3rd 2015. The title of the article was “Trends in Prescription Drug Use Among Adults in the United States From 1999-2012.”
Researchers have found that drug use is on the rise in America, with nearly 60% of our population over 20 years old taking at least one prescription medication. Americans taking at least 5 prescription drugs nearly doubled since 1999, rising from 8% to 15%. They also pointed out that there was an “overarching theme”. The most commonly prescribed drugs were for the treatment of people who had conditions related to obesity. The study found that 8 of the 10 most commonly used drugs are used to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
The United States is known to have the most expensive health care system in the world and yet is ranked worst among industrialized nations in terms of “efficiency, equity, and outcomes”. In other words, under the health care system that we have in place, we are continuing to get more and more sick.
These findings are not surprising to us, because the conventional approach to treating chronic illness in this country is aimed at pharmaceutically treating the symptoms, without correcting the underlying cause. We believe that many chronic illnesses are present because of nutrient deficiencies and imbalances in the body. Over time, system pathways in our bodies will break down if not supplied the necessary components to function. By determining precisely which deficiencies and imbalances are present, we can be specific in our nutrient prescription. Even in a chronic disease processes, if someone is finally given what they need to function properly, the disease process can be reversed.