Prozac Causes More Deaths than Any Other Drug Essay -- Expository Caus

Prozac Causes More Deaths than Any Other Drug    Something is wrong with the focus on the "drug war" when 200,000 people die each year from prescription drugs, yet only 20,000 die from illegal drug use. Adverse reactions of prescription drugs are the third leading cause of death in America. In fact, people have a seven times greater chance of dying walking into their doctor's office than they do getting behind the wheel of their car! Every year approximately 200,000 souls die from prescription drug reactions with another 80,000 dying from medical malpractice (The International). Where is the FDA? Why do they continue to allow doctors to prescribe these drugs? How could they let it get to this point? What once was believed to be a panacia for depression has turned into Pandora's box (Tracy). Depression and suicide go hand in hand. In fact, 10 to 15 percent of depressed patients commit suicide (Lieber). This is the foundation of the defense argued by Eli Lilly, maker of Fluoxetine, commonly known as Prozac, and other companies manufacturing similar drugs. Although there are some 200 court cases alleging a link between suicide and Prozac this year, Eli Lilly continues to be cleared of all liability (Prozac and Suicide). One such case was brought up in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1993, William Forsyth Sr., who was 63 and had been on Prozac for only two weeks, killed his wife, June, and himself. The plaintiffs argued that the side effects of Prozac, which included "nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, inner restlessness, manic behavior, self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts," were responsible for the murder-suicide. However, the Lilly spokesman said that those effects were "based on no scientific information at all." He also cited that the... ...data during trial." Cnn.com. [online], Available: http://www.cnn.com/2000/LAW06/09/prozaclawsuit.ap/ Lieber, Arnold. "dear psyche doc,." Is there a Link between Prozac and Suicide? [online], Available: http: //thriveonline.oxygen.com/medical/experts/psychdoc/psychdoc.11-17-97.html "Prozac and Suicide." Hells Geriatrics. [online], Available: http://www.hellsgeriatrics.com/prozac.htm Reaves, Jessica. "Johnny s new snack: Milk, Cookies and Prozac." Cnn.com. [online], Available: http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/23/kiddrugs2_23.a.tm/ Schwarzer, Kathy. Interview December 15, 2000 "The International Coalition for Drug Awareness." ICFDA. [online], Available: http://www.drugawareness.org/ Tracy, Ann. "A Few First Hand Personal Experiences." Personal Experiences Reported to Ann Tracy, Ph.D. [online], Available:http://members.aol.com/atracyphd/exprncs.htm