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Norma Stanley

http://www.nfscommwriter.com


Country: United States

Language: English

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Exceptional People, Exceptional Lifestyles  

Norma Stanley, an award-winning multicultural marketing consultant, journalist, author, and mother of a child with disabilities, shares news and features primarily for and about the disability community,the largest minority population in the nation. However, the show also shares news, features and profiles about all the other extraordinary people within the nation's vast multicultural fabric, as well as the products, programs, services and events supporting all these communities.

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    Doctors Caution About Dangers of Therapeutic Substitutions

    Money, money money some people gotta have it--even to the detriment or life-threatening circumstances of others--even these people are in the medical industry and their decisions may negatively impact people's health.  I recently found out some very disturbing news in that where many of us think it's a good thing to save on prescriptions by using generic medicines...that may not necessarily be the case.

    According to those who oppose of the indiscriminate use of generic medicines, there's a rising incidence in something called "therapeutic substitution," across the nation, where some doctors, pharmacists and insurance companies are profiting from the prescription of generic drugs to patients.

    This is actually causing an outcry in the medical community throughout the nation, in that many in the medical industry see nothing wrong with it and at the same time, many are opposing it as a potentially dangerous health option.  In Georgia, where I live, State Representative Carl Von Epps, wants people to know the full extent of what this means to people taking these generic medications.

    "Throughout the United States, third parties such as health insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers (in some cases both) devise various strategies in an effort to maximize their bottom lines," said Rep. Epps. "We would all hope that these efforts are focused primarily on our health, and that we, our doctors and those who pay our medical claims are all working towards our best health outcomes."

    However, Epps says that some third parties are using financial incentives to urge our doctors to switch us from medications which are working well, to different medicines purely for cost savings. Most of the time the switching occurs behind closed doors, without the patient knowing why.

    This is exceedingly dangerous as evidenced by a recent news story in Georgia, where
    a young girl had her medication switched causing her to go into cardiac arrest on the highway. Thanks to her father’s CPR and quick thinking paramedics, she’s alive. However, this example is one of many which have occurred throughout the United States.

    The nation's healthcare system is in disarray and there are some benefitting handsomely from the lack of knowledge found in people seeking health care from their physicians, insurance agencies and pharmacists. Hopefully whatever results come of the healthcare reform that President Obama is trying to see come to fruition--which some in the medical industry support and others don't, that those with disabilities, seniors and low and moderate income households who may not have much of a choice, won't be the one's whose health are put at risk due to the greed of others.

    When it comes to drug switching, as it is also called, for those  living with epilepsy, physicians are saying how hard it can be to determine each patients’ most effective medicine at the correct dosage to prevent epileptic seizures. There is no one way to treat all epilepsy patients. Since there is no one drug which works to stop seizures in all epilepsy patients, there is no single amount of one drug which stops seizures either.

    However, doctors, with knowledge of the medical history and with multiple medication adjustments, can minimize and frequently eliminate the seizures. Whether it is for epilepsy, heart disease or any other condition, each patient requires individualized care which should not be influenced by the financial wishes of an insurance company or pharmacy benefit manager without the knowledge of the patient or doctor.

    This is of particular concern to me as I am on medication for adult onset epilepsy and my brand prescription has kept me from having seizures for more than two years.  It is also of concern to me because my daughter who has cerebral palsy, recently had seizures (as of a few days ago), and her medication dosage had to be increased.  I can't help but wonder, what if these medications were switched without my or my doctor's knowledge? What could the health consequences have been to me or my daughter? I sure don't want to test the waters there and won't let others do it for me without full disclosure of the ramifications, and others should have the choice and pertinent information to determine whether they should or shouldn't also.

    Dr. Lawrence Seiden, a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy treatment is one of the many physicians who is helping to bring awareness about therapeutic substitutions or drug switching to the healthcare industry. He will speak on the issue on my show, Exceptional People, Exceptionbal Lifestyles on Friday, June 19 at 6:30p.m.  Check it out.  Remember, knowledge is power.

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