Summary
In this article, Carthwaite tries to bring out the economic value of drugs in the enhancement of the quality of life. He argues that people may not realize the importance of something until they are deprived of it. He bases his argument on Vioxx, a drug that was withdrawn from the market in 2004. According to him, its withdrawal had many consequences to the people among them, reducing the number of old people from the workforce. Impacts of a drug on the economic are usually not evaluated by the FDA in the US, an issue that Carthwaite sees as a big oversight that can affect the way drugs are perceived and the way health plans are structured.
Vioxx is a Cox-2 inhibitor, a class of anti-inflammatory drugs that provide pain relief to those suffering from diseases of chronic inflammation. These are very powerful to the extent that many people had grown used to them with many claiming that they will continue using it if it is returned despite its side effects. This was confirmed by statitistics that showed many of those who were using Vioxx refusing to switch to other drugs (Vioxx 1).
Apart from relieving painful inflammations, Cox-2 inhibitors are also suitable especially in patients with Gastro-intestinal (GI) bleeding because they do not increase the risk of GI. This is a very big problem in the US where more 16, 500 persons die annually from GI because of taking traditional anti-inflammatory drugs. Its withdrawal left many without any other option because there are no perfect substitutes for it. Using data from MEPS, Carthwaite showed that Vioxx greatly changed the number of people in the workforce especially men because of their physically demanding jobs.
Studies on other drugs showed not correlation with employment. He argues that people should be made aware of the risks of Vioxx and left to decide on whether to take it or not instead of withdrawing the drug all together. He however, does not mean that his views are final because he has only highlighted the positive side of the drug.
Pharmacology issues
Anti-depressants- these are medicines specifically made to treat depression. They improve an individual’s appetite, mood and even concentration.
Anti-inflammatory drugs- these are drug made to ease pain in many medical conditions. There many anti-inflammatory drugs. Those discussed here are Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Celebrex and Vioxx. Most of these drugs need prescriptions before one can get them.
Cox-2 inhibitor- is a kind of anti-inflammatory drug that attacks the Cox-2 enzyme that causes inflammation and pain. This drug does no have side effects as the other drugs in this group (Vioxx 1).
Gastro-intestinal bleeding- this refers to any kind of bleeding that happens in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients suffering from diseases of chronic inflammation take medication that sometimes cause GI-bleeding. Such patients are usually called upon to know the signs of GI bleeding because it can happen unannounced.
Anti-cholesterol drugs- these are drugs prescribed for people with high cholesterol amounts in their bodies. They inhibit cholesterol synthesizing enzyme thereby preventing deposits of cholesterol in the body. An example is Lipitor.
Erectile dysfunction drugs-these are drugs that help men with erection problems achieve an erection. This problem can emerge due to the side effects of other drugs. A common drug for this purpose is Viagra.
Multiple Sclerosis drug- Multi Sclerosis is an abnormal body response to its immune system. This leads into an attack to the nerves that surround myelin in the body. Multiple Sclerosis drugs work by modifying or suppressing the immune system in the body. An example of these drugs is Tysabri (Carthwaite 1).
Additional information on Vioxx
The drug was withdrawn from the market voluntarily because of safety concerns. It was claimed that the use of the drug increased the risk of cardiovascular complications. Before taking the drug, one has to talk to his or her doctor especially those with other complications. Those on other treatments can not take Vioxx. FDA puts Vioxx in the pregnancy category C because it is not yet known if it harms the unborn or not (Vioxx 1).
Works cited
Carthwaite, Craig. Balancing Medical Risks with Financial Needs: Controversial prescription drug Vioxx may have kept people in the workforce. Insight Kellogg, 2010. Web.
Vioxx. Vioxx. Drugs, 2011. Web.