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Argumentative Essay: Do Prescriptions Effective?

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The word overmedicated elicits a negative thought towards a medication, conversely, effectively medicated brings a positive feeling about a medication. Moreover, it can be derived from the statement – Americans are overmedicated – many medications that are not doing their prescribed job are being issued. Conversely, if Americans were effectively medicated, it can be assumed the medications are doing the job they were developed for. This is the question that needs answered, is American overmedicated or is it effectively medicated? When compared to the dollars spent on health care the US has the worst mortality rate of all comparable countries (Lavigne 1414). Prescription drugs do have a benefit, but is it 4.5 billion prescriptions effective? …show more content…

According to Consumer Report in September, 55 percent of Americans took at least one prescription drug (Carr, Rabkin, and Skinner 27). Interestingly, in 2008 it was only 48 percent; a breakdown of age groups showed 90 percent of adults at least 60 years old and 20 percent of children were taking at least one prescription drug and ten percent over all age groups were taking at least five prescription drugs (Qiuping, Dillon and Burt 6). That is over 300,000 additional people with prescription each year. Furthermore, many new drugs being prescribed in the United States are no more effective than the cheaper predecessor; these new drugs just cost more (Abramson). If the new drugs that are predominately being prescribed are no more effective and the cost has increased, it can only be assumed Americans are

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