From the article (posted here with permission from planetc1)…
According to a study published in the October 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, as many as 700,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms each year as a result of adverse reactions (side effects) to drugs they’ve taken.

Whether we like it or not, medication use in America is common, and many “self medicate.” According to information in the AMA article, a 2004 study found that more than 80% of US residents reported using a prescription medication, over-the-counter (OTC) drug or dietary supplement in the previous week. The same article found 30% saying they had used five or more drugs in the previous week.

Measuring the rates of side effects for self medicating or prescribed drug use has been difficult since most do not report side effects or adverse events to doctors.

The study was done over 2 years and researchers found that about 2.5% of all emergency room visits and about 7% of emergency room visits leading to hospitalization were due to adverse drug events, or side effects from taking drugs.

You can access the complete article here: Medication Use at Home

Not every American loves taking drugs. How are those that don’t take any medications different from those that do? Are they healthier? Do we (America) really need to be taking all these medications?

You can get a full list of their news archives here… chiropractic news archives

Ths is one of the first posts I found on that web site…

Federal Trade Commission Attempting to Silence Free Speech on the Internet
The Federal Trade Commission is at it again. Americans are increasingly turning to the Internet for information related to their health. Thursday, federal officials announced stepped-up efforts to counter “fraudulent” online claims that promise to cure ailments from arthritis to AIDS.

According to the FTC, more than 20 million Americans look to the Internet for health information–70% of them before visiting a doctor’s office. Officials are concerned that people will not be able to make rational choices about their own health. As we have said many times at www.choosehealth.com, research the facts and ask questions.

Jodie Bernstein, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection says “when information on Web sites is deceptive and untruthful, consumers are at risk.” (Kind of like what the drug industry and medical profession have done for years.)

Here is a good article from 2000…

Selling Drugs is Good Business
On September 10, 2002, researchers from the National Institute for Health Care Management Research and Educational Foundation (The NIHCM Foundation) provided a report to the Federal Trade Commission at a health care workshop. The topic was Direct to Consumer (DTC) advertising of drugs: is it helping or hurting?

I came across a news piece recently titled, “Are Drug Ads Helping or Hurting?” and was not surprised by the spin the media had taken on this same topic.

There is no question, the use of prescription drugs is way up and costs are continuing to rise. There has been extensive research during the past 3 years on the effect DTC advertising is having on this increased use and spending. But is it good for us?

An article from 2006…

Chiropractic Student Loan Rates Hit New Highs
Student loan rates are going up, up, up. Interest rates on federal Stafford loans – the basic student loan – go up today, all across the United States.

The interest rate on new federal Stafford loans is going to be 6.8%, and that rate could go up again in the near future. The rate on existing Stafford loans, climbs today from 5.3% to 7.14%. That is for current student loans that have not yet been consolidated. The loan rate for Plus college loans is going from 6.1% to 7.94% with new Plus loans issued after today beginning at 8.5%.

According to various news reports, this is one of the largest interest rate hikes for student loans ever. Chiropractic students are not the only ones affected. Federal Stafford loans are the standard government loans provided to all approved college, university and trade school students in the United States.

Very simply, chiropractic college students are going to have to pay more when borrowing federal funds to attend school. A greater student loan debt will undoubtedly place an increased burden on young chiropractors coming out of college. More students will potentially delay marriage, delay buying a new car, and put off buying a home until their debt is under control. More new doctors may also be seeking to associate or partner in a chiropractic office rather than starting their own clinic or wellness center.

A recent chiropractic news article from 2007…

Super Bowl XLI Has Chiropractors Super Busy
This year’s Super Bowl (XLI) at Dolphin Stadium in Miami will mark the 40th anniversary of the first AFL-NFL championship game, in which the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Los Angeles, California.

I was just reading earlier today (in the New Yorker) about Tiki Barber, running back for the New York Giants, and how he receives chiropractic care two times per week. (Tiki, and others, we appreciate when you speak publicly about the benefits of chiropractic care)

Chiropractors have been providing care for NFL players long before the 1960s, and the first Super Bowl. One of the most famous displays of chiropractic in the Super Bowl was the adjusting of Super Bowl XXIV MVP Joe Montana, of the San Francisco 49ers, on national television, in the 1990s.

Emmitt Smith (Super Bowl XXVIII MVP), a longtime chiropractic advocate, continues to receive chiropractic care on a regular basis, even though he’s retired from the sport. In 2004, Emmitt Smith was in the news for a reported phone call he received from LaDainian Tomlinson (NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2006 season) before he joined the San Diego Chargers. LaDainian had reportedly called Smith to ask for advice about his longevity, how he’d rushed for 1000 yards for 10 straight seasons. According to news reports, Emmitt Smith told LaDainian Tomlinson to “find a good chiropractor.”

I’ll be browsing through lots of planet chiropractic content and will post excerpts (approved by planet chiropractic via e-mail) to this site. That way you will be able to quickly find some of their most interesting topics.

Best of Health to You!