A study from U.C. San Diego points to an astonishing rise in the percentage of deaths caused by the misuse of prescription drugs:
More Americans than ever are dying because they misuse prescription or over-the-counter medications by mixing them at home with alcohol, street drugs or both. The percentage of deaths attributed to this cause has risen nearly 3,200 percent over the past two decades.
The study notes that doctors and pharmacists do not have the ability to closely monitor patients in today’s health care world.
Though the report doesn’t address internet prescribing, it does illustrate the dangers presented by prescriptions in general. Obviously, internet prescribing presents special challenges with regard to patient monitoring.
A news report on the study is in the San Diego Union Tribune.
