Why Do We Doctors So Often Fail To See Symptoms Are Drug Side Effects? Dec 30/16

From CommonHealth (Massachusetts) Why Do We Doctors So Often Fail To See Symptoms Are Drug Side Effects?

Dr. Marlene Beggelman is an internist in Cambridge and a member of the Right Care Alliance, a network of health professionals, patients, religious and community groups, who are working toward a society in which the right care is accessible by all.

http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2016/12/30/doctors-side-effects-medication

This stood out for me:

There are various reasons that drug side effects might go unrecognized: the shrinking time physicians have to spend with patients; the fact that doctors receive lots of information about the benefits of drugs but not much on their dangers; and cognitive dissonance or denial about the negative effects that drugs can have.

Cognitive dissonance, a universal human phenomenon, is based on the assumption that people want consistency between their expectations and reality, and twist their thinking into knots to make that happen. In the case of drug reactions, to preserve the notion that our efforts help rather than hurt, our impulse is to attribute the harm to something other than our intervention.

She also speaks at length about correcting this failure to recognize drug side-effects.  I wish she'd also specifically mentioned the effects that occur or that they even occur at all when the drug is withdrawn.  Oh well, can't have everything in every article I guess.

Excellent article.  Thanks benzohno!    A couple of my takeaways ...

"A large-scale educational campaign such as the one that targeted smoking would increase public awareness and encourage direct patient reporting to the FDA when a side effect is suspected.

Pharmacists have an important role to play here too, and could be the point of contact where FDA reporting is initiated. It’s easy to imagine a sign at the pharmacy counter that says, “Ask me about side effects.”

Excellent article.  Thanks benzohno!    A couple of my takeaways ...

 

"A large-scale educational campaign such as the one that targeted smoking would increase public awareness and encourage direct patient reporting to the FDA when a side effect is suspected.

 

Pharmacists have an important role to play here too, and could be the point of contact where FDA reporting is initiated. It’s easy to imagine a sign at the pharmacy counter that says, “Ask me about side effects.”

Great suggestions!

Yes, fguy, but the first one, yikes, can you ever see that happening?  Not a chance!  Unfortunately.  Big Pharma would be all over that one.  I hope I'm wrong though, it would be quite a shake-up!

You know, I added a thread with info about a consumer watchdog organization calling for the public to report medication errors/hazards.  I need to bump it.  We should all report our experiences there.  Here it is ..

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=171736.msg2286623#msg2286623

You're welcome abcd  

Thanks for your excellent takeaways.  We've been saying around here for a while, this is the next Big Tobacco.  We can only hope it will play out that way.  Wouldn't that be something.  And pharmacists do have an important role to play.  I know someone around here who definitely agrees with point two.