The risk of taking that medication.

AND ON the 8TH DAY WE CREATED BIG PHARMA

“I find it near impossible to find a doctor who is not compromised by Big Pharma.” — DML

GOD MUST BE CRYING
Last week, my wife and I ate at our favorite restaurant. It was the first time we visited the Ocean Grille in 2025. I said to Mary, “We’ve been to Mayo Clinic ten times more than we have the Ocean Grille this year.” My statement turned our conversation into a complaint session about how disappointed we are with the healthcare system. Instead of focusing on prevention, our healthcare system chases treatments — and the treatments always include meds that come with countless side effects and much greater risks than people realize. Let’s not forget, God gave us healthy foods and plant-based remedies but instead of taking advantage of these things — we created Big Pharma.

The United States faces a silent epidemic: medical errors, which claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually. The frequently cited figure of 251,000 deaths—equivalent to a major city’s population—highlights a crisis rivaling top killers like heart disease. Medication errors, a leading subset of these mistakes, wreak havoc, particularly among the elderly, and systemic failures amplify the toll. Yet, the news media, possibly swayed by pharmaceutical giants’ massive advertising budgets, rarely probe this issue, leaving the public uninformed and vulnerable.

WHAT’S THAT MED YOU ARE TAKING?
It feels like everyone I know is taking some kind of medication. And yet, medication errors encompass a range of preventable mistakes: incorrect prescriptions, wrong dosages, adverse drug interactions, and administration failures. These occur across healthcare settings—hospitals, pharmacies, and nursing homes—but are most prevalent in high-pressure environments like emergency rooms and intensive care units, where miscommunication thrives. For example, a doctor might prescribe a drug without noting a patient’s allergies, or a pharmacist might misread a dosage due to poor handwriting or inadequate electronic systems. In hospitals, nurses may administer the wrong drug under time constraints. A 2023 study estimated that medication errors cause over 100,000 hospitalizations yearly, with 7,000 deaths directly linked to these mistakes.

The elderly, particularly those over 65, bear the brunt. Polypharmacy—managing multiple medications—heightens risks, as drugs can interact unpredictably. For instance, a patient on blood thinners and certain painkillers might suffer catastrophic bleeding due to untracked interactions. Data suggests older adults account for nearly 60% of medication-related hospitalizations, often due to inadequate patient education or fragmented care across providers. However, no age group is immune; pediatric patients also face risks from dosing errors, where even small miscalculations can be deadly.

The biggest medication error?
Adverse drug events (ADEs), which include allergic reactions, overdoses, and interactions, top the list. ADEs cause an estimated 1.3 million emergency visits annually, with anticoagulants, opioids, and diabetes drugs like insulin frequently implicated. These errors often stem from systemic issues: outdated electronic health records, poor provider communication, and insufficient oversight. In nursing homes, understaffing exacerbates risks, with overworked caregivers missing critical checks.

Why does this crisis fly under the radar? Pharmaceutical companies, spending billions on media ads, may deter scrutiny. News outlets, reliant on this revenue, might shy away from exposing medication errors, fearing backlash from powerful advertisers. This silence stifles public awareness and delays reform.

To combat this, we need bold action. Hospitals must adopt robust electronic systems to flag potential errors and standardize protocols for high-risk drugs. Providers should prioritize patient education, especially for seniors. Meanwhile, media must shed light on this issue, unswayed by corporate influence. Public-funded journalism or reader-supported models could break the cycle. By confronting medication errors head-on—with transparency, accountability, and fearless reporting—we can save countless lives and rebuild trust in healthcare.

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