re: Americans are weak….prescription medication.

Direct advertising of prescription medicine is one of several factors to blame. For you youngsters, this was a response from ChatGPT to my question on this topic (note the last, bolded bit):

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Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicine started to become more widespread in the United States in the 1980s, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the rules governing this type of advertising began to change.

In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a guidance that allowed pharmaceutical companies to advertise prescription drugs directly to consumers, provided that the ads met certain requirements. This guidance paved the way for the current regulations, which are outlined in the FDA's "Guidance for Industry: Consumer-Directed Broadcast Advertisements".

Under these regulations, prescription drug ads must include certain information about the drug's risks and benefits, and must also provide a way for consumers to get more information about the drug, such as a toll-free number or website. The FDA reviews and approves all prescription drug ads before they can be broadcast or published.

It's worth noting that the U.S. is one of the few countries in the world that allows DTCA of prescription medicine. Many other countries, including Canada and most European countries, prohibit or restrict this type of advertising.

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Well let's see. I'm now 70 and enjoyed great health for the better part of 55 years. Then I did some blood work at the advice of my Dr. and it showed I had high cholesterol, which is understandable with the diet of S.E. Louisiana and the fact my dad's side of the family is pre-disposed to it.

Then it morphed into higher than normal blood pressure, again genetically pre-disposed. No male on my dads side of the family lived to be 60 with an uncle and my dad dying suddenly of heart attacks in their mid 30's

Add to that I've been suffering from kidney stones for the past 20 years and I'm now on 4 different meds every day.

So I'm on drugs for blood pressure, cholesterol and to help keep stones from forming as easily as they have in the past.

Live long enough and you'll likely be in the same, or similar boat. Getting older ain't for the squeamish.

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doubt the quality of life is that great for most after 60.

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Dead is dead.

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Which leads to weakness.
Life expectancy is way up, but I doubt the quality of life is that great for most after 60.

The quest for utopia creates weak humans.

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I disagree on the quality of life issues. I am certain it is so with many people but they probably had little QOL to begin with. I know a bunch of folks in their 70s and 80s who are very active and healthy...they go to a lot of doctor appointments but they golf, fish, hunt and work in their shops when they ain't at the doctors office. I am sure many people wither away at 60, especially after retiring, but many do not....

Gout is a MFer

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And those that got the vax are stupid as well

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A lot of medication is used to extend life beyond historical averages. Most notably blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. These are often hereditary issues in which “ normal “ living people would have died in their 70s but can now live until 90s.

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^This^

I had some gritty and tough Great Depression era relatives. They would talk about how the good old days weren’t so good. I specifically remember them talking about how a cold could be the death of you…after it leads to bronchitis that turns into pneumonia. They liked modern medicine.

But… if your point is that Americans are unhealthy and weak (in so many regards) I do agree with you.

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Kickbacks are a thing baw

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The great majority of prescriptions are cheap old generics that no one gets kick backs from. Most maintenance drugs are available so cheap that 3rd party reimbursement is based on compliance with just picking it up on time.

We are weak on controlling costs and availability. Americans are being taken advantage of on rx drugs. They think they are getting a good deal subverting high insurance copays with Goodrx coupons...but in reality they are paying for the insurance that is supposed to cover it and then not using it. The insurance won't cover cheap generics until ridiculous deductibles are met. Therefore the current rx insurance system is like a discount membership for which free alternatives exist.

Keep in mind the 3rd parties see and control the published discount prices online and they just set your copays above that. I don't think this should be legal and it's happening to Medicare patients.

Most pharmacies would prefer to have reasonable prices without middlemen but have to participate in the 3rd party pricing game.

I take a daily prescription medication for my asthma. I have a noticeable uptick in likelihood of having asthma issues if I don’t take it. Should I just not take it?

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Get a damn hobby! Go to the gym! There is absolutely zero reason for this statistic to be so high.

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So you’re assuming all these people are fat or depressed? That’s a huge assumption