Live data from Hacker News

Too many people take too many pills

economist.com

11–20 of 166 posts

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#11

People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. They're busy, stressed, strapped for cash, and anyway they like the standard American diet. Collectively, we could shape our environment so healthy decisions are easier and unhealthy choices are harder, but we can't even agree to tax sugar. So we won't make policy changes anytime soon, and individually many of us will fail to make healthier choi…

[flagged]

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#12
Interesting to see which countries have these problems. Reads to me like it’s very much a political problem. In my country I practically have to fight my doctor to get pills or an xray if they deem it unnecessary. Which is great in the end, as it saves our society a lot of healthcare costs.

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#13
post #11

People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. They're busy, stressed, strapped for cash, and anyway they like the standard American diet. Collectively, we could shape our environment so healthy decisions are easier and unhealthy choices are harder, but we can't even agree to tax sugar. So we won't make policy changes anytime soon, and individually many of us will fail to make healthier choi…

[flagged]

How puritanical. Do you look down on everyone or just unhealthy people?

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#14

People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. They're busy, stressed, strapped for cash, and anyway they like the standard American diet. Collectively, we could shape our environment so healthy decisions are easier and unhealthy choices are harder, but we can't even agree to tax sugar. So we won't make policy changes anytime soon, and individually many of us will fail to make healthier choi…

>People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes.

How you gonna make lifestyle changes without permission from your lords and masters who write your paychecks?

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#15
I had surgery last year, and had to give a list of the medications I currently take. My list had a single item, OTC allergy medication.

The surgeon and intake nurse both independently double-checked that my list was complete. They told me that it's almost unheard of for someone of my age to have no ongoing prescriptions and they wanted to be sure a mistake wasn't made.

I was very surprised by this. I was even more surprised when I surveyed my friends and discovered that every single one of them has at least one ongoing prescription.

I had no idea!

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#16

People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. They're busy, stressed, strapped for cash, and anyway they like the standard American diet. Collectively, we could shape our environment so healthy decisions are easier and unhealthy choices are harder, but we can't even agree to tax sugar. So we won't make policy changes anytime soon, and individually many of us will fail to make healthier choi…

As a doctor it's your job to give your patient something that will treat them. You can't tell someone "if you exercise an hour a day, your problem will go away" because at least 9/10 people won't do it.

I expect my doctor to give me the best medical care. If that's telling me to make a lifestyle change, that's what I want (whether I follow his advice is an independent issue). I 100% don't want a doctor to give me medication that isn't necessary.

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#17

People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. They're busy, stressed, strapped for cash, and anyway they like the standard American diet. Collectively, we could shape our environment so healthy decisions are easier and unhealthy choices are harder, but we can't even agree to tax sugar. So we won't make policy changes anytime soon, and individually many of us will fail to make healthier choi…

>People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. How you gonna make lifestyle changes without permission from your lords and masters who write your paychecks?

LOL what? Where did all this "lords and peasant" nonsense come from? Come back to reality, Eli.

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#19

People want pills or miracle diets. People don't want lifestyle changes. They're busy, stressed, strapped for cash, and anyway they like the standard American diet. Collectively, we could shape our environment so healthy decisions are easier and unhealthy choices are harder, but we can't even agree to tax sugar. So we won't make policy changes anytime soon, and individually many of us will fail to make healthier choi…

[deleted]

Re: Too many people take too many pills

#20
post #15

I had surgery last year, and had to give a list of the medications I currently take. My list had a single item, OTC allergy medication. The surgeon and intake nurse both independently double-checked that my list was complete. They told me that it's almost unheard of for someone of my age to have no ongoing prescriptions and they wanted to be sure a mistake wasn't made. I was very surprised by this. I was even more su…

Nice going, John! Role model material. What is your secret?
Post reply on HN