Before You Take That Pill: Why the Drug Industry May Be Bad For Your Health by Doug Bremner

The most interesting source I’ve found so far is a book entitled Before You Take That Pill: Why the Drug Industry May Be Bad for Your Health by Dr. Doug Bremner. This book focuses on the risks and side effects people won’t find on the labels of commonly prescribed drugs, vitamins, and supplements. Dr. Doug Bremner is also a blogger on a range of health and drug issues concerning public health.

As you've been researching, has your topic changed? 

Not really, I’m deciding how I would like to stand on the issue. Recently, I’ve thought about focusing on misuse of prescription drugs.  In the past, illegal drug use has been a hot topic, but today popular prescription drugs such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol) to serve the same purposes as illegal drugs. Prescription drugs can be dangerous and when misused they can be far more dangerous than other drugs. My question: Will it be okay if I decided to focus on prescription drug abuse and how it’s easily prescribed despite the dangerous side effects?

Have you revised your inquiry question?  How will narrowing your scope affect your research -and the eventual writing you'll do about this topic?

My original inquiry questions were: Are prescription drugs overprescribed or overused? Are prescription drugs the healthiest option in curing all health problems? Are there better treatment methods that are more natural?

In addition to my previous inquiry questions, I came up with a question “ Are prescription drugs prescribed to easily and misused because of the frequent prescribing of drugs? When I decide on a specific prescription drug, I want to discuss the misuse of the drugs, the alternative drug ( natural treatments), if available) and overall healthiest of the drug.

What challenges are you facing in your research? How might you address these challenges? What research "tips" do you have for your peers?

My number one challenge is:

-         Deciding on how to narrow down my topic, while still trying to ensure that I have enough information to write a research paper on.

-         Choosing an approach or side on the topic like on the marketing of the drugs, the side effects and risks, other methods of treatment, drug abuse, etc.

I plan to address these issues by continuing to research my sources thoroughly to help discover what I find the most interesting.

Research Topic: Prescription Drugs & Risks

My research questions/inquiry questions are on prescription drugs or over the counter pills. Are prescription drugs overprescribed or overused? Are prescription drugs the healthiest option in curing all health problems? Are there better treatment methods that are natural? For example, which is healthier? Exercising or taking weight loss pills? I settled on this question because recently I’ve noticed many commercials about prescription drugs, but they typically unnecessary dangerous list of possible side effects that can cause more serious health problems. I’m interested in pointing out the pros and cons of prescription drugs or a particular drug and measuring whether they’re really worth the negative side effects. Also, I would like to explore the marketing of the drugs or a specific drug and how promoters state the positive things first to get the consumer interested then list a tremendous list of negative side effects.

 How is your question/topic timely? Well, prescription drugs are everywhere media, the stores, and more commonly today in schools and teens. There are many issues with overuse of prescription drugs that are current.

Why is it important to address this topic?

Bring about the awareness of  “popping a pill” isn’t always the best method for making people feel better. People have become very dependent for instant relief and carefree towards the negative side effects.

 Why should people care about it? Because the majority of people have taken the some type of prescription drug and possibly put at risk of another health issue with or without being aware of it, if so, they personally didn’t think  much of the side effects.

What do you expect to find in your research? I hope to find out and explore alternative ways of treating health issues and hopefully bring about the awareness to others.

 What preliminary research have you done that makes you expect this? I’ve only research on the web, where I’ve find several documents and articles about the similar argument I am proposing.

-Are you coming across scholars w/ different answers to your question, or different views of your topic?

I haven’t read into that deep yet, but I plan to. As I was reading, I noticed that one scholar used the phrase "unnecessary drugs" being produced or prescribed to "easily", which opened my eyes to focus on the doctors prescribing drugs as well as the people who make drugs.

Do you stand on the issue, and do you think your mind could change the further you get into this semester-long inquiry?

I think some drugs are necessary, but not a prescription or over counter pill can be absolutely healthy for condition. No, my ideas and thoughts may be slightly altered as I learn more about the topic through research, but no drastic changes are expected.