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.