Drugs sales data and controlled substances 2010

IMS Health, a healthcare information, has released its data for 2010 .  This article on Medscape by Daniel J. DiNoon is a good summary of IMS' data with commentary .  I was surprised to see that the number 1 prescribed medication, by a large margin, was hydrocodone (with acetaminophen), which is a Class III controlled substance used for pain relief .  The amount of use and abuse is staggering.  In 2010, 131 million prescriptions for hydrocodone were written , with the current U.S. population of 310 million. This means on average just under half (42%) of all people, adults and children, would have had a prescription for hydrocodone.  This is sad commentary on our society.  Do we really have that much pain and demand for relief in the U.S.?

Note, over-the-counter meds are not listed, so acetaminophen or pseudoephedrine is not included. (You can read the link why we have to show government identification to purchase pseudoephedrine.)

The Allergy Dude strongly encourages everyone to eat nutritious food daily and get regular exercise.