Daniel B.

The "Consumer Reports" of Prescription Drugs - Do you wonder why you feel poorly when taking drugs the doctor gave you as free samples or by prescription? Do your friends or parents ever seem not to be themselves, and you know they are taking medications? Or do they seem to have Alzheimer's or Parkinson's (some drugs for other conditions create symptoms of these, which the doctors may treat with even additional drugs) Do you wonder why people you know are the victims in senseless lifetaking or life-changing accidents in broad daylight? I know in CA you aren't supposed to talk on the phone while driving, yet there still are those accidents. That is because there may be widespread other causes of them.

Who, including me and you, pays any attention to the statement on the bottle of stress reducer or other medicine that clearly says, "Use caution..." or "Do not operate equipment or machinery while taking this medicine." And have you ever seen it say on the bottle how many hours, days or weeks the effects might last when you stop taking it? I don't think so.

The Best Pills/Worst Pills organization is to the drug industry what Consumer Reports has always been to the durable consumer goods industry: A source of unsponsored, unbiased, educational consumer information. A compilation of research on the products in what I think may have been our fastest growth industry of my and your lifetimes, without even a close competitor. The site presents information that you can use and from which you may draw your own conclusions.

Where their own research shows there is clear and present probable high likelihood of danger from the ingestion of a drug, I like that the site takes the morally responsible stance to recommend against its use. The FDA could take lessons. People who value life take chances to err on the side of caution, not the side of risk.

I personally do not ever ingest a non-food item, whether prescribed or not, without checking this site. Just last week an ophthalmologist prescribed me something to combat my eye dryness, and a 30-second investigation tells me that besides spending the money for it, I will be inviting at least 10 side effects, including mental disturbances (drugs used to combat seizures can also cause them!) and kidney stones. I've known enough others with these bothersome conditions and think I'll save my money. Likewise, last month I went to the doctor and was prescribed an antibiotic for a hurtful swollen gum infection. I didn't buy or take the stuff and a few days later the infection resolved itself and disappeared.

Similarly, as I have experienced antibiotics, they frequently make me feel nauseous and weak, to the point of feeling far sicker than the original condition for which I got the prescription. Many make the taker photosensitive (exposure to sun will make you redden), thus easily prone to skin cancer, a side effect neither my doctor nor pharmacist ever mentioned. I discovered it by researching possible causes AFTER I got the skin cancer.

On this site, you can look up any prescription drug or over-the-counter drug and find articles and recommendations regarding it and its use. You can also search for information by entering a family of drugs, diseases, symptoms, and even policies. Drop-down alphabetized lists are provided to make the searches easy and so we won't miss information just because we don't know how to spell all those chemical and medical scientific words.

This site may be searched for free and there are added features if you pony up some money for a subscription, which I do. Should even young people use it? Hell yeah, because everything you take now may be what affects you years from now. Do I think an annual $15 is worth it? Hell, YEAH, that's chickenfeed for the value! Would I recommend it to you? HELL YEAH! www.worstpills.org

A blog from down under - Being an advice-giver myself, I especially like "Ask Sam" - just check out the terrific advice on the perils of dating a mama's boy or the other one about avoiding relationships with abusive or overcontrolling individuals... BTW, Sam is not a guy...