Let's look at some disturbing figures. The use of prescription drugs in the US has soared. In 1993, the average number of prescriptions per person per year was seven; by 2004 it was up to 12 - and rising. That's some 3 billion prescriptions and a cost of $180 billion. So is the richest nation also the sickliest? Have the drugs stopped working ? According to journalist Greg Critser, who's spent years studying the pharmaceutical industry, the reason is that these drugs (which, remember, require a doctor's or healthcare professional's authorisation) are now central to the national notion of health.
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