Running head: Pharmaceutical Drugs or Natural Remedies?

Pharmaceutical Drugs or Natural Remedies? Cody Clancy College of DuPage Composition I Elizabeth nderson No!ember "#th$ "%1&

Pharmaceuticals or Natural Pharmaceutical Drugs or Natural Remedies?

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'edicines$ both natural and pharmaceutical$ are an immensely !ast business( )n a!erage$ mericans spend a collecti!e hundreds of billions of dollars on prescription drugs$ and still additional billions on natural supplements and similar so*called remedies( +hen faced ,ith the decision of ,hich form of medicine ,ill help us most$ bottom line$ ,e all ,ant the safest and most effecti!e option a!ailable( -here are many supporting facts behind each opposed side$ but logically spea.ing$ the definition of a drug is any chemical or combination of chemicals that cause a biologic acti!ity in the body( /erbs contain !arious chemicals$ as do all prescription drugs0 therefore$ herbs are drugs( In the grand scheme of these !ie,points$ the hea!ily argued differences bet,een sides is a false contrast$ since both function in the same class0 they !ary mainly in ho, they are regulated and tested for the public1s .no,ledge and use( 2or each pharmaceutical drug that becomes a!ailable for public use$ there are clinical trials and regulations that must be upheld before deeming them safe for use and any potential side*effects( -he 2D 32ood and Drug dministration4 is ,here this information comes from0 they are responsible for the safety and effecti!eness of any drugs to hit the mar.et( /o,e!er$ the agency itself does not personally test each indi!idual drug0 they gather this data and clinical information from the pharmaceutical companies themsel!es$ ,hich conduct this research( -he 5uestion here is$ can you belie!e this data? -he ans,er is yes$ the companies ,ould be committing fraud if lying about any effects 3good or bad4 that may be caused0 the s.epticism stems from the fact that there may be bias in the data sho,n$ due to it coming straight from the manufacturers( )n the opposite side of the spectrum$ natural botanicals are not hea!ily tested in such manners0 instead they are regulated as foods$ rather than drugs they are defined as( Comparable

Pharmaceuticals or Natural to lea!ing a child to leap around a chaotic dumpster$ there is too much un.no,n about ,hat lies beneath to ma.e this a factually bac.ed up and safe endea!or to 6ump into( Consumers of these natural options are more informed on the composed materials ,ithin toast than any ingredients and potential hazards of most botanicals( Regardless of stance$ there needs to be e!idence supporting possible safety and effecti!eness for their uses( -o be clear$ nobody should absolutely disregard the use of any plant*deri!ed medicines( -here are a great number of undisco!ered$ untested plants and herbs upon our planet that may pro!e beneficial in the process of ho, medications ,or. to pro!ide additional benefits$ due to a

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less altered chemical combination( /o,e!er$ for the sa.e of public safety and health$ these forms also need to be tested and regulated to fairly benefit e!eryone( -hese are all ,ithin the same respecti!e field$ yet ha!e opposing arguments due to personal ideologies that become to7ic on the influences of ,hat1s healthiest for our bodies( 'any herbs may pro!e less upsetting to your stomach than competiti!e pharmaceuticals0 but ,ith a cost( -hough they may digest ,ithin the stomach more calmly than a similar$ regulated drug$ the ma6ority pro!es to be harder on your li!er to process as a ,hole due to their less defined compositions( -o be fair$ certain pharmaceuticals share this same conse5uence0 but are tested to the point that any ad!erse effects are noted and made ,ell a,are ahead of time( Drug recalls happen ,hen an un*documented or e7treme reaction ta.es place that could ad!ersely affect public safety$ and do occur more for pharmaceuticals0 but only due to the fact that they are so much more scrutinized and regulated( 2or a natural supplement to be recalled$ the cause is typically drastic and is an absolutely horrendous process( 8ay someone opted out of a prescription because it cost too much 9 ho,e!er$ the natural substitute the indi!idual decided to try instead reacted suddenly and .illed him( -hough an e7treme e7ample$ cases of such ha!e

Pharmaceuticals or Natural been documented ,ithin these more natural products( In this e!ent$ once occurred$ it still too. years for the remedy in 5uestion to be ta.en off of shel!es( +hy? ;ecause once a serious negati!e effect of a non*regulated drug comes into play$ the 2D is re5uired to step in( -hus$ an abhorrently strenuous process begins( 2rom this point$ the 2D then must personally test the supplement and gauge reactions and efficacy through tests$ and conclude ,hether it ,as solely the drug1s responsibility in such a result or merely a combination of outside factors that lead to this costly outcome( -his process ta.es time$ and during that period$ the drug in 5uestion still stands tall upon its shel!es$ mas.ed in a shroud of uncertainty until this conclusion is factually supported( +hen it comes to medicines$ ,hether scientifically engineered or natural$ ideology should not come into play ,hen deciding ,hich is for you( <ogic and scientific e!idence is drastically !ital in the safe use of a!ailable options to oneself0 anything else is a hazardous distraction to any effecti!e treatment of impro!ing one1s health( 'any herbs are used in combination ,ith pharmaceutical treatments and are becoming more ,idely accepted0 the most !ital aspect is .no,ing ,hat it is you1re ta.ing and factually supporting any potential benefits( )f all the misinformation clouding our society$ it is imperati!e to ta.e a step bac. to truly consider the safest option for your health in the grand scheme of life(