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Trust in American healthcare has hit an all-time low, falling behind countries like Indonesia, Mexico, and Thailand. According to recent statistics from public health researcher Preeti Vankar at Statista, only 60 percent of Americans expressed confidence in their healthcare system in 2022.
This skepticism extends beyond hospitals and healthcare organizations to pharmaceutical companies, including those manufacturing over-the-counter medications. One pharmacist has recently validated these concerns by exposing what he considers the top five deceptive medications on store shelves.
Insider explains how Big Pharma buys off academia and doctors
The chant of ‘scientifically proven’ is meaningless until the ‘proof’ is scrutinised for financial bias
Human drug trials should not be funded by those who profit from positive results
— HART (@hartgroup_org) February 2, 2023
In a YouTube video that garnered 6.5 million views, Grant Harting, a pharmacist licensed across three states, took viewers through a CVS store to identify major over-the-counter products he believes consumers should question.
“It’s not really a scam, because it actually is effective,” Harting said about ZzzQuil, the first product he discussed. While effective, this sleep aid contains diphenhydramine, the same ingredient as Benadryl, making the premium-priced version unnecessary when cheaper alternatives exist.
Next, he addressed Colace, a pricey laxative selling for $27. According to scientific research, its active ingredient, docusate, performs no better than a placebo. He suggests psyllium husk as a more effective alternative.
Harting then tackled Mucinex, priced at $43 for 42 tablets. “My goodness, what a racket,” he said. Despite its intended purpose as an expectorant, studies show its active ingredient, guaifenesin, offers no significant benefits over placebo.
'They aren't going to publish their findings, they are concerned about losing research money'
Dr Aseem Malhotra reveals a cardiology researcher found similar results to a new report showing an increase in risk of heart attack following the mRNA COVID vaccine. pic.twitter.com/63evorQwlJ
— GB News (@GBNEWS) November 25, 2021
The pharmacist labeled Sudafed PE as “complete and total garbanzo-beans trash.” The medication’s switch from pseudoephedrine to phenylephrine in the mid-2000s resulted in decreased effectiveness, though the original formula remains available behind the pharmacy counter.
Lastly, he critiqued Prevagen’s memory improvement claims, stating it “does nothing … no pharmacist recommends this ever.”
While Americans’ healthcare skepticism persists, this insider perspective offers valuable guidance for consumers navigating pharmacy aisles, potentially saving them money and disappointment.
