Fact Check
1. America makes up less than 5% of the population, but consumes over 50% of the world’s drugs. Gilles LaMarche
- World Health Organization (2004). “The World Medicines Situation.” Retrieved from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/68735/WHO_EDM_PAR_2004.5.pdf;jsessionid=DDC0BCE585896174B55FE7A310674098?sequence=1 (accessed May 13, 2020).
2. The US spends more money per capita on health than any other country in the world. LaMarche
- Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (2018). “Health Expenditure and Financing.” Retrieved from: https://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?DataSetCode=SHA (accessed May 13, 2020). Filter table by 2018 max to min.
3. Our genes haven’t changed in the last 5000 years – but we have been getting sicker in the last 50-100 years. LaMarche
- American Heart Association (2016). “U.S. Deaths from Heart Disease, Cancer on the Rise.” Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2018/05/01/cdc-us-deaths-from-heart-disease-cancer-on-the-rise (accessed May 13, 2020).
4. America is #40 in life expectancy, and is also ranked 44th in infant mortality. Eric Plasker
- Central Intelligence Agency (n.d.). “The World Factbook.” Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/355rank.html (Accessed May 16, 2020).
- The World Bank (2018). “World Development Indicators: Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births).” Retrieved from: https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&series=SH.DYN.MORT&country= (accessed May 13, 2020). The U.S. lands at 45th when non-country line items are discounted (Euro area, European Union, Post-demographic dividend, Central Europe and the Baltics, High income, North America, OECD members).
5. 70% of American adults suffer from a chronic disease. Tabor Smith
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017). “Healthy Aging: Promoting Well-being in Older Adults.” Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/grand-rounds/pp/2017/20170919-senior-aging.html (Accessed May 13, 2020). Reports 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition.
6. A fifth of the pie, of the US GDP, is being spent on illness. Ed Lafleur
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2018). “NHE Fact Sheet.” Retrieved from: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/NHE-Fact-Sheet (Accessed May 13, 2020).
7. More money is spent on pain alone than cancer and heart disease combined. Dan Sullivan
- Dallas, M. E. (2012). “Chronic Pain May Cost U.S. $635 Billion a Year” MedicineNet.com. Retrieved from: https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=162927 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). “Heart Disease Facts.” Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Schuette, H. L., Tucker, T. C., Brown, M. L., Potosky, A. L., Samuel, T. (1995). “The Costs of Cancer Care in the United States: Implications for Action” Oncology Journal, 9(11). Retrieved from: https://www.cancernetwork.com/oncology-journal/costs-cancer-care-united-states-implications-action (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- American Diabetes Association (2020). “The Cost of Diabetes.” Retrieved from: https://www.diabetes.org/resources/statistics/cost-diabetes (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Preidt, R. (2018). “Alzheimer’s costs Americans $277 billion a year — and rising” CBS News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alzheimers-costs-americans-277-billion-a-year-report/ (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Greenberg, P. E. (2015). “The Growing Economic Burden of Depression in the U.S.” Scientific American (MIND Guest Blog). Retrieved from: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/the-growing-economic-burden-of-depression-in-the-u-s/ (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). “Arthritis Cost Statistics.” Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/cost.htm (Accessed May 13, 2020).
8. 63.4% of opioid users began because they had some sort of pain Dan Sullivan
- Rummans, T. A., Burton, M. C., Dawson, N. L. (2018). “How Good Intentions Contributed to Bad Outcomes: The Opioid Crisis” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(3). Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2817%2930923-0/fulltext#back-bib50 (Accessed May 13, 2020). Reports an even greater 80% of opioid abusers had a prior prescription.
9. Every 25 minutes in the US, a baby is born addicted to opioids. And it costs the US $50,000 on average to rehab each one, totaling 1.5 billion per year. Dan Sullivan
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (2019). “Dramatic Increases in Maternal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.” Retrieved from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/dramatic-increases-in-maternal-opioid-use-neonatal-abstinence-syndrome (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Patrick, S. W., Davis, M. M., Lehman, C. U., and Cooper, W. O. (2015). “Increasing Incidence and Geographic Distribution of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: United States 2009-2012” Journal of Perinatology 35(8); pp. 650-655. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4520760/ (Accessed May 14, 2020). Reports 21,732 children affected with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in 2012, reaching a price tag of $1.5B, indicating a higher cost-per-child of $69,022.
10. You have a greater chance of dying from an opioid drug than you do from a car accident. Dan Sullivan
- Flower, K. and Senthilingam, M. (2019). “Odds of dying from accidental opioid overdose in the US surpass those of dying in car accident” CNN. Retrieved from: https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/14/health/opioid-deaths-united-states-surpass-road-accidents/index.html (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- Bursztynsky, J. (2019). “Americans more likely to die from opioid overdose today than car accident” CNBC. Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/15/americans-more-likely-to-die-from-opioid-overdose-than-car-accident.html (Accessed May 13, 2020).
11. 2/3 of drug overdoses in the US are related to opioids. Lisa Olzsewski
- Wilson, N., Kariisa, M., Seth, P., Smith, H., Davis, N. L. (2020). “Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2017–2018” CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 69(11), pp. 290–297. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6911a4.htm (Accessed May 13, 2020).
12. “Death By Medicine” article – 999,936 annual deaths caused by not treating cause of disease: “…right now, that the amount of suffering that’s created by treating symptoms and not fixing the cause and getting people healthy again, […] is 999,936 people annually every single year. That is equivalent to having two jumbo jets go down every single day, and 100% of the people dying on them.” David Erb
- Null, G., Dean, C., Feldman, M., Rasio, D., Smith, D. (2004) “Death by Medicine” Life Extension Magazine. Retrieved from: https://serenusai.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/deathbymedicine.pdf and https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2004/3/awsi_death (Accessed May 13, 2020).
13. Pharma companies spend $25 bil/year marketing drugs to doctors, & $9.6 bil/year marketing drugs to to consumers. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- PEW Charitable Trusts (2013). “Persuading the Prescribers: Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing and its Influence on Physicians and Patients.” Retrieved from: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2013/11/11/persuading-the-prescribers-pharmaceutical-industry-marketing-and-its-influence-on-physicians-and-patients (Accessed May 13, 2020). Indicates “more than $24 billion” on marketing to physicians.
- Schwartz, L. M., Woloshin, S. (2019). “Medical Marketing in the United States, 1997-2016” JAMA 321(1), pp. 80-96. Retrieved from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2720029?resultClick=1 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
14. Google-GlaxoSmithKline partnership. RFK
- Handley, L., and Wright, J. (2017). “Pharma Company GSK is Taking Control of Google Data to Find Out More About Its Customers.” Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/18/gsk-is-taking-control-of-google-data-to-find-out-more-about-customers.html (Accessed May 13, 2020).
15. Vioxx debacle Audio – NPR
- NPR News (2007). “Merck Tries to Move Beyond Vioxx Debacle” (audio).
Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16211947 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
16. In 1988, according to HHS, the chronic disease rates in American children were 12.8 percent. Children born after 1989 had a 54% chance of having a chronic disease. RFK
- McDonald, M. E., and Paul, J. F. (2010). “Timing of Increased Autistic Disorder Cumulative Incidence” Environmental Science & Technology 44; pp. 2112-2118.
Van Cleave, J., Gortmaker, S. L., and Perrin, J. M. (2010). “Dynamics of Obesity and Chronic Health Conditions Among Children and Youth” JAMA, 303(7); pp. 623-630. Retrieved from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/185391 (Accessed May 13, 2020). - Bethell, C. D., Kogan, M. D., Strickland, B. B., Schor, E. L., Robertson, J., and Newacheck, P. W. (2010). “A National and State Profile of Leading Health Problems and Health Care Quality for US Children: Key Insurance Disparities and Across-State Variations” American Pediatrics, 11(3); pp. S22-33. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876285910002500 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
17. In 2000, Congress found that CDC was staffed by people with ties to vaccine companies. They approved all 72 vaccines without safety studies. RFK
- House Hearing, 106 Congress (2001). “FACA: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND VACCINE DEVELOPMENT–PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS” Retrieved from: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-106hhrg73042/html/CHRG-106hhrg73042.htm (Accessed May 13, 2020).
18. In 2009, HHS found that 97% of people in the CDC committees had undisclosed conflicts of interest regarding vaccine companies. RFK
- HHS Office of the Inspector General (2009). “CDC’S ETHICS PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ON FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.” Retrieved from: https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-04-07-00260.pdf (Accessed May 13, 2020).
19. 96% of people have severe spinal degeneration by the age of 80 (American Journal of Neuroradiology); and 85% have severe spinal degeneration by the age of 50 (Chicago Institute of NeuroSurgery). Tabor Smith
- Brinjikji, W., Luetmer, P. H., Comstock, B., Bresnahan, B. W., Chen, L. E., Deyo, R. A., Halabi, S., Turner, J. A., Avins, A. L., James, K., Wald, J. T., Kallmes, D. F., and Jarvik, J. G. (2015). “Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations” American Journal of Neuroradiology 36(4), pp. 811-6. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25430861 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
- The Spine Hospital at the Neurological Institute of New York (n.d.) “Degenerative Disc Disease.” Retrieved from: https://www.columbiaspine.org/condition/degenerative-disc-disease/ (Accessed May 13, 2020). Indicates that 90% of 60 year olds have spinal degeneration.
20. Brain lights up with chiropractic adjustment, and it doesn’t with the placebo or control groups. Showed more activation one week post-adjustment. Stephanie Sullivan
- Tuttle, D., Hochman, J., Sullivan, S., Hosek, R. (2015). “Quantitative Assessment of Changes in Brain Activity After a Chiropractic Adjustment”
LIFE University Research Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.life.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ACC-RAC-POSTER-TUTTLE-FINAL-revised-June-2015.pdf (Accessed May 13, 2020).
21. Study in early 2018 – People in New Hampshire with non-cancer pain who were given chiropractic care compared to those who were given an opioid had a 55% less likely chance to fill a script for an opioid, and also saved 70% in costs. Lisa Olzsewski
- Whedon, J. M., Toler, A. W. J., Goehl, J. M., and Kazal, L. A. (2018). “Association Between Utilization of Chiropractic Services for Treatment of Low-Back Pain and Use of Prescription Opioids,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 24(6). Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29470104 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
22. March 6, 2018 Journal of American Medical Association found that opioids were no more helpful than NSAID drugs. Dan Sullivan
- Krebs, E. E., Gravely, A., Nugent, S., Jensen, A. C., DeRonne, B., Goldsmith, E. S., Kroenke, K., Bair, M. J., and Noorbaloochi, S. (2018). “Effect of Opioid vs Nonopioid Medications on Pain-Related Function in Patients With Chronic Back Pain or Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis Pain: The SPACE Randomized Clinical Trial.” JAMA, 319(9); pp. 872-882. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29509867 (Accessed May 13, 2020).
23. 2003 Spine Journal article found that chiro more effective than NSAIDs. Dan Sullivan
- Giles, L. G., Muller, R. (2003). “Chronic spinal pain: a randomized clinical trial comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation.” Spine, 28(14), pp. 1490-502. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12865832 (Accessed May 13, 2020).