When symptoms of polypharmacy are consistent with those of difficult-to-diagnose disorders, reliable determinations about which drugs are necessary is critical.
AMA J Ethics. 2018;20(12):E1133-1138. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2018.1133.
Dr Jo Ellen Wilson joins Ethics Talk to discuss her article, coauthored with Drs Jennifer M. Connell and Maria C. Duggan: “Why We Must Prevent and Appropriately Manage Delirium.”
The pharmaceutical industry's influence on the process of defining illness can be positive, as when drug companies increase public awareness of disease and develop effective therapies, or negative, if it pushes the boundaries of illness too far in pursuit of profit.