In a controlled trial with disabled elderly adults, doing nothing except terminating some of their prescriptions dropped the death rate by 53% compared to the control.
In another study, "more than half of the patients were candidates for deprescribing. The most common criterion was inappropriately long use followed by safety concerns and lack of indication."
Doing nothing except terminating some of their prescriptions dropped the death rate by 53% compared to the control.
This situation is even worse for the elderly, who have more time to be put on an increasing number of medications, and due to their altered physiology, are also the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of those medications. For example, from 2009-2016, after two billion office visits were assessed, it was found that for adults over 65, 65% were on two or more drugs, 49% were on four or more, and 37% were on more than five (with the highest use occurring in the oldest Americans).
One of the best illustrations of the problem came from a study that compared 119 disabled elderly adults living in nursing homes to 71 matching controls… patients were on an average of 7 medications … [They] were screened for which of their medications clearly met the existing criteria for being discontinued – an average of 3 per patient. After those medications were discontinued in the test group, when compared to the controls who remained on all of their existing prescriptions, the death rate dropped by 53%. (In one year, 45% of the control group died, whereas 21% of the test subjects died). The annual rate of hospital referrals dropped by 61% (30% of the controls vs. 12% of the test group)…
When you consider that many of these drugs… frequently have a variety of other concerning side effects (such as triggering dementia), the absurdity of this situation (that this pivotal study never changed how we practice medicine) becomes apparent.
Contents
Context: Pharmaceutical Drug Harms
Handouts
Evidence of Harm: Overview
Detailed References
Free Reference Guide
For Wellness Providers & Educators: Boost Your Impact — Premium Resources Just a Click Away from $19
Context: Pharmaceutical Drug Harms
Pharmaceuticals generally + overprescription (you’re here) — In a controlled trial with disabled elderly adults, doing nothing except terminating some of their prescriptions dropped the death rate by 53% compared to the control. “More than half of the patients were candidates for deprescribing. The most common criterion was inappropriately long use, followed by safety concerns, and lack of indication.”
Acid blockers, PPIs, drugs for acid reflux, heartburn, GERD, gastric ulcer — PPIs increased cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and bone fractures, chronic kidney disease, neurodegeneration including Alzheimer’s and dementia, all-cause mortality (death), B-12 deficiency, pneumonia, and infections. PPIs altered children’s gut microbiome, the foundation of immunity and health, and increased infections in children. Stomach acid is crucial for health.
ADHD drugs, stimulants — Caused “long-lasting changes” in brain function “similar to those that occur with cocaine.” “There is no such thing as a Ritalin deficiency.” Harms from ADHD drugs are many, and effects from higher doses are severe. Get verifiable research and alternatives for resolving the underlying issues.
Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s drugs — Alzheimer’s & dementia drugs are less effective than B vitamins. And they cause fluid build-up & bleeding in the brain and increased death. Parkinson’s drugs deplete nutrients needed for brain health. Parkinson’s symptoms can be reversed. Successful therapies promote brain autophagy, “the removal of old and damaged brain cells and the creation of new and healthy brain cells.”
Antibiotics — “Like TNT for the body’s microbiome” and linked with kidney stones, infertility, miscarriage, birth defects. Since 70 to 80% of the immune system is in the gut, damage to gut health is damage to immune health. Review curated research + alternatives and considerations.
Asthma, allergy & hay fever drugs, antihistamines — Antihistamines cause heart problems, cognitive impairment, seizures in kids. Asthma “med” caused depression, anxiety, aggression, suicides. “Common medications like diphenhydramine [called benadryl, other brand names] cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupting normal brain activity and lowering seizure thresholds in vulnerable children.”
Blood pressure drugs — Allergies, Diabetes, Weight Gain, Sexual Dysfunction, Depression, Acute Kidney Injury, Lung Cancer, Abnormal Heart Rate, and More. Blood pressure-lowering drugs have not been shown to be effective; do not address the root cause(s) of hypertension; have been contaminated with cancer-causing agents; and cause harm (“side effects”).
Chemotherapy, other cancer drugs, radiation — “Chemotherapy makes cancer worse.” “Chemotherapy doubled the number of cancer cells in the bloodstream and lungs.” “Omitting radiation from treatment did not have an effect on survival rates.” “Radiation therapy increases the risk of solid tumors.” Chemotherapy drugs harm the healthcare professionals who administer them.
Diabetes drugs, metformin — Caused death, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, reduced blood flow to brain & organs. 90% + of diabetes is reversible with diet but professionals push drugs that harm. Professionals avoid telling the simple truth about the effectiveness of low carb diets and push profitable drugs that cause harm. In 2023, the FDA approved more drugs to treat diabetes in children.
Osteoporosis drugs, bisphosphonates — Caused “substantially reduced bone strength” and caused more microcracks in bone than the controls. Osteoporosis drugs caused blood calcium levels to drop, digestion problems, internal bleeding, irregular heartbeat, bone fractures, and bone death.
Over the counter drugs (OTCs) — Tylenol: ADHD, autism, ulcers, GI issues, kidney disease, heart failure. Laxative given to children: rage, tics, insomnia, seizures. Ibuprofen: DNA damage, hypertension. Sunscreens? Nightmare. Prescription drugs cause great harm, but so do over-the-counter meds and personal care products. Get an organized curation of research and reports.
Pain relievers, NSAIDs, opioids — Even at “safe doses,” opioids cause confusion, dependence, depression, increased pain sensitivity, diminished energy, and low sex drive. Consistent use of NSAIDs caused heart attacks. Doctors are not trained in pain management or addiction, but they prescribe dangerous, highly addictive drugs. Get an organized curation of research and reports, plus alternatives and considerations.
Psychiatric drugs: antidepressants, SSRIs, anti-anxiety, benzos, other psychotropics — Anti-depressants cause suicidal thinking, violence, and homicide. Anti-anxiety drugs cause insomnia and anxiety. Anti-psychotic drugs cause agitation, psychosis and violence. This organized curation of research and reports makes it clear that the evidence of harm from psychotropic drugs is overwhelming. We also provide alternatives and considerations.
Scans, radiology, & ultrasounds (e.g. mammograms, CT scans, X-rays) — Medical scans (CT scans, mammograms, etc) use ionizing radiation which damages DNA and causes cancer. Research and resource curation, including research showing that 1) mammograms do not reduce risk of death, and 2) a higher incidence of breast cancer was caused from mammography radiation.
Seizure drugs, anticonvulsants, anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) — Devastating effects, negatively impacting virtually every system of the body, including damage to blood vessels and reduction in all three types of blood cells. Seizure drugs caused liver failure and death in young people and in healthy adults. A long list of non-harming alternatives listed below, with links to research on their effectiveness.
Sleeping pills, sedatives — Sleeping pills make you unconscious, not asleep. They impair the sleep cycle. They increase dementia, falls, and death. And they’re highly addictive. Sleeping pills deprive people of true sleep and they impede essential brain functions (which are causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases)
Statins — Statin drugs damage health at foundational levels — mitochondria, muscles and nerves — which can lead to more than 300 health problems. Research curation on statin harms, plus research showing that 1) lowering cholesterol does not improve heart health, and 2) statins do not lower all-cause death rates.
Steroids — Cause osteoporosis and double the risk of bone fractures. They increase heart failure, diabetes, psychiatric issues, glaucoma, and serious infections. Steroid users report rapid weight gain, intense hunger, irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, acne, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, and withdrawal reactions, among other adverse events.
Vaccines — Reports by vaccine type.
Weight loss drugs — Ozempic & Similar Weight Loss Drugs Cause Kidney Failure, Pancreatitis, Thyroid Cancer, Gallbladder Issues, Depression, Severe Stomach Problems, Bone & Muscle Loss, Blindness, and Death. “Ozempic, similar weight loss drugs linked to 162 deaths in U.S.” Get an organized curation of research and reports, with quick links to verify sources.
Handouts
Handouts available for purchase here.
Evidence of Harm: Overview
Death by Prescription
A 1995 study found that 200,000 people die each year from drugs taken as prescribed vs. 20,000 deaths from illegal drugs.
In 2014, Dr. Peter Gøtzsche MD reported prescription drugs were the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and Europe.
In 2024, Dr. Peter Gøtzsche MD reported prescription drugs are the leading cause of death.
In 2025, it was reported that 250,000 deaths per year are caused by prescription drugs.
In 2007, in a controlled trial with disabled elderly adults, doing nothing except terminating some of their prescriptions dropped the death rate by 53% compared to the control.
In 1993, the FDA implemented a faster drug approval process. By 2000, it had withdrawn seven drugs that it recently approved due to reports of deaths and severe side effects.
Overprescripton, Polypharmacy
“Patients on multiple medications are more likely to suffer drug side effects.”
“Studies have shown that the number of drugs used by a patient strongly influences the risk for adverse drug events owing to an increased risk for inappropriate prescribing, drug-drug interaction, and drug-disease interaction.”
The rate of adverse drug reactions increases exponentially after a patient is on 4 or more medications.”
“More than half of the patients were candidates for deprescribing. The most common criterion was inappropriately long use, followed by safety concerns, and lack of indication.”
“Timely action towards reducing the use of commonly prescribed potentially inappropriate medications is needed to increase patient safety.” [
Overprescription in assisted living facilities: “This has got to stop!”
“The war against polypharmacy in disabled elderly people.”
It’s business as usual to put children, with their developing brains and bodies, on “cocktails of powerful psychotropic drugs.”
Harms, Addiction from Treatments Generally
“One-third of new drugs had safety problems after FDA approval.”
Common effects from prescription drugs include confusion, hallucinations, fainting, blurred vision, depression, and sexual problems.
Drugs cause nutrient deficiency in a number of ways, such as inhibiting nutrient absorption or flushing them out from increased urination.
Dr. Vernon Coleman was warning of prescription drug dangers in 1975.
“It’s easier to get off heroin than psych drugs.”
“Pharmaceutical companies have hidden from both doctors and patients the dangerous side effects, addictive nature and long-term harm [from commonly prescribed psychiatric drugs].”
In a study of 1,829 antidepressant users, three out of four tried to quit — and 70% of them were unable to do so because withdrawal symptoms were too severe.
Doctors prescribe severely addictive drugs, parroting industry propaganda that withdrawal symptoms are mild and short-lived.
“Nationwide drug recall: Injectables mislabeled, may result in overdose and death.”
Long term effectiveness and harms from surgeries are rarely acknowledged.
Detailed References
Death by Prescription
A 1995 study found that 200,000 die each year from drugs taken as prescribed vs 20,000 deaths from illegal drugs.
[In a 1995 study], pharmacists found that every year approximately 200,000 die from prescription drug reactions when taking medications “as prescribed.” That is as many deaths every week as we suffered on 9/11 and America went to war for over a decade… Where is that kind of outcry for these deaths? … Another 80,000 die from medical malpractice… Everyone is asking, “Where is the FDA?” Busy approving another new drug? And how many more will die from that one?” — International Coalition for Drug Awareness
2014: “Prescription drugs are the third leading cause of death in the United States and Europe.”
Our prescription drugs are the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer in the United States and Europe. Around half of those who die have taken their drugs correctly; the other half die because of errors, such as too high a dose or use of a drug despite contraindications. Our drug agencies are not particularly helpful, as they rely on fake fixes, which are a long list of warnings, precautions, and contraindications for each drug, although they know that no doctor can possibly master all of these. Major reasons for the many drug deaths are impotent drug regulation, widespread crime that includes corruption of the scientific evidence about drugs and bribery of doctors, and lies in drug marketing, which is as harmful as tobacco marketing and, therefore, should be banned. We should take far fewer drugs… – Dr. Peter C Gøtzsche MD, Polish Archives of Internal Medicine link and link
2024: “Prescription drugs are the leading cause of death.”
And psychiatric drugs are the third leading cause of death. Overtreatment with drugs kills many people, and the death rate is increasing. It is therefore strange that we have allowed this long-lasting drug pandemic to continue, and even more so because most of the drug deaths are easily preventable. – Dr. Peter C Gøtzsche MD, Brownstone Institute link + Mad in America link + The Expose link
In 2025, it was reported that 250,000 deaths per year are caused by prescription drugs.
The American Society of Pharmacovigilance [reported that] adverse drug events are now the third leading cause of death in the United States. This figure combines… prescribing errors, prescription drug overdoses, prescription drug misuse, drug-drug interactions, allergic reactions, and adverse drug reactions… account[ing] for approximately 250,000 deaths each year… These findings were announced March 24, 2025. — Practical Neurology
Overprescripton, Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy is the prescribing of multiple items to one individual. [source and source]
It may refer specifically to taking five or more medications simultaneously. [source]
We dislike polypharmacy as much as it is possible, and we would never exhibit a remedy of any kind unless we had a scientific reason for so doing and unless we were prepared to defend our method of treatment. – W Newnham, Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal, 1848
Overprescription refers to prescribing medications despite potential harms outweighing benefits. It can include prescribing without adequate indication of need, continuing medications longer than necessary, prescribing duplicative therapies, or prescribing drugs despite safer alternatives.
Deprescribing refers to reducing or stopping medications that are causing harm or no longer of benefit. [Australian Deprescribing Network]
Drugs most often identified as candidates for deprescribing include PPIs, NSAIDs, benzodiazepines, and opioids [Scientific Reports, Nature]
“Patients on multiple medications are more likely to suffer drug side effects.”
Patients on multiple medications are more likely to suffer drug side effects… Medication errors are a common consequence of using multiple medications… It is important for patients’ medications to be reviewed periodically to ensure that essential laboratory tests are undertaken, side effects are detected, patients are given essential information and are involved in decisions about their medicines, and that therapy is optimised… Most medicines do not need to be used lifelong.
