US Govt report for 2009
Prescription drug overdose deaths in US may be 20,000 X higher than deaths due to all vitamins, herbs, etc.
Deaths due to prescription drugs > 180,000 X higher than deaths due to all vitamins, herbs, etc.
The new 200-page annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, published in the journal Clinical Toxicology, shows
- zero deaths from multiple vitamins;
- zero deaths from any of the B vitamins;
- zero deaths from vitamins A, C, D, or E;
- zero deaths from any other vitamin;
- zero deaths from any amino acid, herb, or dietary mineral supplement.
There were many deaths in Florida due prescription overdose and a some due to illicit drug overdose
Alternate Text: The figure above shows the annual drug overdose death rates for selected prescription and illicit drugs in Florida for 2003-2009. Among seven specific drugs examined, in 2003 the highest death rate was for cocaine (3.2 per 100,000 population), followed by methadone (2.2), oxycodone (1.7), heroin (1.4), morphine and alprazolam (1.3), and hydrocodone (1.1). In 2009, the number of deaths involving prescription drugs was four times the number involving illicit drugs, and the highest death rate was for oxycodone (6.4 per 100,00 population), followed by alprazolam (4.4), methadone (3.9), cocaine (2.8), morphine (1.6), hydrocodone (1.4), and heroin (0.5).
"During 2003--2009, a total of 16,550 drug overdose deaths were recorded by Florida medical examiners. "
- which is an average of 2300 deaths per year in Florida (population 18 million)
- versus 0 deaths per year in the entire US for any kind of vitamin or herb (population 307 million)
Even if there were 1 death due to vitamins per year, then
The US death rate for drug overdose could still be 40,000X more than that of all vitamins and herbs
(2300 X 307 million/18 million)
But, if we allow that the death rate due to drug overdose may be 2X higher in Florida than in the rest of the US (so many elderly)
the death rate due to overdose may be only 20,000 X more
2003 Book at Amazon Death by Prescription
- The fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. is properly prescribed and administered medication.
- By adding improperly prescribed medication to that equation, it becomes the third leading cause of death.
- 180,000 deaths due to adverse drug reactions
Versus ZERO deaths due to vitamins and herbs
- - - - - - - - - - - -