Critical Thinking Paper

Plant or Pill:
Herbal Medicines and the Pharmaceutical Industry

Haili Bruckner
CAP 9
Red Group
Monday May 15, 2017
 Taking pills to treat anything from a common cold to a deathly disease has become

almost second nature for most Americans, but many fail to consider the effect that manufactured

drugs can have on their health, income, and the environment, let alone whether or not they

work. With advancements in technology, chemical and medicinal knowledge continues to

progress. For centuries pharmaceutical drugs have been a valuable commodity in the United

States, but between 2004 and 2005 more than 700,000 individuals were hospitalized due to drug

side effects (Ross). Americans continue to use prescription and over the counter medicines at an

alarming rate. In 1993, prescription drug sales in the U.S. reached almost $60 billion yearly

(Industry and Market Background), and only 22 years later, annual U.S. spending on medicine

was almost $425 billion (IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics 1). Herbal medicines present a

less costly and often safer alternative to manufactured medicines, but few doctors are educated

on their use (Duke). Leading medical schools such as Harvard, Duke, and Yale have no course

requirements in herbal medicine because it is not necessary for curriculum accreditation, so

doctors are unable to provide patients with alternatives to pharmaceuticals. The Liaison

Committee on Medical Education (LCME) was founded in 1942 to guide the design, content,

and conduct of educational program[s], ensuring that all medical schools are able to adapt to

changes in medical practice based on evolving societal needs, practice patterns, and scientific

developments (Brownell Anderson et al. 2, 3). The LCME is recognized as the reliable

authority for the accreditation of medical education programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine

(M.D.) degree by the U.S. Department of Education, and standards required of accredited

medical schools are put forth in Functions and Structure of a Medical School (Scope and

Purpose of Accreditation). The Liaison Committee on Medical Education must amend the

standards for the accreditation of Doctor of Medicine education programs to include education
and training in the use of herbal medicines, as they encompass natural, age-old remedies, and are

less costly and environmentally sustainable alternatives to many chemical based

pharmaceuticals.

Herbal medicines are safe and effective alternatives to pharmaceuticals for many

conditions, are all-natural and not manufactured, and have been used for over 2,000

years. Many pharmaceutical drugs contain main ingredients similar to those found in natural

medicines, but unnecessary chemicals are added into pharmaceuticals in order for companies to

mass produce the drugs. While herbs contain thousands of chemical compounds that interact to

cause healing properties, drug companies only use an isolated active ingredient in the

pharmaceutical. This often results in a drug that is not as effective as the herb as a whole

(Siegenthaler). When the active ingredient is combined with chemicals to form a drug, it can also

cause side effects that are not present in the herb itself. While this could be avoided, the

pharmaceutical industry thrives on side effects, as it causes consumers to purchase different

drugs to alleviate symptoms (Ross). Doctors must be educated on herbal medicines to provide

patients with natural treatments that are as effective as pharmaceuticals and are free of harmful

side effects.

Herbal remedies and treatments are also age-old solutions to common health

problems. Natural medicine practices traditionally rooted in cultures around the world have been

tested and advanced for several thousand years longer than western medicines have been in

use. Ayurvedic medicine, one of the worlds oldest medical systems, originated in India and has

created herbal medicines that are still used today. The first medical healing school was formed

in India around 800 BC and used many of the 1,500 medicinal plants from the book Charaka

Samhita, which is still in use (Kacera). Traditional Chinese medicine, another common form of
herbal medicine used around the world, originated in China and has been developed over more

than 5,000 years (Dong). The LCME must implement education on herbal medicine - which has

been time tested - into the curriculum of accredited medical schools so doctors can allow those in

search of treatment options to feel comfortable choosing natural remedies.

Herbal medicine is also a low-cost alternative to western treatments. Heart disease,

diabetes, obesity, breast cancer, and prostate cancer amount to about 75 percent of health-care

costs in the U.S., which total up to $3 trillion per year. Many of these are largely preventable and

reversible through alternative medicine and lifestyle changes (Chopra et al). In 2015, U.S.

spending on medicines reached $424.8 billion, 12.2 percent higher than in 2014, and is expected

to reach $610-640 billion by 2020 (IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics 1, 5). Annual out-

of-pocket spending on prescription drugs in America is about $200 billion, while herbal

treatments would only cost Americans a fraction of this. For example, a drug commonly used to

treat arthritis costs over $4.00 per day, while an equally effective natural alternative costs less

than $0.40 (Keiley and Bloyd 1). Required courses on herbal medicines would provide doctors

with information on alternative treatment options, which they could then provide to patients,

allowing for more widespread access to herbal medicine at lower treatment and health-care costs.

Common cancer treatments involving pharmaceuticals and surgery are known to put

great stress on the body and cause additional health issues such as a weakened immune system,

nutritional problems, and mental health problems, while herbal medicines allow patients to

effectively treat illnesses and diseases while remaining healthy and strong. Conventional drugs

are used to target specific symptoms, so individuals commonly use multiple pharmaceuticals to

treat their various symptoms as well as additional medication to reduce side effects. Alternative

medicines offer remedies and treatments that interact and are tailored to an individuals needs, to
improve the persons health while stimulating his or her immune system; whereas

pharmaceuticals are mass marketed to treat specific diseases common within the general public

and are not designed to benefit a persons immunity (Ullman xiii). Nancy Lembo, who was

diagnosed with stage IV Follicular Lymphoma and Intestinal cancer in 2008, has been using

homeopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine as treatment and has not needed to use western

medicine in the nine years she has had cancer. She explains that conventional medicines such as

chemotherapy target cancer cells but are not able to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy

cells, which in turn damages white blood cells; while herbal medicines work to strengthen the

immune system in order for the body to fight the cancer on its own (Lembo). Additionally, in an

article that describes the pharmaceutical industrys focus on profit rather than consumer health, it

is explained that the industry is more interested in clinical trials designed to produce a

marketing advantage rather than a clinically meaningful effect, so many pharmaceutical drugs

are not fully proven to successfully treat illnesses and diseases (Fisher). Doctors must be

required by the LCME to be educated on herbal medicines so patients can have less physically

and mentally draining treatment options that work just as well, if not better than pharmaceuticals.

Herbal medicines not only have health, safety, and financial benefits, but they are also

better for the environment. Pharmaceutical remains in sewage treatment plants have the ability

to contaminate surface, ground, and tap water (Wennmalm and Gunnarsson). Trace amounts of

over 150 human and veterinary medicines have been detected in environments ranging as far as

the Arctic (Shah). In 2002, the United States Geological Survey discovered traces of 82 different

pharmaceutical ingredients in surface waters throughout the U.S. (Royte). With the entry of

pharmaceutical components into the waterways including parasiticide, antibacterials, and anti-

inflammatories, aquatic and terrestrial organisms are often harmed. Insect exposure to
parasiticide was seen to have caused delayed development and physical abnormalities in juvenile

insects as well as a disruption of feeding and loss of water balance in adult insects. Antibacterials

and anti-inflammatories have also been found to impact the structure of soil microbial

communities and inhibit growth in aquatic plants (Boxall 1114). In Prescription Drug Residue

Harms Wildlife and the Environment, it is explained that 90 percent of Indias Gyps vultures died

by 2014 due to their feeding on carcasses of livestock that had been exposed to an arthritis

drug. Furthermore, in environments with heavy use of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacteria have

become much more prevalent. The article states, in samples from dairy farms where livestock

are treated, and from lakes that receive effluent from hospitals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are up

to 70 percent more common than in uncontaminated environments (Shah). Education on herbal

medicines would allow for doctors to provide patients with natural treatments that have no

hazardous effects on soil and waterway ecosystems.

Without access to necessary health information, many individuals suffering from

illnesses and disease have limited treatment options, some of which have high risks, are

extremely costly, and may not work. While herbal remedies do not exist for all diseases, there

are many natural medicines that are safe, effective, environmentally friendly, and less costly

alternatives to their pharmaceutical counterparts, yet doctors are not required to be educated on

their use and are unable to provide them as options to patients. If the LCME was to incorporate

courses on herbal medicine into the standards required for Doctor of Medicine programs, patients

would have access to and feel comfortable using natural remedies that have been time tested and

are less costly and environmentally friendly alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

 Works Cited

Boxall, Alistair. The Environmental Side Effects of Medication. EMBO Reports, vol. 5, no. 12, Dec.

2004. ProQuest Research Library, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.

Brownell Anderson, M., et al. Learning Objectives for Medical Student Education: Guidelines for

Medical Schools. Report no. 1, Association of American Medical Colleges, 1998. Association of

American Medical Colleges, members.aamc.org/. Accessed 11 May 2017.

Chopra, Deepak, and others. Alternative Medicine is Mainstream. Wall Street Journal, 09 Jan 2009,

pp. A.13. SIRS Issues Researcher, http://sks.sirs.com.

Dong, Jingcheng. The Relationship between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Medicine.

Evidence - Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013. ProQuest Research Library

Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Duke, James A. The Green Pharmacy. Mother Earth News, Dec, 1999, pp. 22-29, SIRS Issues

Researcher,https://sks.sirs.com.

Fisher, Morris A. Physicians and the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Dysfunctional Relationship.

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, vol. 46, no. 2, Spring 2003. ProQuest Research Library,

search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.

IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, compiler. Medicines Use and Spending in the U.S. IMS

Institute for Healthcare Informatics, Apr. 2016. Morning Consult, morningconsult.com.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Industry and Market Background. HOW HEALTH CARE REFORM AFFECTS PHARMACEUTICAL

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, Jun, 1994, pp. 3-16, SIRS Government Reporter,

https://sks.sirs.com.
Kacera, Walter. Learning from the Rishis. Herbs at Home, Winter 2001. SIRS Knowledge Source,

sks.sirs.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Keiley, Lynn, and Stephanie Bloyd. Herbs vs. Drugs: Get the Facts About Medicine. Mother Earth

News, Dec.-Jan. 2006/2007, www.motherearthnews.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Lembo, Nancy. Interview. 22 Mar. 2017.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Ayurveda Is a Widely Used Traditional

System of Healing. Alternative Therapies, edited by Sylvia Engdahl, Greenhaven Press, 2012.

Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 2 Apr.

2017. Originally published as Ayurvedic Medicine: An Introduction, 2009.

Pharmaceutical Industry. Britannica Academic, Encyclopdia Britannica, 9 May 2016,

academic.eb.com. Accessed 31 Mar. 2017.

Ross, Warren. The Side Effects of Side Effects. Medical Marketing and Media, vol. 42, no. 2, Feb.

2007. ProQuest Research Library Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017.

Royte, Elizabeth. Drugging the Waters. Onearth, vol. 28, no. 3, Fall 2006. ProQuest Research Library

Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.

"Scope and Purpose of Accreditation." Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Association of

American Medical Colleges/American Medical Association, 2017, lcme.org/. Accessed 13 May

2017.

Shah, Sonia. Prescription Drug Residue Harms Wildlife and the Environment. Prescription Drugs,

edited by Sylvia Engdahl, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints

in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 13 Feb. 2017. Originally published as As

Pharmaceutical Use Soars, Drugs Taint Water and Wildlife, Yale Environment 360, 15 Apr.

2010.
Siegenthaler, Danny. Herbal Medicines Are Effective. Alternative Medicine, edited by David M.

Haugen, Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

link.galegroup.com. Accessed 12 Feb. 2017. Originally published as What Pharmaceutical

Companies Dont Want You to Know about Herbal Medicine! OfSpirit.com Magazine, 2007.

Ullman, Dana. Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century. Berkeley, North Atlantic Books, 1988.

Wennmalm, ke, and Bo Gunnarsson. Public Health Care Management of Water Pollution with

Pharmaceuticals: Environmental Classification and Analysis of Pharmaceutical Residues in

Sewage Water. Drug Information Journal, vol. 39, no. 3, 2005. ProQuest Research Library

Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.

 Annotated Bibliography

Borins, Mel, M.D. A Doctors Guide to Alternative Medicine. Guilford, Lyons Press, 2014. This source

provides detailed information on alternative medicines including herbal medicine, acupuncture,

and others. It can be used to explain why doctors must provide patients with alternative

treatment options.

Boxall, Alistair. The Environmental Side Effects of Medication. EMBO Reports, vol. 5, no. 12, Dec.

2004. ProQuest Research Library, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017. This source

explains the environmental impact of pharmaceutical drugs. It provides specific examples and

statistics and can be used to argue the environmental benefits of herbal treatments.

Brownell Anderson, M., et al. Learning Objectives for Medical Student Education: Guidelines for

Medical Schools. Report no. 1, Association of American Medical Colleges, 1998. Association of

American Medical Colleges, members.aamc.org/. Accessed 11 May 2017. This source describes

the purpose of the LCME and AAMC in accrediting medical programs. I can use it to expand on

my thesis statement and provide background information on the organizations included in the

call to action. I can also use it to explain the importance of herbal medicine education programs

in leading medical schools.

Cavers, David. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938: Its Legislative History and Its Substantive

Provisions. Law and Contemporary Problems, vol. 6, Winter 1939. Duke Law,

scholarship.law.duke.edu. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017. This article provides background information

on the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938. The author explains the purpose of the act and

how it ties into the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA, as well as the results of the act. It can

be used in the introduction to provide general information on pharmaceuticals and how they are

tested and approved.

Chopra, Deepak, and others. Alternative Medicine is Mainstream. Wall Street Journal, 09 Jan 2009,

pp. A.13. SIRS Issues Researcher, http://sks.sirs.com. The source explains that alternative

medicine is cost-effective treatment for cancer and other common diseases and illnesses. The

article is helpful in arguing that alternative medicine can help patients save money as well as

reduce overall healthcare spending, as well as arguing that alternative medicine can be a quick

and safe treatment option.

Clark, Charles S. Alternative Medicine. CQ Researcher, Jan 1992, pp. 75+. SIRS Issues Researcher,

http://sks.sirs.com. The article explains the importance of alternative medicines and provides

specific examples of their success. It provides information on the connection between doctors,

treatment options, and the government. The author explains the benefits of alternative medicines

and why it is important for government organizations and doctors to present them as treatment

options.

Dong, Jingcheng. The Relationship between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Medicine.

Evidence - Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013. ProQuest Research Library

Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. This source provides background information

on Traditional Chinese medicine. It can be used to argue the safety and efficacy of herbal

medicines through specific examples, as it explains the origins of TCM.

Duke, James A. The Green Pharmacy. Mother Earth News, Dec, 1999, pp. 22-29, SIRS Issues

Researcher,https://sks.sirs.com. This source provides a doctors perspective on herbal and other

non-traditional medicines. The author explains about the tests he has performed to determine the

safety of herbal treatments and the problems with pharmaceutical drugs. The article provides

statistics on the success and failure of traditional medicines as opposed to herbal medicines, and

can be used to argue the safety and efficacy of natural medicine.

Duterme, Philip A. The Renaissance of Herbal Medicine. Total Health, vol. 23, no. 4, July-Aug. 2001.

ProQuest Research Library Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. The article

generally addresses the benefits to herbal medicine over western medicine. It can be used in the

introduction to provide general information on herbal medicine or for any of the four arguments,

but it does not contain specific examples.

Fick, Jerker, et al. Contamination of Surface, Ground, and Drinking Water from Pharmaceutical

Production. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, vol. 28, no. 12, Dec. 2009. ProQuest

Research Library Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017. The article describes the

environmental issues caused by the production of pharmaceuticals. The source presents specific

examples and data on the environmental impact of pharmaceutical production and can be used to

argue that herbal medicine is more environmentally friendly.

Fisher, Morris A. Physicians and the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Dysfunctional Relationship.

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, vol. 46, no. 2, Spring 2003. ProQuest Research Library,

search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017. This source explains the relationship between the

pharmaceutical industry and doctors that recommend patient treatment options. The author

explains that the pharmaceutical industry is extremely large and has a privileged economic

position, and that it focuses on marketing rather than the production of safe and effective

drugs. It can help argue that the pharmaceutical industry and government agencies must be more

responsive to the needs of the patients, and that it can be done through the use of herbal

treatments.

Gordon, James S., M.D., and Sharon Curtin. Comprehensive Cancer Care. Cambridge, Perseus

Publishing, 2000. This source explains alternative cancer treatment options to western medicine,

including mind-body medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and other alternative

 medicines. It can be used to argue that recommended cancer treatment options such as chemo

and radiation are not always the only option, and that herbal and alternative treatments are safe

and effective.

Hwang, Tricia. FDA and the Challenge of Alternative Medicine: Realistic Assessments and Regulatory

Flexibility. Harvard, 1997. Harvard.edu, dash.harvard.edu. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017. This source

provides an individual viewpoint on alternative medicine and its benefits. It explains the

nonexistent relationship between alternative treatments and the FDA and presents that it is a

problem. It can be used to argue the benefits of herbal medicine and that the FDA must

recognize herbal treatments as a viable option for many patients.

IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, compiler. Medicines Use and Spending in the U.S. IMS

Institute for Healthcare Informatics, Apr. 2016. Morning Consult, morningconsult.com.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. This source provides recent information on government and individual

spending on healthcare and pharmaceuticals in the U.S. It contains detailed charts and statistics

and can be used to demonstrate the scale of the pharmaceutical industry and argue that herbal

medicines are less costly than pharmaceuticals.

Industry and Market Background. HOW HEALTH CARE REFORM AFFECTS PHARMACEUTICAL

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, Jun, 1994, pp. 3-16, SIRS Government Reporter,

https://sks.sirs.com. The source provides general information and statistics on the pharmaceutical

industry. It helps to explain the scale of pharmaceutical spending and consumption in the US

and can be used to present background information about large drug companies and their

issues. The data is not current but can be used to provide a comparison to up to date statistics

and demonstrate the rapid increase in domestic spending on prescription and over the counter

medicine.
Kacera, Walter. Learning from the Rishis. Herbs at Home, Winter 2001. SIRS Knowledge Source,

sks.sirs.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. This source provides information on the origins of

Ayurveda. It can be used to argue the safety of herbal medicines and provide background

information on specific types of medicine that have been used for thousands of years.

Kassebaum, Donald G., M.D. "Origin of the LCME, the AAMC-AMA Partnership for Accreditation."

Academic Medicine, vol. 67, no. 2, Feb. 1992, pp. 85-87. Academic Medicine,

journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/. Accessed 13 May 2017. This academic journal article

provides detailed information on the history of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education,

including the context in which the organization was founded. I can use it in the introduction

before the thesis statement to explain the purpose of the LCME and its importance in the 50s to

today. I can also use it to explain why the LCME must change their accreditation standards to

include Herbal Medicine education.

Keiley, Lynn, and Stephanie Bloyd. Herbs vs. Drugs: Get the Facts About Medicine. Mother Earth

News, Dec.-Jan. 2006/2007, www.motherearthnews.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. This source

provides information on the price differences between herbal and conventional medicines. It can

be used to argue the cost effectiveness of herbal medicine.

Lembo, Nancy. Interview. 22 Mar. 2017. This source is a personal interview with a 10 year cancer

survivor who used herbal treatments instead of western medicine. It provides a primary source

example of the success of herbal medicine. It provides background information on herbal

treatments and their uses and demonstrates that it is necessary for there to be more information

available to the public on alternative options to pharmaceuticals. It can be used to argue that

herbal treatments are safe, will work, and are much less expensive than commonly recommended

treatments.
Milmo, Sean. Regulating the Environmental Impact of Pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical Technology,

vol. 38, no. 6, June 2014. ProQuest Research Library Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1

Apr. 2017. This article explains about the impact of pharmaceutical drugs on the environment. It

mostly contains information and statistics from European countries but can be used to gain

background knowledge on the hazardous effects of pharmaceuticals.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Ayurveda Is a Widely Used Traditional

System of Healing. Alternative Therapies, edited by Sylvia Engdahl, Greenhaven Press, 2012.

Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 2 Apr.

2017. Originally published as Ayurvedic Medicine: An Introduction, 2009. This source

provides general information on Ayurveda, a form of herbal medicine. It can be used to argue

the safety of herbal medicines as it describes the origins of specific herbal medicine practices.

Pharmaceutical Industry. Britannica Academic, Encyclopdia Britannica, 9 May 2016,

academic.eb.com. Accessed 31 Mar. 2017. The source provides general information and the

history of the pharmaceutical industry. It can be used in the introduction to help the reader

understand the disadvantages of pharmaceutical drugs and present the issue to be discussed in the

paper.

Ross, Warren. The Side Effects of Side Effects. Medical Marketing and Media, vol. 42, no. 2, Feb.

2007. ProQuest Research Library Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. The

source explains in detail the issues with the pharmaceutical industry. The author explains that

many pharmaceutical drugs are not safe, saying that the industry thrives on side effects. The

text provides statistics on the negative impact of the pharmaceutical industry and can be used to

argue that herbal treatments provide a safer treatment option.

Royte, Elizabeth. Drugging the Waters. Onearth, vol. 28, no. 3, Fall 2006. ProQuest Research Library

Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017. This source presents general information on

environmental impact of pharmaceuticals. The author mostly explains that waterways must be

treated but the source can be used to provide general knowledge about the effects of

pharmaceuticals in waterways.

"Scope and Purpose of Accreditation." Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Association of

American Medical Colleges/American Medical Association, 2017, lcme.org/. Accessed 13 May

2017. The LCME website explains the role of the organization in the accreditation process of

medical programs. I can use it to provide the reader with background information on the LCME,

AMA, and AAMC.

Shah, Sonia. Prescription Drug Residue Harms Wildlife and the Environment. Prescription Drugs,

edited by Sylvia Engdahl, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints

in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 13 Feb. 2017. Originally published as As

Pharmaceutical Use Soars, Drugs Taint Water and Wildlife, Yale Environment 360, 15 Apr.

2010. This source explains the environmental impact of many pharmaceuticals. It helps to argue

the environmental benefits of alternative and herbal medicines.

Siegenthaler, Danny. Herbal Medicines Are Effective. Alternative Medicine, edited by David M.

Haugen, Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

link.galegroup.com. Accessed 12 Feb. 2017. Originally published as What Pharmaceutical

Companies Dont Want You to Know about Herbal Medicine! OfSpirit.com Magazine, 2007.

The article explains some of the benefits of herbal medicines and why they are often ignored or

produced into pharmaceuticals. The author explains that pharmaceutical companies often

discover herbal remedies for illnesses and then extract the active ingredient to make a
 manufactured drug, but the drugs are often less effective, cause side effects, and are more

expensive for the patient. This article can help to argue the safety of natural medicines.

Trattler, Ross, ND, DO, and Shea Trattler. Better Health through Natural Healing. Berkeley, North

Atlantic Books, 2013. This book explains natural remedies and treatments that can be used

instead of or along with drugs and surgery. It can be used to argue that natural treatments can

work just as well if not better than pharmaceuticals.

Ullman, Dana. Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century. Berkeley, North Atlantic Books, 1988. This

book provides information on homeopathy and other non-western medicines and their

benefits. It can be used to argue the problems with western medicine as well as the safety of

alternative treatments.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know. U.S. Food &

Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 6 Jan. 2016,

www.fda.gov. Accessed 31 Mar. 2017. The FDA website provides an explicit example that

herbal treatments are being ignored by government agencies. The source can be used to explain

that the FDA must provide the public with more information on herbal medicines without solely

classifying them as dietary supplements.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA History- Part 2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, 24 Sept. 2012, www.fda.gov. Accessed 27 Mar.

2017. The source explains the history of the FDA and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938

and the impact they play on public health. It can be used int he introduction to provide general

information on the FDA and its relationship to the pharmaceutical industry.

Wennmalm, ke, and Bo Gunnarsson. Public Health Care Management of Water Pollution with

Pharmaceuticals: Environmental Classification and Analysis of Pharmaceutical Residues in

Sewage Water. Drug Information Journal, vol. 39, no. 3, 2005. ProQuest Research Library

Prep, search.proquest.com. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017. The source provides information on the effect

of pharmaceuticals in waterways. It helps to explain that pharmaceutical drugs have a negative

impact on humans and ecosystems when they reach water and can be used to argue that herbal

medicines are a more environmentally friendly option.