This is a statement made by Professor Peter C. Gøtzsche, who is a Danish medical researcher and leader of the Nordic Cochrane Center at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Around 200 thousand Americans are killed every year by prescription drugs.

Half of these people die from side effects and the other half die due to errors made by medical practitioners.

Your doctor likely has a vast knowledge of diseases, anatomy and physiology, but your doctor probably doesn’t know too much about how each prescription drug is metabolized by the body. Each drug may have up to 40 different cautions, contraindications and warnings. Each patient may be taking five or more prescription drugs.

Older patients in particular are usually taking a collection of different drugs, and new medications are often added to counteract the side effects of others.

Also, your doctor only knows what the drug companies have chosen to tell him or her about each drug.  Professor Peter C. Gøtzsche goes on to say that much of what the drug industry does fulfils the criteria for organized crime, in US law. He likens their behavior to that of the mafia.

It is important to remember that prescription drugs are sometimes necessary and sometimes life saving. However, they also have great potential to cause harm.

Click here to listen to the full 7 minute fascinating interview.