Off-Label Drug Use and Children

 

Many people have never heard the phrase “off-label drug use.” The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality defines off-label prescribing as “when a physician gives you a drug that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved to treat a condition different than your condition. This practice is legal and common. In fact, one in five prescriptions written today are for off-label use.” Sounds scary, right? Now think about off-label drug use and children. Think about the fact that your children might have been prescribed off-label drugs, and you might not know it.

Pediatricians and Prescriptions

According to AAMC.org, when it comes to kids, “off-label” means that pediatricians are “often using educated calculations about how much and how often to give a child a drug that has been approved only for adults and has thus no dosage guidelines for youngsters.”

Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, pediatrician, prolific author, professor, anti-vaccinationist, critic of medical paternalism, and a tremendous supporter of chiropractic care was clear when it came to pediatricians and prescriptions. He stated:

The pediatrician’s wanton prescription of powerful drugs indoctrinates children from birth with the philosophy of ‘a pill for every ill’.… Doctors are directly responsible for hooking millions of people on prescription drugs. They are also indirectly responsible for the plight of millions more who turn to illegal drugs because they were taught at an early age that drugs can cure anything – including psychological and emotional conditions – that ails them. 

The Data

Currently available data proves him right. According to the most recent data (2015-2016), 18% of children aged 0-11 years old reportedly used prescription drugs in the past 30 days.

A University of Oklahoma College of Medicine analysis of available data estimated that off-label prescriptions account for up to 38% of all pediatric prescriptions. For newborns, the rates of off-label use went as high as 90% of prescriptions.

These statistics are frightening for parents and the reason many are seeking pediatric chiropractic care as their first choice in raising healthy families. For parents seeking a drug-free as opposed to a drug-dependent lifestyle for their children, their chiropractor offers the healthcare leadership they want for their families.

Way of Life

Regardless of the ailment, prescription drugs are the go-to for pediatricians. Inhalers, injections, and pills are becoming a way of life, as Dr. Mendelsohn warned.

Many parents find drugs to be ineffective, disruptive, and are concerned about side effects. These parents are resistant to care that creates problems and seek care that works with the body’s Innate Intelligence. That’s why the number of families seeking chiropractic care and pediatric chiropractic care continue to grow annually. Chiropractic is a wholistic, drugless practice that has helped improve the lives of millions of people around the world. It focuses primarily on restoring health to an adult’s or child’s spine and nervous system and keeping it healthy through every stage of growth and development. 

Drugs—even over-the-counter drugs—should never be your first choice. Drugs can often hijack your body’s innate ability to heal.

If you want to find quality healthcare for your family at every stage of life, speak to a 100 Year Lifestyle provider near you. They can guide you and your loved ones every step of the way on your health journey!