Don't you think drug companies would peddle natural/homeopa. stuff if it was actually good?

Question:

if homeopathic and natural medicine is actually better than conventional drugs works, why wouldnt they just patent the stuff and sell it?

Answers:
Plants and bacteria often produce useful chemicals. (Yes that dirty "C" word) This can be a jumping off point to targeted effects. There is a tree that has in its bark a substance that is useful in treating some types of cancer. That doesn't mean that griding up the tree bark is a cure. The researchers had to figure out what the chemical was, and how it worked. Then they have to be able to make it (because the tree is kind of rare). THIS is what pharma does. It puts MILLIONS of dollars into proving whether or not a substance works for a specific purpose. The herbal supplement companies make billions of dollars and don't have to research anything. They don't have to prove that their product works. They just use slippery disclaimers and rake in the cash from gullible and fearful people who take products that don't work in a failed attempt to treat diseases that will kill them without proper medical treatment.

Big Pharma makes a lot of money. It also spends a lot of money to make sure its product actually works.

The Herbal/Dietary Supplement industry also makes a lot of money. Not quite so much as 'Big Pharma' but enough that should make everyone who is suspicious of Big Business to be suspicious of these herbal companies.

Pharma doesn't mess with herbal cures because they don't work.

Your body doesn't know the difference between 'manmade' chemicals and 'natural' chemicals. Herbal isn't also 'safe'. Nightshade, Hemlock, Toadstools are all natural, but can kill you if you eat them.

It is one thing to be distrustful of the government, but I notice that none of you show the same level of distrust and skepticism toward alternative medicine.

As far as I'm concerned if you're an adult, and you have all the information and you STILL want to take your herbal meds and shun modern evidence-based medicine and you die because you decided to treat your treatable cancer with echinacea or homeopathy, then that's fine. However, when it comes to little kids who have it, you're going to get a fight from me when you suggest treating a child with a serious, yet treatable, disease should be treated with this snake oil!

Other Answers:
If you would look into the ingredients of the Rx drug you would find they use a lot of natural and then throw in a little man made to call it an Rx and sell it for more. Have a good one:-)

no because they can not OWN it. it is a natural substance that can be produced by anyone, and any company.

though, there ARE companies that own the rights to certain formulas and mixtures, which are sold already. (such as natures cure, or GNC brands)

You can't patent garden stuff, and don't knock it. I have cancer and the use of herbs is keeping me alive. The doctors can't do that.
Source(s):
Experience The companies would if they could get a patent on the ingredient but being that it's natural they can't!

http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblues/

If there is money to be made .. otherwise no. NO. Because that would imply that the natural stuff was a cure, and the federal gov't doesn't want people to be cured because then no money would be made eventually. Subsequently, the federal government will not "fda" approve drugs that are natural because that would be in direct contrast to their "fed meds" sales!
It's like this: All prescription drugs are synthetic and made by the american government. Natural herbal meds are not! It's a RACKET so tell everyone you can.

Oh, and by the way, the life expectancy has increased dramatically because of hygienic issues and not because my boyfriend can buy Viagra.
Clean water, less infections means longer life. It is as simple as that. Do you really think that "curing" erectile dysfunction saves lives? What about knocking you out so that you can sleep better, a la Ambien.how many lives has that extended for more than twelve years?
Do you realize that cholesterol-lowering medications do absolutely nothing to change the incidence of cardiac arrest? Look it up! It even says so on their websites! It is ironic that they do lower the threat of inflammation, though.hmmm. Interesting idea.
Penicillin, by the way, is formed on moldy bread.
What about Ritalin? Prozac? Increased life expectancies?
Ha! I thought so.

You should seriously consider your moronic and ill-informed question to be thoroughly crushed in this forum and completely re-think your attitude toward herbal therapies.

I work with the world's leading Nutritionist, who is also a Pharmacist and Master Herbalist and our statistics are quite a bit different than yours. We indeed help people with health issues every day where the medical profession has given up on them.
Even with all the information we have these days, people are sicker.
Also, can you explain how pharmaceutical companies work towards Prevention of Disease? I have yet to see them do that.
I am not saying that modern medicine is unnecessary, they are very necessary in some cases, but I know for a fact that Alternative Medicine is also very necessary when conventional drops the ball.
And by the way, many Doctor's do "peddle" Alternative Medicine provided it has medical validation.
I work with this every day. you aren't really intersted in acquiring an answer your simply looking for an argument. yes we live longer but not better there are hundreds of diseases that didn't exist until we started messing with the food chain and over prescribing medicine. to live 10-15 years in acute pain taking 20 pills a day for the joy of being miserable is not my idea of living, and by the way my people (Cherokee) are know for long-life, and its not from modern meds, its from mother earth.

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Don't you think drug companies would peddle natural/homeopa. stuff if it was actually good?

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