OFF LABEL USES OF DRUGS CAN BE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH!

One of the stones frequently cast at me is how there is a large body of studies done on drugs using the "Christian" scientific method of studies, compared with studies done on herbs and alternative therapies thus somehow proving that modern medicine is a more Christian and reasonable way to look after your health.

One of the things that the casters of these stones typically fail to note is that there are a lot of drugs that doctors are allowed to use in an off-label way. Off label means that the drug is being used in a way that was never studied or tested for safety or efficacy. In fact, an estimated 70% of procedures used in modern medical practice have not been tested for safety or efficacy! Given the fact that properly prescribed drugs are the third leading cause of death in US hosptials (not counting out of hospital deaths and deaths caused by human error in prescribing or dosing), compared to people who are harmed by non-invasive alternative therapies and herbs (statistics are negligible if they exist), we should be a lot more cautious about what we are doing to ourselves when we blindly put our lives and trust in the hands of the medical profession.

Please do not interpret the above to mean that there is never a place for drugs or allopathic medicine. I use the system myself when it is warranted, but I am a judicial consumer of said services.

Ok, here is the warning I wanted you all to see since this is a common drug that has been used on laboring women for many years and for a great number, in a disastrous way:

Misoprostol (marketed as Cytotec) Information

FDA ALERT – Risks of Use in Labor and Delivery

This Patient Information Sheet is for pregnant women who may receive misoprostol to soften their cervix or induce contractions to begin labor. Misoprostol is sometimes used to decrease blood loss after delivery of a baby. These uses are not approved by the FDA. No company has sent the FDA scientific proof that misoprostol is safe and effective for these uses.
There can be serious side effects, including a torn uterus (womb), when misoprostol is used for labor and delivery. A torn uterus may result in severe bleeding, having the uterus removed (hysterectomy), and death of the mother or baby. These side effects are more likely in women who have had previous uterine surgery, a previous Cesarean delivery (C-section), or several previous births.

This information reflects FDA’s preliminary analysis of data concerning this drug. FDA is considering, but has not reached a final conclusion about, this information. FDA intends to update this sheet when additional information or analyses become available.