Yes, pharmaceuticals are sometimes a necessary evil. I always ask a doc how necessary is a drug that is being prescribed. Is it essential to my life continuing? If not, I politely refuse it. I am on a lot of medications but not a one that is truly optional. Every single one I swallow, even with its side effects and potential other risks and problems, must be outweighed by the benefit to life, before I will take it. I always want to know what will happen if I do NOT take the drug. How will NOT taking it harm me?

Surgical procedures have the same risk vs benefit. My PN is a result of a surgical procedure. For every surgery I have undergone, there has been some other resulting condition.

Drugs and surgery should both be considered with caution as they both present other risks.

After reading the drug info it is amazing anyone ever takes any drug. It is always a matter of risk vs benefit. Frightening as it is, it is what it is.