Women's Health and Corporate Marketing

Our bodies, their business

Chapter 3 Resources

Surge of Deaths from Falls in US

“Older adults in the US are heavily medicated.”

An August, 2025 article in JAMA Network reported that the mortality rate from falls among older adults has increased more than three-fold during the past 30 years. The surge reflects the aggressive marketing of fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs) and the persistence of dependence. During this period, death rates from falls decreased in other high-end countries.

FRIDs strongly implicated included benzodiazepines, opioids, gabapentinoids, antidepressants, and first-generation antihistamines. Benedryl, found in common over-the-counter drugs, is also associated with risk for dementia.

The New York Times published an article about this topic on September 7, 2025.

Suboxone and Scandal

Rehab, An American Scandal exposes the practices of drug treatment programs that subject patients to government surveillance and punitive laws, while exploiting patients for profits. The effect of these practices on mothers and their children is highlighted.

Shoshana Walter‘s new book addresses how corporate marketing practices shape the treatment of opioid dependence. She incorporates testimony from whistle-blowing drug representatives such as Gail Groves Scott and provides damning details regarding inadequate oversight by the US Food and Drug Administration.

If you are a subscriber, there is an excellent article in the New York Times written by Walter.

Barriers to Treatment of Substance Use Disorder

Substance use treatment barriers are addressed in a research letter in JAMA Network Open. This study was highlighted in the February 13, 2025, issue of Helio Minute Newsletter.

As noted in a “perspective” commentary accompanying the study,

Of particular concern is the population with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), where many individuals in need of treatment do not seek it. Individuals with untreated OUD face a significantly increased risk for overdose death. Evidence-based treatments with medications like buprenorphine can reduce this risk by 50% to 75%, with benefits extending and accumulating the longer patients remain in treatment.

Corporate Business Plan

This video describes the marketing of opioids to doctors using warnings about an “epidemic of untreated pain” and claims of low addiction propensity of certain drug formulations. It addresses the funding by pharmaceutical corporations of patient groups and other efforts to ensure that professional society guidelines are favorable to the industry.