The following letter was printed in a medical journal:
Many nonprescrition drugs can cause serious side effects, particularly when taken in conjunction with other drugs or in large quantities. If these potentially harmful nonprescription drugs were sold only by prescription, the a doctor or pharmacist would be able to explain the possible side effects of the drug and would also be able to monitor the quantity of the drug purchased, thereby decreasing the chance that a person would take too much of the drug. Therefor, any drug with potentially serious side effects should be sold only by prescription.
This argument states that any drug that can cause serious side effects should be sold only by prescription in order to make sure that the doctor or pharmacist can give instructions and thus prevent drug abuse. Though giving some support the argument is based on unstated premises and therefore is flawed.
First of all, the author preassumes that the pharmacist does not give accurate instructions when selling nonprescription drugs. Even when the drug is not prescripted by a doctor the consumer still has to go to a pharmacy and tal to a pharmacist when purchasing the drug legally. Usually the pharmacists give several information on the drug itself, the possible side effects and the right quantity. In addition to that, there are always paper instructions included so that a faithful person can find all necessary information.
Second, the argument does not mention that every person would carefully follow the instructions of a doctor or pharamacist. If the person does not accept the doctor´s expertise or simply is sloppy in taking the drug, there is still the same risk of suffering from serious side effects or to take too much of the drug.
Third, it is not said that side effects result from a lack of knowledge about the right quantity or about the side effects themselves. Side effects might occur even if you are careful and you strictly follow the doctor´s instruction. The awareness does not necessarily help you to encounter the harmfulness of some nonprescription drugs.
In conclusion, you can say that the argument is base on the assumptions that the pharmacists currently do not inform the consumer when selling nonprescription drugs, that people tend to strictly folow a doctor´s or pharmacist´s advice and that side effects can be avoirded by informing people.
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Many nonprescrition drugs can cause serious side effects, particularly when taken in conjunction with other drugs or in large quantities. If these potentially harmful nonprescription drugs were sold only by prescription, the a doctor or pharmacist would be able to explain the possible side effects of the drug and would also be able to monitor the quantity of the drug purchased, thereby decreasing the chance that a person would take too much of the drug. Therefor, any drug with potentially serious side effects should be sold only by prescription.
This argument states that any drug that can cause serious side effects should be sold only by prescription in order to make sure that the doctor or pharmacist can give instructions and thus prevent drug abuse. Though giving some support the argument is based on unstated premises and therefore is flawed.
First of all, the author preassumes that the pharmacist does not give accurate instructions when selling nonprescription drugs. Even when the drug is not prescripted by a doctor the consumer still has to go to a pharmacy and tal to a pharmacist when purchasing the drug legally. Usually the pharmacists give several information on the drug itself, the possible side effects and the right quantity. In addition to that, there are always paper instructions included so that a faithful person can find all necessary information.
Second, the argument does not mention that every person would carefully follow the instructions of a doctor or pharamacist. If the person does not accept the doctor´s expertise or simply is sloppy in taking the drug, there is still the same risk of suffering from serious side effects or to take too much of the drug.
Third, it is not said that side effects result from a lack of knowledge about the right quantity or about the side effects themselves. Side effects might occur even if you are careful and you strictly follow the doctor´s instruction. The awareness does not necessarily help you to encounter the harmfulness of some nonprescription drugs.
In conclusion, you can say that the argument is base on the assumptions that the pharmacists currently do not inform the consumer when selling nonprescription drugs, that people tend to strictly folow a doctor´s or pharmacist´s advice and that side effects can be avoirded by informing people.
Thanks for rating!
