The number of deaths from adverse drug reactions to prescription drugs has increased 155% in the past 10 years alone! But this statistic could be much worse because it is a commonly held belief that less than 10% of all compications are even reported.

Doctors are not trained on every single drug that comes onto the market and therefore cannot possibly know or understand the potential dangers, which in itself is very worrying. What is of even more concern are the repeated failures to recognise adverse drug reactions in individuals which has seen deaths multiply two and half times since 1996.

As the current warning system clearly don't work, it is obvious that sufferers should look and ask for drug-free alternatives wherever possible, as many thousands of patients suffer life-threatening, disabling or other serious reactions that need hospital treatment because of a failure to spot and report many dangerous side effects and drug interactions quickly enough.

70% of these reactions could possibly be avoided through better training, computerised prescribing systems and staff spending more time talking and listening to patients, but as we all know, GPs and medical staff barely have time to acknowledge a patient's presence, let alone engage in conversation with them.

As 51% more drugs were issued than in the previous 10 years, these worrying trends are set to increase. Whilst it is not advisable to suddenly stop taking drugs prescribed for a long period, patients must exercise their rights to demand an in-depth review with their GPs.

Do you think you or a family member is over-medicated and under-treated? Pain Medication Poll