It’s because real diagnosis and treatment takes time, something that is not valued here, where volume takes precedence:

What the report has not considered are some of the most obvious differences:

* We die the soonest and are the sickest of First World countries.

* We spend far more per capital on health care than our peer nations.

* But, aha, much of that expenditure is prescription drug related.

* It is quick, easy and profitable for a doctor to treat symptoms with drugs rather than diagnose and treat underlying conditions, which may lead to sickness and death.

Let’s put it out there. American doctors are drug pushers. This makes perfect sense. They are under considerable pressure to maintain their own high incomes and the profits of their hospitals and practices. They do this by seeing more patients. They see more patients by spending less time with each. They spend less time with each by using drugs instead of diagnosis, treating a symptom and hoping that this drug or the next will fix something. This also has a good chance of keeping the patients returning for more drugs and for fine-tuning of the levels.