Letter: Not enough done to warn about steroid addiction

Steroid-induced diabetes and other steroid-related medical problems are not included in this statistic, and their already large numbers are continually increasing.

When there was a demonstration to bring public awareness about the dangers of prescription steroids, a news station sent a reporter who interviewed a few people, including two legislators, but the news never aired it. Instead, saving the space monkeys took precedence over saving people.

Don't get me wrong, I love animals -- monkeys, dogs, bulls -- but putting animals before people is strictly for the birds. Animals have the Humane Society to guard their well-being; who guards our health? Doctors stick up for each other, and reporting things to the FDA is like spitting in the wind.

Nationwide, people are becoming addicted, getting sick; some are dying from shots, inhalers, pills and skin creams they are unaware contain steroids. You can't imagine how insulting and depressing it is for people who are suffering to see this problem ignored when the media could make the public aware and, perhaps, prevent others from becoming ill.

Leslie W. Ortega, founder and CEO, Steroid Warning Network

archive