Varenicline (Chantix), the smoking cessation aid, leads the list and was 18 times greater than all the other drugs combined; #2 fluoxetine (Prozac); #3 paroxetine (Paxil). Next are nine more anti-depressants, six sedative/hypnotics, and three attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescription drugs.
The federal government, the biggest payer of cancer care, made cancer costs soar because Medicare pays an extra $6500 a year when chemotherapy is given to a patient in a hospital owned facility. Private insurers also pay a higher premium for care delivered in a hospital setting. The costs will keep spiraling upward because of Government intrusion and clever lobbyists, forcing cancer patients from private practitioners to hospital owned facilities incurring much higher costs.
Arsenic is a carcinogen and can kill in large amounts. But regular exposure to small amounts can increase the risk of bladder cancer, lung cancer, and skin cancer, as well as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Arsenic is in pesticides and poultry feed. It is found in rice and chicken.
Benzene causes cancer. It is found in our drinking water, 79% of diet sodas, beverages with vitamin C and benzoate.
