Abusive use and legal drug addiction: a bioethical view

Abstract

The undue consumption of legal drugs, particularly medications, increases significantly worldwide. This study aims at addressing issues involving medications abusive use and addiction, from bioethics’ perspective. It consists of a critical review from the SciVerse Scopus and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases. After reading the selected material, some bioethical dilemmas were identified in professional-patient relationship, in research with humans and, finally, in the interests of the mar]et. We conclude that the main findings refer to the power of media influence defining patterns of medications consumption, to the loss of patient autonomy when he becomes abusive or dependent user, interfering in his trust relationship with the health professional, besides the economic interests of pharmaceutical companies related to clinical trials and the manipulation due to personal interests of some health professionals.