You have heard me talk about how important it is for African
American people to understand their medical condition. One of
the primary ways to achieve this is to get African American
people to learn the name of the medication that they are taking.
It is not uncommon for Black people to refer to their medicine
as the little white pill or the little yellow pill. I believe
if you take the time to learn the name of the medication that
you are taking, it is the first step to really understanding
the medical condition that you have. Isn’t it best to
say that you are taking Lotrel 5/10 mg, or Diovan 320/12.5 mg
for hypertension and Vytorin 10/10 mg or Lipitor 10 mg or Crestor
10 mg for cholesterol. Now that really sounds intelligent.
If you are not sure how to pronounce these medications ask your
pharmacist or your physician. I can assure you that you will
get your Physician’s attention. I am impressed when the
patient can pronounce the name of the medication. And to the
lady who asked me, “Why don’t they make a black
pill?” I must say, I don’t know. But I am sure some
Black folk would ask me what shade it was.
I am Dr. Thaddeus John Bell--- Closing the gap in health care.
Bell
Update Volume 2, Chapter 33
Copyright August 2007
