StreetWise StreetWise (January 05, 2005)

Do you trust painkillers given recent news about Aleve, Vioxx and Celebrex?
Question and interviews by Molly Tanenbaum. Photographs by Naomi Brookner. Asked at the Main Library in Palo Alto.

Elwood Johnson
Trader
Sunset Road, Pacifica
"There are risks and tradeoffs in everything. If you use them in moderation, I think it's worth the risk."

Charity Terry-Lorenzo
Yoga instructor
Newell Road, East Palo Alto
"I don't know that I'm any less confident than I was before. There are disturbing things about where the FDA gets their money, but I worked for a major pharmaceutical company in North Carolina, and seeing how they did their clinical trials I feel comfortable with what's been approved."

Jeanne McDonnell
Retired historian
Portola Avenue, Palo Alto
"I've never trusted painkillers. I don't believe in medicine really, so I stay away from it if I can help it."

Neal Ketchum
Student
Channing Avenue, Palo Alto
"I take Advil and I do trust that. I only take what my parents give me."

Marc Maisel
Consultant
St. Michael Road, Palo Alto
"Yes, I do trust painkillers and overall, I believe that their clinical efficacy is borne out by years of research."

Mimi Tudor
Stay-at-home mom
Bay Road, Menlo Park
"No, I probably don't trust them, but it's more of an issue that the more research that's done on them, the more they find out. There need to be regulations, but long-term effects will only come out after more utilization. I use them, but I think they need to be used wisely."

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