Re: Accidental my @$$!

I don't presume to know what Heath Ledger was like and noone probably should, but it seems like he had an addictive personality and liked partying and taking mind altering substances. Responsible doctors tell their patients that taking narcotics like oxycontin can become addictive, and that you can overdose on them pretty easily. Same for the benzos like valium. Unfortunately, these cases happen and it's probably a combination of

1) a doctor/s that were not responsible in prescribing medications, for a young healthy guy taking having 2 narcotics and several benzos should raise red flags all over the place so it's either one bad doctor or several
2) he's a celebrity so he'll find a way to get high if he wants
3) he might have been a drug seeker and went to several doctors since one wouldn't give him all those at the same time
4)he might have wanted to commit suicide

as for your points:

"1. No one, not even the pharmaceutical companies apparently know ALL of the synergistic actions possible with any two or more prescription meds..."

Doubt anyone would argue against that, but both narcotics and benzos sedate you and reduce your respiration drive.

"2. Doctors haven't a clue what they are doing"
Someone definitely dropped the ball in this case, and he could very well been a victim of a doctor who would do anything for a celebrity or who just wasn't a good doctor.


"3. Doctors rarely if ever co-ordinate care; one usually takes the lead or authoritative roll"
This is true to an extent, rarely is probably an exaggeration, but lots of times people have many different doctors, who don't really communicate with each other either because they're unaware or they're lazy or they don't have time.

"4. People need to ask serious, as if their life depends on it, questions of their doctors when prescribed ANY drug, especially when there is more than one prescription involved. If they act dumb, or do not answer appropriately given the seriousness of the issue, they most likely are... find another doctor."
Absolutely

This kind of case brings to light something that has happened to many people. That he was a celebrity shouldn't make his case any more important.