Considering the growing evidence about the deadly harm prescription drugs can do, I'm not at all surprised about the CDC's latest report in which prescription medicines are only topped by car accidents as the leading causes of death from accidental injury in America.

By far, psychotherapeutic drugs, narcotics and hallucinogens and other unspecified drugs topped the list of substances attributed to the rising number of accidental deaths, and accounted for the lion's share of the nearly 63 percent overall change that occurred between 1999-2004.

Granted, some of this increase can be attributed to patients using illegal substances, but a 68 percent spike in mortality rates due to accidentally taking a drug is indeed a frightening one. Another interesting number: Almost half of the states in America reported increases of 100 percent or more (West Virginia topped the list with a 550 percent jump).

The CDC report certainly puts into crystal clear perspective a recent report from the Institute of Medicine that found more than 7,000 Americans died indirectly each year as a result of sloppy handwriting by your doctor.

All the more reason to seek out better, safer solutions to treat your health problems rather than relying on dangerous over-the-counter or prescription medications.