Question
Asked 26 April 2024

Has medicine become a trade and not a humanitarian profession, but rather a commercial and investment profession?

Has medicine become a trade and not a humanitarian profession, but rather a commercial and investment profession?

Most recent answer

Chuck A Arize
Texas A&M University – Commerce
The perception that medicine has shifted from a humanitarian profession to a commercial one is increasingly prevalent. While the primary goal of healthcare should be to provide care and improve patient well-being, factors such as profit-driven motives, high pharmaceutical costs, and the influence of corporate interests have led some to view the field as primarily commercial. This trend has sparked debates about whether the essence of medical practice is being compromised, as providers may prioritize financial outcomes over patient care. Critics argue that this commercialization undermines the fundamental humanitarian principles that should guide the medical profession

Popular answers (1)

Stephen I. Ternyik
Private Entrepreneur Educator Scholar
Profiteering-from-disease Rasha A Waheeb has become the standard model of the medical profession, i.e. the disease-centered model of treatment (mainly drugs and surgery) is consequently a low empathy model, based on monetary profit.
It has to be mentioned here that treatment and healing are not the same; there exist other practical models for the medical profession, e.g. person-centered health care, integral health care, but the physician is always part of a society, i.e. certain working conditions, e.g. highly industrialized medical institutions.
Data on the health of health of (our) physicians are also alarming, i.e. the whole machinery comes with a price to pay, not only for the patients.
Conclusion:
A change in perspective is a must. As long as ‘modern medicine’ adheres to the tenets of ‘classical science’, subjects will be regarded as objects, consciousness will be reduced to (DNA) matter, and living beings as cadavers. This is not a figure of speech. Medical students still spend much time studying cadavers; without considering how this alienates them from contact with living beings.
Modern medicine manipulates politicians and the public by referring to the merits of classical science. Classical science is a deadly foundation for health care ! Classical science addressed invariance: action + reaction=0///No-change).Invariance was traditionally called Hell (closed system).
Modern’ medicine uses the philosophy of mechanical material control and domination (a war model) to overrule all ‘other’ forms of healing.
Few people (and fewer doctors) are aware how the medical model is crippled by ‘belief’ in classical science. The mechanistic material model is associated with control and mass production; it was developed for (and from) the study of inert matter. Living beings are thereby regarded by the mechanical material ‘laws of inertia/dead matter’.
Since 1900 science underwent drastic changes, not matter, but information is now the essence. The focus shifted from (classical, material) matter of physics, to (relativistic, molecular) chemical processes, to (probabilistic, atomic) electromagnetic interactions, and now to (phase-field) information integrity. All of these considerations can be recognised in the living being; but still need to be included in the classical medical model.
4 Recommendations

All Answers (7)

Sakarie Mustafe Hidig
Zhejiang University
In my opinion, there's a worrying trend toward treating medicine more as a trade or commercial enterprise rather than a purely humanitarian profession. With the increasing corporatization of healthcare, profit motives often seem to take precedence over patient care and well-being. Physicians and healthcare institutions are under significant pressure to generate revenue, which can sometimes compromise the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. it's also essential to acknowledge the need for sustainable healthcare systems and investment in medical innovation, it's equally crucial to safeguard the humanitarian values that underpin the medical profession. Without a concerted effort to prioritize patient welfare over financial gain, there's a risk that medicine will continue down the path of becoming primarily a commercial enterprise rather than a noble humanitarian endeavor.
1 Recommendation
Stephen I. Ternyik
Private Entrepreneur Educator Scholar
Profiteering-from-disease Rasha A Waheeb has become the standard model of the medical profession, i.e. the disease-centered model of treatment (mainly drugs and surgery) is consequently a low empathy model, based on monetary profit.
It has to be mentioned here that treatment and healing are not the same; there exist other practical models for the medical profession, e.g. person-centered health care, integral health care, but the physician is always part of a society, i.e. certain working conditions, e.g. highly industrialized medical institutions.
Data on the health of health of (our) physicians are also alarming, i.e. the whole machinery comes with a price to pay, not only for the patients.
Conclusion:
A change in perspective is a must. As long as ‘modern medicine’ adheres to the tenets of ‘classical science’, subjects will be regarded as objects, consciousness will be reduced to (DNA) matter, and living beings as cadavers. This is not a figure of speech. Medical students still spend much time studying cadavers; without considering how this alienates them from contact with living beings.
Modern medicine manipulates politicians and the public by referring to the merits of classical science. Classical science is a deadly foundation for health care ! Classical science addressed invariance: action + reaction=0///No-change).Invariance was traditionally called Hell (closed system).
Modern’ medicine uses the philosophy of mechanical material control and domination (a war model) to overrule all ‘other’ forms of healing.
Few people (and fewer doctors) are aware how the medical model is crippled by ‘belief’ in classical science. The mechanistic material model is associated with control and mass production; it was developed for (and from) the study of inert matter. Living beings are thereby regarded by the mechanical material ‘laws of inertia/dead matter’.
Since 1900 science underwent drastic changes, not matter, but information is now the essence. The focus shifted from (classical, material) matter of physics, to (relativistic, molecular) chemical processes, to (probabilistic, atomic) electromagnetic interactions, and now to (phase-field) information integrity. All of these considerations can be recognised in the living being; but still need to be included in the classical medical model.
4 Recommendations
Saroj Kumar Khan
Independent Researcher
Recommended partly because if it is fully then no cure of disease and Doctors of medicine 💊 failed to prescription but somehow few testing and extra medicines of a prescribed company is trade ,my be of other may be less test.
1 Recommendation
Chuck A Arize
Texas A&M University – Commerce
Medicine increasingly intersects with commercial and investment interests, leading to concerns that it may prioritize profit over humanitarian goals. However, the profession still fundamentally aims to provide care and improve health, with ongoing debates about balancing commercial influences with ethical and patient-centered practices.
Medicine has indeed become an industry to some extent, but it still has deep humanitarian roots. The mission of doctors and medical staff has always been to help and heal patients and improve people's quality of life.
With the advancement of technology and the complexity of the medical system, the elements of commercialization and investment have inevitably increased in medicine. This can promote innovation and improve the accessibility and quality of medical services. For example, the research and development of new medical technologies and drugs requires funds, and business models can facilitate the flow of these investments.
However, most importantly, the core of medicine is still respect and care for life. Many medical workers still adhere to the belief of "saving the dying and healing the wounded" and strive to find a balance between business and humanitarianism. By combining science, technology and humanistic care, medicine can continue to progress and bring positive changes to society. We should believe that in this industry, there are still many people with benevolence and medical skills who are silently dedicating themselves.
Sakarie Mustafe Hidig
Zhejiang University
Traditionally, medicine was seen as a noble calling, centered on the ethical duty to care for the sick and vulnerable. However, there is an undeniable shift today, with the commercialization of healthcare rising, particularly in private. A significant number of medical professionals seem to prioritize financial gain over patient care. As a result, the humanitarian aspect is sometimes overshadowed by the pursuit of profit. For these doctors, the focus seems to have shifted from helping others to maximizing revenue, often leading to unnecessary tests, treatments, or procedures that generate income but may not benefit the patient. This is a troubling development, especially in healthcare systems where market forces dominate decisions, making it more about investments and profits rather than empathy and care.
Chuck A Arize
Texas A&M University – Commerce
The perception that medicine has shifted from a humanitarian profession to a commercial one is increasingly prevalent. While the primary goal of healthcare should be to provide care and improve patient well-being, factors such as profit-driven motives, high pharmaceutical costs, and the influence of corporate interests have led some to view the field as primarily commercial. This trend has sparked debates about whether the essence of medical practice is being compromised, as providers may prioritize financial outcomes over patient care. Critics argue that this commercialization undermines the fundamental humanitarian principles that should guide the medical profession

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