22nd Dec, 2012
California State University, Long Beach
Question
Asked 21st Aug, 2012
When does social injustice rise high enough in our consciousness that we realize it is time to act?
Historically, pivotal changes in the practice of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, or nursing have occurred in response to the misery of the human condition. Health conditions such as the Black Plague, the polio epidemic, HIV/AIDS, and war are examples of how human suffering that affected large populations spurred advances in infection control, immunization, pharmacologic therapies, and survival after life-threatening injury.
When poverty or cruelty finally rises to the level of social awareness, political action is taken through Acts of the U.S. Congress. The 1935 Social Security Act, 1946 Mental Health Act, 1964 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Medicare Act, 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, and the 2010 Affordable Care Act are the moments in history when human suffering rose to a level of social consciousness that there was political action. (Source: NIH Almanac Legislative Chronology http://www.nih.gov/about/almanac/historical/legislative_chronology.htm)
Today, evidence that we generate from our NIH, NSF, and Foundation grants does not translate to the public good because of regulatory control that blocks licenses health professionals from providing care to people who need it or because the reimbursement rates for professional services is too low; especially for those of us who work for public, not-for-profit health care systems. It is time for us to act as health scientists and health professionals to return to the practice of health and the ethical dissemination and sharing of research data that highlights health disparity.
Those of us who are clinical research scientists have demonstrated efficacy and effectiveness of basic health behaviors such as physical activity, immunizations, good nutrition, chronic health management, and prenatal care. The major problem is a health care system where all the resources are skimmed off the top and nothing is left for the people and health practitioners who struggle each day to provide care. As professionals, when we put on our white coats we took an oath to protect the health of society and to provide health care to those that need it.
For all of us in the medical health professions, we need to come together and seek support from our colleagues in business, health policy, and health sciences to solve the social problems that are creating 3rd world poverty, sickness, and suffering that rivals the time of the Great Depression.
Image of public health service areas in Los Angeles County; SPA6; pop 1.1 million people, green area is an economically distressed Medically Underserved Area and medical, dental, and mental Health Professional Shortage Area:
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Yes, Anthony, genuine heart-felt compassion is essential in the doctor-patient relationship. However, consider this: we can practice "compassionate medicine", which is merely providing treatment and instruction to the Pt, albeit with loving compassion, OR we can do the same AND demand that they participate in the healing process---including by making the needed changes from the life-negative habits that got them into the trouble in the first place TO doing The BIG 7. If we merely practice compassionate medicine (treatment and instruction WITHOUT the demand) we will forget why we got into medicine in the first place. Besides that, the Pt will then tend to go back to his/her old ways where another disorder and then another arises until one of them kills him! Such is the wisdom of Radical Healing. (And there's a lot more where that came from!)
Popular answers (1)
There are some very good essays written recently on this circumstance, especially by the the likes of Chris Hedges (see his "Life is Sacred"). The best book I've read on the subject is Not-Two IS Peace, by Adi Da. My sense is that this book may be the most important read in these precipitous times. Absolutely YES, we must cooperate to bring about peace and harmony---in WORLD society, not just locally. As Hedges has pointed out, "We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals, and our banks destroy the economy." It doesn't take a genius to see the truth in these words.
This world is being destroyed by heartless corporate interests that don't give a damn about anything but profits and power.
Revolution across-the-board is greatly needed and surely coming. But a revolution in consciousness: understanding the world (with all of its life) as a unity, honoring and fostering life, ending war as a means of settling disputes, teaching peace, tolerance and cooperation. This all starts right with us as individuals---communicating this life-positive energy to everyone every day in every way we can.
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All Answers (97)
AS far as I understand history, there is almost no relationship between the extent of social injustice and the extent of action to alleviate it. As Lenin put it, for a revolutionary situation is needed both that the oppressed are no more ready to accept oppression and the opressor are not any more capable of continuing oppression. Or in less revolutionary way: it is not only the extent of injustice but also the perspective for succesful action againts injustice.
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It depends how you define social injustice which is somewhat relativistic between the degree of deprivation experienced by the more and the less affluent members of a society. With this in mind, it would be difficult to gather an evidence base of relative poverty in say fourteenth century England and compare this to the state of the nation's poor in the decades prior to the formation of the British National Health Service.
Taking a leaf out of my own life, i would say my consciousness has thoroughly nagged me if i overlook social injustice irrelevant of how bad it is if i am in a position of power to contribute positive change or negate the injustice. Also if one had to, one knows through history that the suffering masses can take a lot more injustice because they are used to it and the affluent will burn this world down if they so much as to lost even a brick of their golden palace. So social injustice is defined relatively would be a rich man losing just one brick of his house and the poor man loosing an entire house and the eventual cry of pain is still the same.
The need to resist oppression has to stem from within the sensitivity of the soul that develops a sense of empathy towards the sufferer and for a split second understands pain of the injustice. Injustice always makes itself aware whether limited to a few in the population or a lot. As members of society with an education and a higher knowledge base we should have developed some moral sense and a tad of fellow feeling and hence we ought to have responsibility towards those of lesser fortune.
Just as a physician practicing preventative medicine keeps an eye out for the minutest of the symptom, we as social physicians should do the same. We can encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop medications that are cheaper, less complications and higher QOL compared to a gold standard of care est. 40 years ago. The question you raise would have applied 40 years ago but today when we see and know people suffer and die not due to medical reasons but financial reasons that's when we ask ourselves what did we overlook to get so far in this situation?
The time now is to act on developing cheaper but efficient standards of treatment that can cater for the less privileged. It's a task and a difficult one but that is why intelligent people like us in a position of power can initiate the change. Its our lack of action that causes others who are suffering to continue to suffer.
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One of the main objectives of healthcare systems in any nation is its property to be equitable between all citizens (equity in care or equity in access). If this objective is not secured then we will have what you have termed as social injustice of the USA healthcare system. On the other hand equity in access is maintained in the UK and Canadian health systems. I do agree to your thought or call for collective action. Please send an update. Thank you.
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Professionalism and Societal Duty
I appreciate the comments to my question. In United States history, our sociopolitical system swings to far right conservative politics that want less government in all aspects of financial, social, and environmental governance to the far left that promotes social programs to provide equity in a system that would be insensitive to any social ill. As idiosyncratic as our sociopolitical system is, we have demonstrated within our relatively short history as a democracy that our elective body will eventually reflect the concerns of the time and make a corrective action (e.g.., 1935 Social Security Act, 1964 Civil Rights Act). In each of these examples, profound poverty and joblessness (1935), and profound discrimination of another human being of a different race or gender (1964) finally created enough political will to create a social change. In the U.S., we are at that moment in time again. The issue is that the public health practitioners are aware of the scope of the healthcare crisis but the health professionals are not.
Thus, in most medical care systems the legally empowered private practitioners are the physicians and dentists who often are unaware of the profound health care need of the public at large or do not see it as a problem that is their's to solve. However, those who are embedded in the public health world are keenly aware of the public's need for affordable, accessible, effective basic care provided by mid-level professionals or trained health workers with triage to the next level of care when more specialized care is needed. Today, the national and global health crisis is fueled by a shortage of physicians and dentists with regulator restrictions that block access to other health professionals qualified to provide basic care needed to keep a population healthy. If we return to our professional duty to protect the health of society, then all health professionals must relinquish territorialism and commercial profit and rally around the common goal to provide interprofessional, patient and family-centered care through innovation in our approach to health and health service delivery and payment system.
The best analogy is to think of human health and individual responsibility, governmental responsibility, and health professional duty in terms of veterinary medicine and the farmer with his flock of sheep. The financial viability of the farmer depends upon the health of his flock. If the flock is provided adequate nutrition and clean water; if the bearing ewe is provided appropriate prenatal care so the offspring are full term, born young and strong not early and weak; if communicable disease is prevented through immunization; the farmer is empowered to take responsibility for the health of his flock. However, when a member becomes diseased, injured, or disabled the farmer looks to the vet to provide the higher level of skill to protect his herd and ensure his financial assets.
We have done little to empower our communities in terms of health literacy, primary preventive care that is high volume, low cost with high impact that can be provided such as nutritional, prenatal, immunization, oral health, and injury prevention by health workers or professionals such as nurse practitioners, dental hygienists, physician assistants, and rehabilitation therapists. Each are highly trained to provide basic health care for prevention, early intervention, and chronic health management in the community with interface with the primary practitioner that could be a physician and dentist.or other specialty trained practitioner in human health such as mental health. Compensation for high volume, high impact care is appropriate to the needed skill level; compensation to the most highly skilled physicians and surgeons are scaled accordingly. The system is not driven by a top-down, gate -keeper but instead is a matix of interconnected health professionals and health workers that is driven by the needs of the community, our flock.
If we have the political will and professional integrity to create a system of care that is non-redundant, and family-centered; we will all be blessed with healthy nations, with healthy people.
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27th Aug, 2012
Nothing leads to change faster than that subtle moment when intolerable suffering becomes identifiable as a common factor among the majority coincides with total indifference among a wealthy minority.
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Time to act is any time and every time. In my routine life, it is issue based and one issue at a time. In my professional life, to stay on course of evidence based practice and be aware of quality in healthcare is a preoccupation enough.
At personal level I should be constantly aware of social injustice and then I should see to it that I am not cause of the injustice by commission or omission and I should raise my voice in protest if I see injustice being done.
Is this a problem for me to solve? Definitely yes but do it a case at a time. To start or lead a movement, probably not.
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I love the fact that you would bring up a topic like this. It is ALWAYS in the back of my mind. So glad to know there are like minds.
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Deep in our hearts and minds we know when it has gone too far...We have in some way allowed it to...
I agree. Yet it has already been a very long wait. The suffering of humanity has gone on for far too long. I need to believe that there is an end in sight.
There will never be an end in sight while greed and corruption abound on this planet - and that won't change in a hurry.
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@ Laura Horton ..Then we must think, feel, and believe 100% that we ARE the change we want to see in this world...with each and every thought that we think, each and every feeling that we feel and each and EVERY action that we take/ make..and I would add: attempt to see it in others ( being the change) as well...despite what this world has lead them and us to become.
.I practice this alot and it is Not easy..yet it where I am on my level of evolution and so far the best contribution my mind and heart have accomplished.
We have reached the moment of intolerable suffering. It is time for health professionals to speak out for the children and adults who are not receiving evidence-based care due to arbitrary and obstructionist policies. At the same time we must return to a professional ethic that speaks out against those amongst us who put self-interest and monetary gain over patient care. Obstructionist policies are in response to health professional fraud and abuse. The place to start is with our respective professional associations (ie, AMA, ADA, APTA, ect) that have become trade associations not pillars of professional, ethical standards.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
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I strongly believe the quote from Mahatma Gandhi, as Katherine has posted just above me. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world". I am overcome with ecstasy over the new feelings and understanding that there are many positive forces in this world at play to assist the plight of mankind. There is no political positioning, policies or acts that can come close to healing the wounds and sufferings of many people around the world. Besides the many physical ailments we are plagued with, the emotional, psychological and spiritual impediments we suffer get into the genome of our societies. I see such great potential for man and our capabilities are enormous. Power and control reigns supreme. I'd wager that if every doctor considered proper nutrients from healthy agricultural sources, medicinal plant and botanical treatments, in addition to a few drugs created from natural sources with fewer to no side effects, in disease treatment and placed preventative medicine above" knee-jerk response treatments only, we would begin to see brighter, healthier human beings. I see these concepts emerging more and more as individuals grow tired of more of the same and our mental capacities and intuitive antennae are stimulated by those positive forces at work to assist mankind in reaching it's greatest potentials of enormous capabilities.
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Good for you, Lystra!
Big Pharma owns medicine. Let's be very clear on this. They ruthlessly suppress all natural therapies and therapists whenever and wherever they can, all use of natural foods and herbs. Always have. Literally hundreds of natural cures for cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases have been hidden from the public view by them and their cronies, the FDA and others. Our governments (Federal, State and local) go along with this outrage because they are paid to or threatened if they don't. The whole system is upside down. It's not about health, it's about disease and keeping disease going so the system can continue. But good science persists in small corners and places. People are learning thru the Net about natural health. It's spreading. Big Pharma's days are numbered. All chronic degenerative diseases are curable via natural means---as long as they are not in a terminal stage and the Pt is willing to make the necessary life-positive diet and lifestyle changes and follow the natural protocol.
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Well put Leonard. The system is about sickness not health. We should also remember the limited impact healthcare actually has on health. International epidemiological analysis clearly shows employment status, housing, and education far outweight the healthcare system in terms of promoting health. Perhaps our focus is misplaced and possibly we in the HC system overestimate our importance.
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We may be more important than you think, James.
We need a system-wide change, from us as individuals to the very top. Every Pt we teach about life-positive diet and lifestyle has a huge impact, one that reverberates thru the culture. We have to stand our ground and both live and teach this purity. The Pt has to see us as youthful and strong, living what we teach them. The true healer is a living example of right living. Disease is merely the wrong practice of life. We need to teach wellness in medical schools. The lowest form of practice is treatment. Above that is prevention. Above that is health promotion. Above them all is Radical Healing, health beyond cure. This will all happen when Big Pharma is dislodged from its dominating and controlling position. Meanwhile, we healers must live an exemplary life. After all, this is expected of us by our Pts.
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Every one of us involved in (health)(care) have a great responsibility toward humanity. "Do No Harm" we take oaths to this effect. I am currently interested in the research work of Univera and am a walking testimonial to the healthy effects that these plants and botanicals, created by nature's source. No commercials intended here, but we have an ethical responsibility to dig deep into the intentions of companies and the effects of the products they produce. Money-driven or truly at the spiritual level of improving the health and welfare of all human beings and animals. Individuals must take charge of their own health and not put their whole reliance on the medical field. So much, in service of our care, is left out and we as a collective are suffering for it. Now more than ever, we have to depend on the committed individuals of like mind to better serve humanity.
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I so agree that our health system is about sickness and not about health. The greatest challenge for system-change will be to align incentives away from treatment of disease or injury to the prevention of disease and injury. Today we have strong evidence for the value of health and wellness "interventions" such as good food and nutrition, proper immunizations and prenatal care, social supports that decrease stress and increase emotional well-being; yet, we allow children to live in poverty and starvation, do not value the state of motherhood from conception to family support, and we abandon our elders until something tragic happens.
A public health concept that might guide health practitioners to a more wellness than sickness model is the concept of health life expectancy Expected years of life in good or better health (http://healthypeople.gov/2020/about/GenHealthAbout.aspx#healthy ).
Public health professionals track:
Expected years of life in good or better health
Expected years of life free of limitation of activity
Expected years of life free of selected chronic diseases
But health professional do not "track" we "provide" health services. Thus, we should begin to think of the ways we can use our skills and the evidence to increase the number of "healthy days" that our patients experience. The only way that can happen is if we collaborate interprofessionally so that the individual and the family are provided the biological, psychological, and social environments that increase the likelihood of health days because of our care; and healthy life expectancy from a life time of evidence-based care.
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So much intelligence and wisdom from those posting above...You are all so very clear on your perception of what is happening on thisplanet. So refreashing and truly heart felt to hear my colleages express themselves in this way..Thank you.
Again, above prevention is health promotion (and above that is Health Beyond cure (Radical Healing. Treatment and prevention are about disease, whereas health promotion and Health Beyond Cure are about health. Please consider this before using the term "prevention". Besides, "prevention" in the common medical model is using drugs and surgery. Re nutrition, hospitals only allow registered dietitians to describe diets to patients. These poor characters know nothing of value about diet. They serve Salisbury steak and Jell-O to patients dying of cancer! Any real nutritionist knows this. RDs are the darlings of Big Pharma and the junk food industry. They can tell you the exact amount of calories that are in any food serving, but the won't serve pure unadulterated living foods to patients---which is necessary to get them well. I could go on and on for hours about this ridiculous system. Forty years of clinical experience has shown me. I cannot be fooled about it any more. Most of the good that system does involves emergency medicine---and very little else.
Leonard you are so right both about the term 'prevention' in regards to health and about how proper diet is terribly misunderstood and misrepresented in the medical arena today. Look at the model for proper nutrition or eating that dietitians use, "the Nutrition Pyramid for Kids". 6 servings of CHO (carbohydrates) per day (what!), 3 servings of vegetables per day, 2 servings of protein a day (come on). Also, what about learning the difference between good fats and fats that go straight to the storage bins of our body. How about teaching people about how certain foods and the way we eat and move will help the body break down fat when too much has been stored. Our society is capitalizing on potentiating poor nutrition throughout our life stages. It has become harder and harder for parents to keep their children loving vegetables and fruits in this society with pizza, hamburgers, french fries,and candy,etc., everywhere. Worst of all, these foods are cheap and thus readily accessible for the poor, the indiscretionary, the stationary and the fast paced among us. Health promotion and calling on scientist who study how nutrients (all types of grains, grasses, plants, tubers, spices, oils from vegetable and tropical fruit sources,fruits, proteins,etc) promote health and support our bodies should be promoted and taught in medical schools and in hospitals. I understand though, that so much of what we are taught in institutions is connected to big business and unless it supports big business, you're on your own to seek this knowledge elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, I love medicine, science and the arts as these are among the highest professions that better serve mankind. I am encouraged by everyone's input and understanding and it is great to learn and contribute ideas from enlightened groups of people.
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To add to Leonard's comment, we also need to overcome the greed of the big pharma and their determination for higher profits at all costs. If they demontrated as much creativity in making medicines affordable, particularly to developping countrieies -low and middle income ones, as they have blocking this noble cause, the world would be a better place.
For example, now more than ever, we have the opportunity to make a remarkable difference against HIV, TB and Malaria. We have the opportunity to really change the course of these epidemics in our lifetime.
In two weeks world leaders are coming together in New York and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will be hosting a special dinner in support of the Global Fund. We are wanting to hand over to him, a petition (copy enclosed below) that calls on World Leaders to act responsibility by ensuring that, amongst other things, the Global Fund achieves its replenishment targets (2014 - 2016) of US$20 billion.
The Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) and the "Here I am campaign" (an initiative of GFAN and the Communities Delegation) are requesting you to go to http://www.hereiamcampaign.org/sign-on-2/<https://usmail.soros.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=8dbcc8b2e54e4a538fbc167a0abff838&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hereiamcampaign.org%2fsign-on-2%2f> in order to sign the petition and forward this email to you friends, colleagues and networks!
Time is running out! Please circulate amongst your contacts and sign yourself! We are aiming to collect thousands of signatures before the dinner on 25 September 2012.
We can turn the tide against these epidemics!
Peter van Rooijen | Executive Director |International Civil Society Support | Van Diemenstraat 194 | 1013 CP Amsterdam | The Netherlands | Mobile: +31 6 5314 8908 | Fax: +31 20 428 0657 | Skype: petervanrooijen1 | skype phone: +31 20 220 2104 | pvr@icssupport.org<mailto:pvr@icssupport.org> |www.icssupport.org<http://www.icssupport.org/>
Dear World Leaders:
Ten years ago, tackling HIV, tuberculosis and malaria seemed an almost impossible task. Today it is possible to see the beginning of the end of these three killer diseases. To make this historic achievement possible we need sufficient resources available and the right mechanism to invest them.
We call on your leadership and ask you to:
1. Pledge an additional contribution now to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for 2012 and 2013 to raise US$2 billion for scaled up investments in the three diseases and allow for full implementation of the Global Fund’s new strategy;
2. Ensure the Global Fund is fully funded for the next Replenishment period 2014-2016, expected to be around US$20 billion in total;
3. Champion a funding model that ensures the Global Fund remains global and responds to the full needs of people with or at risk of HIV, TB or Malaria – a model that is not limited by caps but rewards ambition, results, and increased domestic investments.
Evidence shows that the right investments in AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria can dramatically change the course of the epidemics over time and save money by reducing the future cost of public health. With your leadership… we can end AIDS, TB and malaria in our lifetime!
Katherine: "The only way that can happen is if we collaborate interprofessionally so that the individual and the family are provided the 'biological, psychological, and social' environments that increase the likelihood of health days because of our care; and healthy life expectancy from a 'life time of evidence-based care.' Sorry, I don't understand how evidence-based-care provides these environments which are what I was talking about in my earlier comment "employment status, housing, and education far outweight the healthcare system in terms of promoting health" We could contribute more to real health by providing economic and educational opportunity. Some of the healthiest and long lived peoples I encountered in three decades of international health development lived in areas where absolutely no evidence based healthcare was available.
Leonard: love your comment about nutritionists. During my doctoral studies in the 70's we used to refer to them as "jello-wackers." And Lystra, thanks for the reminder of how lame the mainstream nutritional recommendations are. I am concerned, however, that truly healthy food may be impossible to obtain considering the levels of Cesium 137 that are pretty universally distributed in our soils.
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Indeed, these are cruel and backward times we live in -- society is only guaranteed to act when the powers at be feel an immediate threat to their own health, wealth, and well-being. To get around this though, consider taking an engineer's approach to the problem: do a "root cause analysis" -- on public health problems in Los Angeles County, for example. The following texts should give you some ideas on how to proceed.
"Techniques for root cause analysis"
"Public Health And National Security: The Critical Role Of Increased Federal Support"
"Influencer: The Power to Change Anything" by Kerry Patterson, et al.
The vow 'do no harm' is more often than not not observed by many physcians who are more interested in self. This is further complicated by the healthcare providers who are more focused on satisfying self and their political masters. The politicians are simply egotistical in the main and would sell their own family if it suited the ourpose or price. For those of us involved in developing tomorrows medicine our work is met by professional jealousy, commercial sabotage or a refusal to change old practices and ideas as shown historically. Only Jehovah Almighty God and Christ can rid mankind of these injustices.
You make some good points, Kenneth. Considering the statistics on iatrogenic and nosocomial diseases, it seems that "First, do no harm" has fallen on deaf ears. God's Grace, yes, and our attention to God and our good works will make the difference. Doing everything for the sake of God, and making sure our work is life-positive. We cannot wait for politicians to change. We do the change thru our right actions.
I see us getting into home and local community gardening in order to preserve the right (imaging that---the "right") to pure foods. www.NextWorldTV has a lot of good ideas along these lines. I feel it's about getting local in order to save ourselves from Big Corporate (which currently "owns" the world in some real sense). And James Marzolf makes a good point about toxic poisons in the atmosphere. But, I feel that we (many of us, anyway) can overcome these things via (in the case of the Cesium 137) the strategic use of iodine-containing foods, baking soda and certain herbs and natural procedures,and the rest via our faith in God and some disciplined purity in our habits. Cooperation plus tolerance equals peace.
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"Social justice" is a tricky thing; it is all in the definition and what people mean by it. I can think of more than a few horrors that happened in the Soviet Union under communist rule and other places in this planet thanks to "Social Justice". In medicine, there are a lot of factors that come into play to achieve the best medicine and healthcare for all, and again some of these factors are largely patient-driven. Good topic for discussion.
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What I like most about this discussion is its timeliness. Given the state of US politics and given how incredibly much good has come from spin-offs of government funded basic research, is it any wonder we are in such bad shape? The industrial age, the minicomputer age, and the start of the information age are all eras where high profits in the US enabled the country as a whole to be generous, creative, and optimistic. Right now people are afraid, confused, and watching their comfortable middle class lives disintegrate. I'm afraid that until such time as we have a nice, profitable, progressive economy, we aren't going to see much improvement in healthcare or education, to name two challenging areas. Katherine, I agree with you. We are all going to have to become politically active and hope that the intelligent people can carry the day (as opposed to those who are simply wealthy or mislead by the wealthy).
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when social injustice peneterates into social fabric of society and maligns it to an extent that people develop feeling of insecurity and helplessness, then it is the time to act at collective level. For instance, curruption in India has risen to a level where social toleration threshold has broken down and public awareness of it has pulled people to rise and act. Prof. O P Monga, Department of Sociology, H P University, Shimla
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We can do more to address this. Those of us with the consciousness to act must prioritize coming together and getting better organized.
There are some very good essays written recently on this circumstance, especially by the the likes of Chris Hedges (see his "Life is Sacred"). The best book I've read on the subject is Not-Two IS Peace, by Adi Da. My sense is that this book may be the most important read in these precipitous times. Absolutely YES, we must cooperate to bring about peace and harmony---in WORLD society, not just locally. As Hedges has pointed out, "We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals, and our banks destroy the economy." It doesn't take a genius to see the truth in these words.
This world is being destroyed by heartless corporate interests that don't give a damn about anything but profits and power.
Revolution across-the-board is greatly needed and surely coming. But a revolution in consciousness: understanding the world (with all of its life) as a unity, honoring and fostering life, ending war as a means of settling disputes, teaching peace, tolerance and cooperation. This all starts right with us as individuals---communicating this life-positive energy to everyone every day in every way we can.
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Yes, Sydney, I talked with Bob Cathcart many years ago about this. He was a protege of Dr. Pauling---who himself was ridiculed for his taking 16-18gm of Vitamin C daily. But he outlived his detractors. Blessings to you.
I am in fundamental disagreement with the unstated and unjustified premises and assumptions of this post. If and when any kind of so-called “social injustice” rises in our consciousness, in a free society we have always had the option to solve the problem by acting voluntarily and peacefully with charity, or with leadership in a charitable institution or in a competitive private business. Despite decades of self-serving academic indoctrination to the contrary, government does not have the right to use its police powers to force the peaceful to pay for research, healthcare, education, or any other similar so-called “public good”. It is true that these ends are good and valued by all who are sane, but in a free society, one obtains these values by peaceful trade and cooperation, which includes voluntary charity. Also, none of us are all knowing and do not have the right to force the peaceful to support their views or ideas via government. When government distributes wealth or engages in “social engineering”, it literally forces many people by its power of the gun to be involuntary investors acting against their better judgment.
Police powers should only be used to prevent force (crime) – e.g. (a) bashing someone on his head and stealing his wallet, (b) hacking into a stranger’s bank account , (c) offering fraudulent investments, (d) raiding the public coffers – welfare for the poor, grants to PhD’s, subsidies for corporations or farmers, etc. There are thousands of values in society. We can either obtain values from others by force, or obtain values from others via peaceful, voluntary trade. When values are obtained by force, this is the very definition of crime. Tax dollars used for any other purpose than defending the peaceful against crime is tyranny, NO MATTER HOW NOBLE THE END GOAL OR MOTIVE. The ends do not justify the means.
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To put it straight : the social injustice has been big enough thousands of years. We should all the time work to diminish it. What if each (rich) family had a named poor family which it should help ? In own country or abroad.
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Each of us can maybe do small things which are important for the poor or unemployed or sick people. I have decided to help an unemployed person from abroad whom I recently learned to know in social media by subscribing something (concretely important for me) with his help from his home country.
These responses to my original post are fascinating and welcomed. I want to reinforce that the passage of the Affordable Care Act by the US congress is a direct result of the greed, corruption, abuse of power that is endemic across all the medical professions, the health insurance industry, and the medical devices/pharma industry. In the great state of California where I live, a California cow gets better care then a Californian. The health of our children and adults is the responsibility of a government. The eradication of polio in the US occurred due to the moral courage of Salk to immunize his own children. The government had to step in to require all children to receive this protection. Today, Nigeria has decided not to immunize the population against polio sparking a resurgence of polio across Africa.
What we lack today are heroes. What we lack today is professional integrity and moral courage. What we lack today is leadership in our professional associations that put the self-interests of individual members over the responsibility of the profession to meet the health needs of society. What we lack is integrity in our highest levels...within Board rooms of for-profit or non-profit organizations, on steering committees of NIH funded mega-trials, in our elected officials who are lobbied to act against the best interest of their constituencies. What each of us lacks is the avenue to speak against the abuse of power or fraudulent practice when we see it without repercussion.
I need to believe we are at a tipping point. The responses to this discussion from those of us across the world reveals that each of us has the same experience. The answer is not to give pro bono care to the poor, the answer is to elevate people out of poverty. The answer is not to give less care to reduce costs, the answer is to provide high impact, high volume, low cost preventive care to all without going through an artificial "gate keeper"who takes from the top and leaves little for the children and adults who need good food and water, immunization from communicable disease, prenatal care, palliative or rehabilitation to return to function, and the chance to live with dignity; care at least as good as what a herd of cattle receives from a farmer or a shepherd provides his flock.
Katherine: You mention fine theoretical goals - like many politicians. But how to achieve a little better world in practice ? It is to be done always personally and in the real life through concrete work. Let's begin from ourselves.
Dr. Sullivan, do you really believe that "the passage of [Obamacare] by the US congress is a direct result of the greed, corruption, abuse of power that is endemic across all the medical professions, the health insurance industry, and the medical devices/pharma industry?" I would suggest that it is in fact the result of the "greed, corruption, abuse of power that is endemic" in government bureaucracy and politics (i.e., the bill [I refuse to call it the ACA because it makes nothing more affordable and really isn't about health care at all] is more about gaining power and control than it is about improving health care).
As a veterinarian, I can tell you that cows and other livestock are, in fact, not treated any better than humans, though if there is one state that would treat its animals better than humans, I suppose it would be "the great state of California." However, the assumption is that, unlike people, cows cannot take care of themselves. We have bred them to the point that they do not do well in the wild, so, yes, we have a responsibility to care for them.
This is why, as one of the other post-ers above, I must fundamentally disagree with you when you say that "The health of our children and adults is the responsibility of a government." This is the first step down a dangerous path which historically has led to all sorts of dictatorial regimes and actions. The responsibility for my helah lies with me. The responsibility for my children's health lies with me. I do not expect anyone (especially a government bureaucrat) to provide me (or my family) with care. It is completely appropriate that governments have these services available for those that need them, but to say that it is government's "responsibility" to provide/require them goes to far.
I do agree with you that "we lack ... heroes ... professional integrity and moral courage ...[and] leadership" at all levels. This is why we ended up with a 2000-page Obamacare bill that (almost) no one wanted and will in reality help very few Americans. This is the definition of "abuse of power" and "fraudulent practice."
I also agree that "we are at a tipping point" in this country (and perhaps in the world at large). You are exactly right that the best thing we can do for those in need is to "elevate people out of poverty." Fortuntely, we in the United States have a chance to change the economic directino of our nation on November 6. As the saying goes, we and our leaders need to "teach them how to fish," rather than just handing fish to them. Only then, can they truly "live with dignity."
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Good point...and I am. I plan to open a health center in the most economically distressed zip code of LA. There is a cadre of health professionals from medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, social work, rehabilitation, and psychology who want to create an interprofessional practice, who want to create jobs with locally trained health workers to bring basic health services to areas in the map I originally posted. This area has been abandoned by all. When we demonstrate that we can create commerce and empower a community to care for itself in partnership with health professionals then I hope the oppressed (who are both the members of the community and health professional) will have enough of a voice to change policy. Wish me luck.
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"elevate people out of poverty." As I stated in my earlier comment, which apparently has disappearred somewhere. Health status correlates most strongly with a) employment status, b) housing status, and c) education, (healthcare is pretty far down the list) so I am please to see this conclusion finally emerging.
My early career was in tropical medicine so I had a lot of good opportunity to observe poverty and illness first hand. What I noticed was no matter how good the goal or idea (vaccines etc.), if there wasn't enough money or good administration nothing was sustainable and no lasting change achieved. I returned to the US gained another degree and joined "the dark side" as a health insurance executive wear I learned all about risk, money, and management. This to transmuted and I spent 14 years in the international healthcare finance policy arena and participated in 3 successful national healthcare reforms including picking up the pieces in a former Soviet block country. In my view, MessrsTodd & Holland are correct on many points but most poignant is that big government is not the answer. And Ms (Dr?) Sullivan is in concurrence, that the ACA is an ill conceived travesty. The real tragedy is that the same objectives could be easily achieved with no mandates, penalties, or losers. Mandating something is an admission of failure in one's ability to design systems properly. The market distortions that will be created by this bill combined with the regulatory capture of the FDA by big-pharma, and the continued devaluation of our fiat currency will indeed "break the system."
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I am adding in response to answer "When does social injustice rise high enough in our consciousness that we realize it is time to act?." I think we should act at the earliest and should not allow social injustice to rise. Once Social injustice rise high enough it the condition becomes out of hand and it may be difficult to handle and it will need more power and it need to targeted from all weapons.
Yes, and BTW, it is said that Pasteur confessed / admitted on his deathbed that he was wrong about the "germ theory" (that germs are the cause of disease). He admitted that he knew all along that it's the environment (which we are responsible for) that causes disease. "Germs" (bacteria, viruses, protozoans, fungi, etc.) are always in the body and are only along for the ride---hoping that our immune will get depressed so they can have a family of 45 million---at our expense! So, whose fault is the resulting disease? Ours or theirs? We're the ones who smoked and drank and ate crap food, etc., creating the environment for them to proliferate. Forty years of clinical work convinced me of the truth of this. We don't want to look at this because it means we have to be individually responsible for our health. Big Pharma doesn't want us to know this, because then they cannot sell us their drugs. As healers, we must not only teach this (and natural health practices) to our patients. We must practice it ourselves. This requires discriminative intelligence and will, qualities that make us adult human beings. Discipline is the hallmark of the adult human being.
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The role of host (susceptibility) in production and maintenance of a disease has been ignored since long. And I think it was because of human tendency to shun a responsibility whatsoever. Most people prefer to take medicines rather than taking a good care of health and persons in particular and pharma in general irresponsibly and immorally exploit this. Generally lay people remain unaware of what is going on as for them doctor is second god.
A girl aged 23 years consulted me for renal calculi. In history it was found that at the age of 8 years the girl got her pneumonia cured with antibiotics, bronchodilators and betnesol (a glucocorticoid indicated in aspiration pneumonia and contraindicated in acute infections!), and developed hypersensitivity to cold foods and drinks and cold bath, dust and strong odors. Attacks of broncho-spasms were treated with bronchodilators and betnesol, and puff etc. She had been told by pediatrician and specialist that her asthma would be cured after 12 years of age (as with the onset of puberty person goes into a new state). Unfortunately, allergy continued beyond puberty and the specialist told her that she would be needed to continue medicines as and when required. Also, recently for last two years she has pains in joints and bones for which she had been prescribed some analgesic, anti-inflammatory and calcium by orthopedician.
Problem is that in spite of seeing patient repeatedly coming with the same or gradually increasing problem we physicians keep beating the same track.
Mukesh, you make a very good point.
In my 40+ years of clinical work, the one approach that has proven most beneficial---especially against chronic degenerative diseases---has been simply placing the patient on an extended diet of raw liquefied fruits, veggies and nuts and seeds, either blended or juiced. The average was 30 days to achieve significant positive results. Note that this is not a fast, altho it uses the same principle: withdrawal of solid foods. In such a "delivery system", the body's energies that are otherwise expended in breaking down the solids (masticating, digesting, etc.) are now thus freed up for purification, balancing/harmonizing, and regeneration. Diabetes becomes easily cured (all symptoms erased), and also cancer, MS, and even ALS---as long as (1) the Pt is not in a terminal state, and (2) is willing to follow protocol.
Teaching this method in many countries brought so many queries from professional healers that I wound up having to write a book about it: The GREAT Liquid Diet. Over time, then, it became obvious to me that most of that drugging was unnecessary, and that simply by returning the Pt to dietary purity, the symptoms left and health was restored. Why? Because the gross physical body is essentially a FOOD body! The quality and quantity of food we take in largely determines the health of the gross physical body---and also the lower sense mind and emotions. (This is so easy to prove.) Therefore, the FIRST TREATMENT for ANY disease of the gross physical body is and rightly should be a FOOD treatment. Shanti!
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There are few important factors which has bearing on social injustice are poverty, socio-economic status and caste factors. These people are prone for high social injustice as it has bearing on the receiving even medical treatment for several illnesses- such as person with low socio-economic factors and low income group can not afford medical treatment or may delay or may not even seek medical treatment. These factors are important and play crucial role in the developing countries like India. Solutions for these issues are providing cost-effective drugs as well as treatment to common individuals and even free treatment to poor people and socially targeted segment of society.
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There is too much medicine with drugs. There is too little medicine without drugs. There should be more medicine with simple approaches. Touching patients. Discussing with them in peace. Listening to them. Using physician's own proven experiences about the ways to keep oneself in good mental and physical condition. Using each country's and regions own indigenous ethnomedicine.
Oh, yes, Antti, you are so right! And, Jagat Ram, there are very few pharmaceuticals I'd offer to the poor of India or other countries. Occasional antibiotics or pain killers, perhaps, but only as truly needed and in emergencies. These poor must be taught right life and provided the means for it.
Again, Antii is so right, we need to keep ethnic and local natural medicines going, keep the lore and understanding of how to use them in mind and recorded, how to apply local herbs, when to use them and how much to use. This is priceless information that certain local elders know. We cannot let that information die out from lack of use. This has to be recorded and its practice encouraged.
Drug-type medicine is greatly abused in our current world, used far more than necessary in world culture. And, again, the poor need to have land where they can grow their own food. They need right-life education, as described by one of my heroes, Dr. Vandana Shiva (from Jagat's country). I've created a post about this at my website, www.eyology.com, called "Wisdom Culture". We have to break away from Big Corporate and teach each other how this is done.
Yes, Jagat, Antii, the poor need to be reinstated, educated, and provided with land to help themselves. We can all do our part in this. These are desperate times for many. We must all cooperate, tolerate differences, and create peace. See the book, Not-Two IS Peace (I believe parts of it are downloadable on the Net.) For many useful ideas, see www.nextworldTV.com.
Namaste
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I think the question comes back to whether we value the desires, wants & needs of the individual over the collective good. "Social engineering" as it is now referred to -- was successful in elevating the standard of living for the U.S. Now, many are asking that instead of taking political action for the collective good, we should place our faith in the moral and ethical behavior of powerful individual human beings who respond to society's woes through the filter of their own experiences, preferences and biases.
Dr. Bush,
Altho it is hard to know what to do or when, I feel there has to be enuf people irritated by these events before the revolution, the uprising, will occur. People usually have to be extremely irritated before they'll act. But, act they (we) will. This happened in Iceland in 2008. They were able to turn their country around, kicking out the banksters and corrupt legislators. Of course, there are only 300,000 people in that tiny country. There are 311 million in the USA. A recent interview of one of my top cultural heroes, Chris Hedges, suggests this unknown factor---how much crap will we accept before we take to the streets. Chris Hedges has a new book entitled, Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt. The interview is heard at this link: http://www.opednews.com/Podcast/Chris-Hedges-Days-of-Dest-by-Rob-Kall-121017-706.html.
Bottom line: we each must act according to our best instincts. If we live and act according to our hearts' demand, it will happen and we will turn this whole process in consciousness around. It's not just a change of action we need now. It's a change of consciousness. We absolutely MUST outlaw war as a means of solving or resolving our "problems". We MUST break the stranglehold Big Corporate has on us all. They run (and own) the governments. They "own" the world (in some sense). However, (thankfully), the Divine has already "overcome" this world, so we must ask It's Guidance have full Faith---and act! Check out www.nextworldtv.com for creative solutions in breaking away from the grid and establishing the transition to a better world.
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Is it not a social injustice to recruit patients from poor socio-economic status in several trials including drug trial without their consent or even with consent without their knowing what will be done to them?. This is also true to several procedures such as teaching surgical procedure to trainee with supervision on patients from low socio-economic status or considering his color , country etc I am of the opinion that it is fine if no harm is done to patients and if the surgical procedure is beneficial and if surgical procedure is done by the trainee under-supervision of trained surgeon or consultant with the consent of patients.
Yes, I'm with you on this, Sydney. Vitamin C has saved many lives. We must remain open-minded and willing to look at all options, all so-called "alternative" approaches---and traditional medicine methods, as well. Big Pharma has for far too long pushed propaganda on us about avoiding so many approaches that have been proving to be helpful. There are many means of eliminating cancer, e.g., via herbs such as hemp oil and black salve. MDs and NDs have been punished for using natural therapies not authorized by "official" bodies, therapies that have proven beneficial.
Everyone knows that the FDA and Big Pharma are in bed together. We must break this monopoly on medicine and health. We must create real health freedom, so that we doctors and all citizens generally can choose the foods and medicines we find most helpful---without fear of persecution (or prosecution) by these powerful drug and chemical interests (Big Corporate).
Real science has no philosophy, but is a method that has practical use and MUST remain open to all possibilities. Why is there no money available for scientific studies that investigate the effects of pure raw diet on disease? Could it be because Big Pharma, AMA, CDC and FDA are terrified of the possibility of what may be found by such studies?
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I think we don't have to wait till social injustice rise high enough in our consciousness that we realize it is time to act...if a person is on spiritual path such thresholds are not required, the action comes immediately from deep within your consciousness even at the slightest deviation in social justice......
Thank you, Sameer. You are correct!
An ancient Hindu saying: "Those who love God have no problems." The circumstances of local, regional, state or world society are treated as "no problem" for this person, but merely as a situation in which to be positive and creative. The attitude is thus one of positive disillusionment, where one is always positive in outlook but without illusion, not deluded by the limits inherent in the ego world. This world is the result of egoity, and is not arising as the cause of some ego-imagined "god". God is the Source, not the cause. Source is prior to cause.
In this understanding, we proceed. We act intelligently and with strength, always in a mode of love and blessing, always in service to the Beloved of the heart. The result is positive change.
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What a great discussion. Congratulations to all participants.
It just open my eyes and confirm me that I was right on my thinking and I´m not the only one that think the same way and share these same basic principles.
I just came back from the 4th Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies in Japan. After six years of basic and clinica rersearch I have developed a technique for the treatment of pressure ulcers, diabetic foot, burns and hard to heel wounds using the own patients growth factors.
I won the prize for best oral presentation and innovation from developing countries for my research , out of 325 presentations.
Today all the techniques that use growth factors are patented by big companies and are extremely expensive even when the most expensive part of it are "the growth factors" and these are extracted from the same patient.
I have been in the research field of regenerative medicine for the last 12 years . Six years ago I thought why it should be so expensive and only available to a small group of patients that can afford this type of therapy when today´s statistics shows that every 30 second a limb is amputated in the world, and if we don´t do anything it will come down to 20 seconds in the next five years due to the increasing of diabetes and the old population, this is happening in any social status or any country.
This is another example how this is a matter of money, a treatmemt with growth factors cost thousands of dollars per treatmemt or application, plus an expensive investment in equipment.
After I came back from Japan due to this tecnique is very inexpensive , a lot of people start to contact me and they were asking and proposing me now that I showed the results - no one neither a company was interested in investing in this research six years ago - , how can we make profit of it or how can we sell it , or patented.
These patients are suffering for years and their quality of life is miserable, social and mentally. I treated a women that had a pressure ulcer for 22 years with an expensive treatment twice a week (she was completely healed wth this treatment in three weeks with no recurred at the present),total cost of the treatment with his own growth factors $20,00 (twenty US Dollars). Another example a 78 year old men that was in a weelchair due to a cronic ulcer grade III-D refused the amputation of his leg and he prefer to die before to be amputated , amputation was the only treatment that the public health service could provide him and he en his family could not afford an expensive or surgical treatment.
He´s ulcer has been healed after nine months of treatment, he is out of the weelchair and walking again on his two own legs .The cost of the complete treatment with his own growth factors was $95,00 US Dollars( ninety five US Dollars). All this cases plus others were presented at the meeting in Japan.
I have decided that my technique will be availabel to anyone in the world , it will not be sold, not patented, no one will make money with it ,the only beneficiaries will be the patients. I said in Japan - and I know it was not very well received for some commercial people - Why a "growth factor" that is produce by my own cells and is running free inside of me, will somebody come because has the knowledge how to use it and get it , will sell my own growth factor that my cells have produced back to me to heal my wounds that make mi life miserable at an uncontrollled price, with a lot of profit for people that don´t even care about me. Today all the funds for research are in that path . That is not fair.
After my statement I don´t see imuch interested in provide funds for further research. It was not too much interested before either anyway . Also has been difficult to publish it, and that is another world that we have not done anything also, we have let the scientific community to think that to publish in high impact journal is the ultimate goal for a researcher and everyday more journals and researchers are competing each other to become the most high impact rank forgatten that they should devoted to divulge tha latest advances to the entire scientific community in an easy, fast and accesible way.
I think internet is the tool and has the the power to change all this and I hope we will have the wisdom to use it right. If in this forum are x people involved and thinking in a different way means that there are x+x+x+x+x+x+x+......... around the world that think and feel the same, is just a matter of time to get them all toghether in a common cause and then we will not change the world, but I´m sure it will start looking different.
And may be just may be,some day we will go back to the beginning of times when the fisrt man that needed assitance got a hand as a help from another man and this one received a simple smile and thanks as a reward.
Sorry If I extent too much my comment
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The social injustice breaking point will be different for each of us. Some will just hang on desperately to their comforts, hoping that the threats to our liberties will somehow just go away---even to the point of being herded into FEMA "relocation (internment) camps", or even dying via random police-state brutality. Others will scream from the rooftops, demonstrate in the streets, and lay their lives on the line. The rest of us will act somewhere in between.
One of my top cultural heroes, Chris Hedges, recently wrote a book entitled, Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt. In it, he expresses the view that soon the time will come that many, many of us will take to the streets because of the numerous outrages, large and small, currently being perpetrated on us by our governments and by their owners, Big Corporate---outrages that many seem not to even notice.
Watch the trailer for the upcoming video and film, Gray State (http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/independent-film/gray-state---concept-trailer.html). Our civilization is clearly crumbling. The best book that describes this situation is Not-Two IS Peace. That may be the most important book to read at this juncture in our history. It describes the way we're likely going to turn it all around is via the Internet and by seeing ourselves as citizens of the world, the Earth. We must move away from the narrow-minded provincialism and tribalism we've practiced all along, and practice instead tolerance, cooperation and love.
But, in this we have to stand up and work for it---not "fight" for it (violence), but work hard for it, which could mean even marching in the streets. We are living in the most exciting and dangerous times in human history, make no mistake about that. Mainly, we are being called to a higher way of life, to a change in consciousness, to create a true Wisdom Culture---instead of the crazy random culture we're now (and essentially always have been) suffering. We can and we must do this---and encourage each other to it accordingly.
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Among the more cogent arguments re our culture in general and Big Pharma (the medical-pharmaceutical industry) in specific, we have (for culture) the Jan 12 C-span interview of Chris Hedges entitled The Collapse of Empire (http://www.brasschecktv.com/videos/corporate-criminality-/the-world-as-it-is.html), and for Big Pharma medicine (1) the Gary Null, ND, presentation at the NYS Assembly Vaccine Hearings (http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=781C36C5752AB4894EED16C5229A6E6D), and (2) the new documentary, "Doctored" (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/10/conspiracy-against-chiropractic.aspx), the whole of which you can watch for free during the new few days via this link. These offerings should convince you of the current state of our culture and of the heinous crimes of Big Corporate elite in general and Big Pharma in specific. In our field, over 2 trillion dollars are wasted yearly on "medical practices" that actually wind up creating and increasingly sick population. The numbers speak for themselves. Health care or disease-perpetuation? It doesn't take a genius to figure this one out. Who goes onto TV and teaches the public how they can eat their way to health via pure raw diet? They'd never make it to the microphone. It's revolution time, folks.
Leonard - You are singing my song! I could monopolise this conversation but then it would be a soliloquy. Your collective grief, your early deaths, your apathy (at times) your musculoskeletal, infection, toxin and apparently unrelated vascular diseases; most of your cardiovascular and 50 other systemic diseases, all originate in deficiency disease, discovered by simple time lapse, high magnification of sequential retinal arrterial imaging. It cost nobody anything except me. I financed the discovery. BUT! Was it my discovery? Or was it what PharmacoMedicine knew all the time? Kempner in 1956 was the first to note diabetic retinopathy improvement with a Spartan rice diet. I only showed that we had been led up the garden path with a fairytale about arteriolar reflex being from "ensheathment" of the arteries. We were all IDIOTS (including me!) to fall for that. Now I wonder how we could have ignored Snell's laws of reflection and Hollenhorst plaque? When Prof Richer found for me, the missing link - the paper by Michelson, Morganroth, Nichols and MacVaugh, connecting 100% the sensitivity and specificity of the grades of retinal arterial disease with coronary arterial disease (by X-Ray angiography) I had to wonder has this been the biggest medical conspiracy of all time since 1969? How many unnecessary heart bypasses , stents, angioplasties, how much angina, how many strokes, how many early deaths from coronary thrombosis ? Is that why they refused to renew my National Health Service contract in July 2008? To protect medicine from the biggest scandal of all time? And now I am still fighting the UK General Optical Council! AGAIN (!) they are too cowardly to stand up against the physicians - and Pharmacy's £Billions. EVERYBODY suffers from a cowardly council that is supposed to defend public health. LEONARD! You are getting me going! Please award yourselves a Research Gate point - all those who are still reading! I am boring you all again!
No, Sydney. You are decidedly NOT boring us. You need to tell your story. Perhaps even tell it often, and to many others. This has to get out. Thank God for the Internet! Thank God for this ResearchGate venue! I've been hiding some data on the conjunctiva and episclera, BTW, that I've been afraid to offer for fear it (and I) be chastised and vilified similarly. But, I'm going to just do it, and soon. What can they do to me now? I'm retired after 40 years of clinical work. I've seen too many disorders cured via pure diet and life-positive lifestyle. I've had too many Pts beg me to get them off their pharmaceuticals that were killing them or otherwise making them crazy. I can't be fooled by this Big Pharma charade anymore.
No, Sydney, you're not boring. You're courageous. And I salute you.
Colleagues, I believe we are at a tipping point in healthcare. Why should it be that other equally valid forms of healing such as adequate healthy-promoting nutrition, exercise, mental health counseling, and so on be considered "alternative" forms of medicine just because it is not diagnosis-driven or cured by surgery or prescription drugs? Yesterday, I was with family. I was shocked at the state of health of one of our couple friends. The husband (in his mid-70's) fractured his femur after a fall which now appears to be due to syncope from an undiagnosed cardiac condition. He did not receive adequate post-op rehabilitative care. He has lost 25% of his pre-morbid body-weight; he has an antalgic gait, his cognitive function has declined due to social isolation. He was a vibrant man; now he is rapidly regressing to frailty. His wife is on 2 anti-depressants which will not cure this family or give her the assistance she needs to cope with this avoidable tragedy. Surgery and drugs will not produce the healing this family needs.
If those of us in the health professions or health sciences would step back for one moment perhaps we can see that our current health care system is failing. It is failing economically since profits are protected over healing; it is failing in its effectiveness since we provide care for problems neglected rather than promoting the benefits of "alternative-medicine" such as good nutrition, exercise, mental health services, and early diagnosis and preventive/protective care. We need a social solution that tips the value of healthcare away from reactive medicine to family-centered care that supports the balance of biologic, cognitive, and psychologic health for each individual within a family-unit.
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Discussion très intéressante et enrichissante.J'apprécie particuliérement les réponses de Leonard Mehlmauer
4th Dec, 2012
There is clear definition for social injustice: Galtung called it "Structural Violence". It means that there is an object that receive violence, but we cannot identify the subject that do violence. So, for example, we can identify poor people, but poverty is inside the structure of the society.
So it's very difficult to react, and transform this type of violence, in something that may be positive for the society.
There is no a "clear point" in which we can say "ok, let's go: it's time to change!", but theories and also history confirm that when some people understand that it's time to act and they get together, in that time they put the seed for the transformation.
I think that one of the worst problems is that we are slaves of money. So medicine, health care and so on, are drived by money, not by the human care.
So, for example, prevention doesn't matter if it don't give some profits. Or, in other words, health industry earns more with prevention or medicalization?
In my opinion the medicalization of the society (there is an old book of Ivan Illich "Medical Nemesis" that explain this concept perfectly) is one of the worst problems today.
But WE have tools for change this. I think that everybody can do something, like:
1. starting to think that the person that is in front of you is a PERSON, not a patient, or a number, or a consumer.
2. think about the "spill-over effect": it simply means that if you act a change and try to collect some people that act this change, you can do a network!
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DR. A. SALAKO Any act of deprivation or action that threatens life and properties and that result in preventable death of a group of people or society or discriminatory acts against a group of people or society that threatens their continued existence or livehood.
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Has anyone else run into s situation where a physician or other professional is labelled "disruptive" or with a personality disorder (PD) by a hospital or healthcare corporation and then a lynching process is set in motion that destroys the physician's career? We're not talking about someone incompetent, addicted, physically abuse or who lies, cheats, and steals. This sham process is justified by "surveys" that directly link disruptiveness or PD to adverse patient outcomes. But in fact there are no objective data or evidence-based studies - root-cause-analyses - that prove such an impact. From my experience such physicians usually care more for their patients and the care they get than their corporate-employed colleagues. In your theme of social injustice, this is another instance of corporate goals - power and profits - trumping the oath of Hippocrates.
Lars, you are so right!
The corporatization of medicine is now complete (Big Pharma is in total control). In polite medical society of today, the physician cannot say a word against the system without punishment. I've felt the sting, myself. But, disruptive we must now be!
This institution has turned upside down from our Hippocratic Oath. It has become, "First, make Big Pharma a profit!" (Email me at gm@grandmedicine.com and I'll send you a new and updated version of our Oath).
More and more physicians are coming to realize the importance of standing up and shouting the reality of this awful system. Some are simply leaving and getting out on their (our) own where we can do some good. Others are staying put and working from within the system, which can be done in all kinds of ways. So, there is hope. A man or woman must do what is in their heart. Otherwise, you are just another slave, a prostitute for the system. And the system is rotten to the core. It doesn't take a genius to see that.
We can and must create something new. There is a new medicine called Radical Healing, with the very highest principles. The best features of all types of medicine can be integrated into a model we can use rightly, with the Pt's best interests always first.
When living foods are served in the hospital cafeteria, and no processed foods whatsoever, we have positive change. When the physician has free reign to apply whatever healing method he or she chooses, whatever he or she knows or feels in his/her heart will best benefit the Pt---and is held accountable only by his/her own peers---we have a good start.
Since when is adequate sound sleep, robust daily exercise, balanced nutrition of whole, organic foods, attention to mental health, and avoidance of toxic substances "alternative medicine"?.....This reminds me of the story of farmer who took his healthy, handsome horse to market. Along the way, were placed corrupt individuals to degrade the farmers wares on the way to market in order low ball the sales to the local merchants. All the way to the market this farmer was told his horse was a donkey. For miles the farmer continued to correct the bystanders that he was taking his prized horse to market. But alas it was the longest of journeys and the farmer became frustrated and tired of correcting others along his journey. When he finally reached the market, the gateakeeper asked of him, what was he bringing to sell at the market, he replied," I have brought you my prized donkey, can't you see that?"
What has happened to our perception as "healers" is the same. We have been bamboozled into believing that healthcare isn't about maintaining good health before wehave the disease in the first place. So who are the villians in our story? They are everyone who stands in our way: corporate figures who place profit above rightousness, elected officials who cower to those at big Pharmacy, hospital administrators who pursue the ruination of excellent providers who are patient centered, and of course our peers who are satisfied with status quo and crucify those peers who acknowledge that the system is broken and a better way is possible.
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Hi all,
extremely interesting discussion. For what it´s worth, even in the Swedish socialized healthcare system we have similar situations. The swedish association for hospital doctors presents yearly awards to whistleblowers, who pinpoint failure of the system to address patient interests!
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Damn good idea! I applaud that association! Like Wanita says, we tend to crucify such persons as Bradley Manning and Julian Assange (and countless others)---mainly because they are perceived as threats to the power of those in control of government, those running Big Corporate. The Swedish association is there to serve the people, whereas our USA federal government and Big Corporate see themselves as being there to serve themselves---and to hell with the people.
And, yes, Wanita, you're right again re The BIG 7 being offered as "alternative medicine" (The BIG 7 being 1-pure diet, 2-early bedtime, 3-right exercise, 4-natural hygiene, 5-clean, wholesome environments, 6-right occupation, & 7-Spiritual study). I guess we have to say it all started with Hippocrates suggesting that we should let food be our medicine. Sad that we have to remind ourselves of this, that this "BIG 7" practice is needed for good health. When our culture is truly serving us (from birth), we will do these practices naturally and from the start---and with the clear understanding that they are merely appropriate. However, we in fact live in a "crazy random" culture, not a Wisdom Culture.
So, what can we do? We can stand up and tell others about this. Tell it to everyone who'll listen. Don't be afraid of being thot of as crazy. The crazies are the ones in power (the Emperor, who, as we can see, is wearing no clothes!). The real crazies, as Wanita says, are those who go along with the charade, pretending that the Emperor, who is dressed only in his psychotic insanity, is fully clothed.
If you work in a hospital that serves junk food, tell them! Ask them to offer pure untainted food. Ask hospital administrators to allow natural health practitioners into their midst. Let's break thru! Let's get some real freedom going here.
I have surfed the literature for any evidence that the so-called "disruptive physician" has adversely affected patient outcomes - and I came across this often referenced study by Rosenstein and O'Daniel: Survey of the Impact of Disruptive Behaviors and Communication Defects on Patient Safety published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety in 2008 (volume 34) that stated: "As part of the research for this study, we searched for information on a relationship between disruptive behaviors and negative outcomes of care, but other than a few anecdotal stories, we could find no documented studies directly linking disruptive behavior to negative clinical outcomes." All the studies/references that I ran across all "documented" this relationship on the basis of surveys based on conjectural/subjective responses/opinions of hospital staff including physicians and nurses, etc. There are no root-cause-analyses or other studies confirming such a cause-effect relationship. Opinion surveys are simply that. The mantra of "disruptive physician" is simply to give health corporations (hospitals, etc.) a "legal" venue to clamp down on what they perceive as behavior inimical to their goals of dominance and profit (even if not-for-profit). I agree that that is any corporate organization's prerogative - but I strongly disagree that such a prerogative should be linked to adverse patient outcomes in the absence of any such data or studies. And to further punish such physicians with non-competes, expensive legal costs, and sham peer reviews - even listing with the NPDB - is simply stunning.
Good call, Lars. Verified by my experience. What can you do---or WILL you do---in your circumstance, to change similar situations in your milieu?
So let's ask the question of ourselves, "How do we open the doors to our brethern providers who embrace alternative options for healing?" Even as there is increasing evidence supporting the benefits of accupuncture and other complimentary fields of oriental medicine and chiropractic medicine, these excellent practitioners should be embraced by us. In 2006, I took that leap of faith and joined an integrative medical practice which includes gynecology, internal medicine, nurse practitioners, chiropracters, oriental medicine, accupuncture, massage therapists, and nutritionists. The patient outcomes are truly incredible. Our practice is grown in volume mostly due to patient self referrals. Many local providers lambast our efforts at healing utilizing the principles of the Hippocratic Oath, the Big 7, and patient centeredness. Shocking? Not really. But shameful of course. Why do we fear what we don't understand? As change makers, we should reach out within the communities that we live and work to build bridges with these "different from ourselves" providers. There is already more than a grass roots effort by patients for something other than a prescription, something more than an antidepressant, and more than a statement of, "There is nothing wrong with you. Your labs are normal."
Just because we don't understand what ails our patient doesn't mean something isn't out of balance. All this means is we aren't bright enough or don't care enough to figure it out. It is a privilege and a responsibility to at least try and when we get stuck, reach out for help. Improving the health of the nation starts with improving the health of one person at a time. It is truly that simple!
A very "straight" answer, Anthony, and a good one, but I believe the original question was more than rhetorical. It was meant to elicit more than a dictionary response. Wanita, woman, you've hit a nerve. This IS what is happening in our society today. Doctors ARE reaching out, and patients ARE searching for more than shots and pills and surgery. And they're finding it. All types of medicine have their place in a free culture---and, unlike in our current culture, they're allowed. This (freedom of medicine) should be understood as a God-Given right, not something that involves legislation---much less controlled by one group (Big Pharma).
And you are so right about caring for Pts one at a time. In Radical Healing (have I mentioned this?), we learn that the healer MUST love the patient. This is a sacred responsibility and relationship. The Pt is, in some real sense, our brother or sister, our mother or father. Seeing them this way, we will respond to them and interact with them differently. On the other hand, we MUST require them to be responsible, informing them that they will have the best chance of getting well to the degree that they will be health self-responsible. We must teach them to be health-unexploitable.
As healers, it is our responsibility to both teach wellness to the Pt AND practice it ourselves. How many doctors do you know that actually practice The BIG 7? How many actually have a routine of natural, life-positive diet and lifestyle? How many of us smoke, drink, eat crap food, have random exercise and bedtime, and otherwise maintain a lifestyle that's all over the map? As a former Anthropologist, I can say with certainty that they tend to look up to us as examples of superior humanity. It's culturally bred into us to see the healer among us in this way, and this has been the case for countless millenia. This should be taught in every medical school---including The BIG 7. Our Pts---at least subconsciously---already expect it of us.
Yes, Wanita. Let's help some people to heal. Let's start with ourselves.
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Yes, Anthony, genuine heart-felt compassion is essential in the doctor-patient relationship. However, consider this: we can practice "compassionate medicine", which is merely providing treatment and instruction to the Pt, albeit with loving compassion, OR we can do the same AND demand that they participate in the healing process---including by making the needed changes from the life-negative habits that got them into the trouble in the first place TO doing The BIG 7. If we merely practice compassionate medicine (treatment and instruction WITHOUT the demand) we will forget why we got into medicine in the first place. Besides that, the Pt will then tend to go back to his/her old ways where another disorder and then another arises until one of them kills him! Such is the wisdom of Radical Healing. (And there's a lot more where that came from!)
Similar questions and discussions
What can be done about unethical marketing?
Exparel is a medication used in surgery. It is the liposomal version of bupivacaine. The company did 3 "pivotal" trials for its approval (www.fda.gov). 2 of these were against placebo and 1 was against bupivacaine. Exparel did better than placebo, but not better than bupivacaine. The exparel versus bupivacaine study was never published. The 2 placebo trials are heavily marketed.
Exparel is $300 versus $2 for bupivacaine.
I have put together an article with above details as well as other information that shows similar outcomes with exparel and bupivacaine and just submitted to pharmacy journal. However, seems like I should do more.
