Demythifying Medical Opinion

The Martial Art of Wellness
Volume 8 – September 2009

(Archive of Previous BioNews)

DEAR FRIENDS

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“ When you believe in things that you don’t understand, then you’re suffering… Superstition ain’t the way. ”

~ S. Wonder

THIS ISSUE’S TESTIMONIALS:

No longer have the pain in my knees

“ Good morning to you! I would like to order the F3 BioSuperfood that I ordered last time. It definitely does make me feel better. I no longer have the pain in my knees and front of my legs which probably was associated with poor assimilation of calcium. The soy supplement I was taking did nothing. ”

– M.B., August 2009, USA

REALITY CHECK ( Demythifying the “Medical Opinion” )

This year for each monthly BioNews I committed to demythify either a substance, a supplement or a certain concept of health. This month I choose “Medical Opinion”. Like some of you, for many years, and in my case for over 60 years I have received several medical opinions for my own health and that of my family, I have read much about the topic, talked with hundreds of my clients that have received medical opinions, and like you seen all the of ads in magazines, on the Internet and on television. Once upon a time I totally believed in the sanctity of the Medical Opinion. Not any more. The information that follows and my general “take” on the subject was evolved from personal experience, from experience of many clients, from other health professionals, and finally from many “learned” articles on the subject. Reading this, I hope you can be empowered to protect your health and your money. When it comes to your health, do not rely on just your doctor’s opinion. I recommend that you conduct your own research when facing a decision to (or not to) obtain a Medical Opinion.

As you will see, the myth of the Medical Opinion results in our relinquishing responsibility for your choice of health. By examining its power and ubiquitous nature, I hope that you will have the opportunity to choose freedom and responsibility rather than conformity, consensus and possibly indifference. I urge YOU to become the expert by learning both side of the opinions, then YOU will be able to make up your OWN mind.

Demythifying the “Medical Opinion”

“If patients have any doubt whatsoever about the status of their health, the explanation given by their doctor for their symptoms, or the care they receive, they should not wait to get a second medical opinion. It literally can save their lives.” – Ronald J. Bua & Associates

The majority of Medical Opinions or consultations result in a recommendation for surgery, or/and a prescription for one or more pharmaceutical drug. Here is an excerpt form a mega research showing that most often, the science that your doctor relies on for his Medical Opinion and treatment is itself biased:

“A research team led by Oxford University academic An-Wen Chan analyzed 102 trials and found that researchers failed to fully report almost two-thirds of the results relating to potentially harmful outcomes. Half of the results relating to the effectiveness of a treatment were not made fully public. Many researchers also failed to adhere to basic research protocol. Scientists are supposed to specify their main objectives – or “primary outcomes” – before beginning a trial to protect against selective reporting. However, in 62 per cent of cases, researchers changed the primary outcomes in their published reports.”

Read full article “Bias in medical research” at www.bio.net

If you pay your doctor a visit tomorrow, you have nearly a 50% chance of being given an unnecessary test. If you have a cold or flu, there’s nearly 75% chance that you will be prescribed an antibiotic, which is mostly useless against viruses, including cold and flu viruses, but which carry risks of allergic reactions and other side effects, not to mention weakening of the immune system. Stress-related chest pains that are muscular in origin can still wind up leading to a battery of expensive cardiac tests, including risky catheterization.

Doctors are bounded by the protocol of their profession and rarely suggest solutions or investigations outside of the allopathic model. Variations do exist and of course a desire exists on the part many patients for the doctor to take responsibility for a patient’s choice since it assumed that the doctor knows more about an individual’s health than they know themselves. There is also an assumption by many patients that the doctor knows best and does not need to be questioned so we might surmise that many patients would reject the opportunity of being asked for their own opinions.

The power of Medical Opinion is so strong that it does not adhere to normal market rules. The Medical Opinion has its own special rules (that have been made into laws) which only apply to allopathic medicine. In the free market, when selling any product or service, suppliers must normally communicate benefits to consumers and invite them to act on their choices. The market is therefore an attempt to inform and influence consumers to purchase. There is not an assumption that they will; it is their choice and the extent to which an individual buys is a function of their belief that the product or service will meet their needs. These natural laws do not operate with the Medical Opinion.

Medical error statistics in the United States are enormous and alarming.

If you don’t know how dangerous it is to take your prescription(s), to have surgery or to visit your doctor, the following information may be unbelievable to you. Did you know that the total number of medical errors and deaths may equals several jumbo jets crashing every day? Most of us know of someone who has been the victim of an “error”, or even ourselves have been. The numbers can be overwhelming and astonishing: The error rate of ICU’s (Intensive Care Units) would be like the post office losing over 16,000 pieces of mail every hour of every day In one decade, the deaths caused by conventional medicine are approximately 8 million. It’s estimated that millions of unnecessary surgeries are performed each year, with hysterectomies, heart bypass grafts, lower back surgery, and angioplasty leading the list. Just two procedures alone, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) — known in the trade as cabbage — and balloon angioplasty cost $100 billion annually. With long waiting lists for CABG, you’d think it was vital for prolonging the lifespan of heart patients, but that’s a mistake. Current statistics suggest that about 3% of bypass surgeries extend life expectancy, with angioplasty scoring even lower at zero percent.

The U.S. ranks 37th in overall health system performance in the world

It is obvious to me that the current health-care debate shouldn’t be limited to medical insurance reform; it should rather review the entire health-care practices. As it stands, the most expensive technology in American medicine is the doctor’s pen, because with a flourish of the hand he can order an unnecessary test or surgery. What we need is not more unnecessary tests, which cost an estimated $700 billion dollars a year, but more intelligence. Some kind of insurer must pay for that, so simply providing more coverage will not bring health-care costs to economically sustainable levels, nor will it ensure better health to society.

Without a complete reform of the health-care system consider what looms ahead. The present generation of young children, thanks to runaway childhood obesity and lack of exercise is well on its way to becoming the first to live shorter lives than their parents. Fast foods continue to soar in popularity, and sodas and sugary drinks are now the main source of calories in the American diet. Compared to other countries, the United States is paying more for less when it comes to health care. Rapidly rising health-care costs could cripple American industry.

Myths limit our choices

This article does not mean that a doctor’s advice is never sound, helpful or potentially life-saving. It is meant to highlight the power of myths in your life choices. Myths are unquestioned influences that limit your choices. Myths blind us into believing that there are set ways of believing and doing things. It assumes a fixed reality within which there are preferable ways to think, feel and act. They are so pervasive that we do not question their dictated assumptions. I hope that the power of myth is shown in this article, the power of operating under the Medical Opinion. In essence, the current sanctity of the Medical Opinion is a myth, a denial of your participation in your own life and choices when it come to your health and wellness.

Sources:

• Medical Error Statistics at www.answer-my-health-question.info
• At www.24-7pressrelease.com – The Value of a Second Medical Opinion
• At www.medicalerrors.ca – Medical Errors
• At BMJ Group global medical publisher – Epidemiology of medical error
• The Canadian Encyclopedia – Medical Errors Are Killing Canadians