DO YOU BELIEVE IN HEALTH CARE CONSPIRACIES? 07/06/2009
 Over the last decade there has been a massive influx of health care information into the public domain through the internet. Physicians have responded to the increase in public information by entering into a collaborative relationship with well-informed patients. Gone are the days where “The doctor knows best.” Today many clinicians prefer working with well-informed patients to come up with best treatment options. In health care it is sometimes called “empowering the patient.” A few years ago my baby daughter underwent surgery to fix a displaced hip. The surgery was successful, but my daughter still needed regular x-rays to check the position of her hip. On one visit the orthopedic surgeon wanted to do a 360 degree CAT scan to check the placement of the hip. Now she is a very competent surgeon, and equally important, she is a good communicator. I felt comfortable expressing my concern with subjecting the hip to high levels of radiation from the CAT scan. There had already been plenty of x-rays, and I wanted to minimize irradiating the hip. The surgeon respected my opinion and, after some discussion, presented an alternative that everyone was happy with. Unfortunately, there is a sinister side to our health care information age. It has perpetuated health care conspiracies. You probably know someone who is very skeptical about the health care profession. You’ve probably heard someone say that health care wants to keep people sick because revenue comes from sick people. These attitudes are not only misleading, they are damaging. Last week I talked with one of my brothers who is a physician. He said that occasionally he encounters people who do not want to take medication because they think it is not God’s will, or they are “suspicious” toward the medical profession because of something they read on the web. I also talked with my sister who is a labor and delivery nurse. She said that occasionally she encounters couples who reject medical advice for the same reasons. In my sister’s case, extreme skepticism has led to infant deaths and injuries. As I explain in my book Truth and Science, modern science is a gift from God. Notwithstanding the pitfalls of modern health care, God has given us medical and pharmaceutical discoveries to prolong people’s lives in the latter days. Skeptics and conspiracy theorists may fail to realize that the medicine or technology that can improve their quality of life may be a gift from God or an answer to their prayers. When interacting with the medical profession, I say get informed, get involved, and recognize God's blessings. CommentsJason C 07/06/2009 16:05
In my research of the pharmaceuticals industry, I might be inclined to accept conspiracy theories. What do you think about the claims that point to powerful drug company lobbyists, linking this activity to the FDA apparently rushing dangerous drugs to the market? This is not saying that they have an interest in us being sick, but that it may be possible that drug companies are lining the politicians' pockets for the priveleges of rushing their products onto the unsuspecting public. Dave C. 07/06/2009 19:40
There is plenty of politicking and hoodwinking in the pharmaceutical industry. As you say, FDA fast tracking of drugs through the 4 levels of experimental research has created a lot of problems for consumers. I think these and other problems stem from the fact that pharmaceuticals are driven by profits. Knowledge is power, and patients should be thinking individuals, willing to exert their will. Sometimes, however, the medical community resists that notion. Dave C. 07/07/2009 10:06
S.Faux, thanks for your input. I don't completely trust the medical establishment. Two years ago I broke my left wrist; I did "a good job on it", as the orthopaedist said. I broke the ulna, radius, and rearranged some of the metacarpals in the middle. However, it was a closed fracture. The ER doc put a splint on it, and two days later I went to see the doctor who would, I hoped, set my wrist, put on a cast, and be done with it. Unfortunately that's not the way it works nowadays. Every broken bone now requires an operation so pins and metal plates can be inserted. I know this is sometimes necessary when bones are badly shattered, but the more I researched the more convinced I became that I didn't need surgery. The first doctor said it was surgery or nothing. I said "It's nothing" and left. I then found a doctor who said surgery would be best, but if I absolutely didn't want it, he'd treat me. Today my wrist is fine. I have perfect use of it. The only evidence of the break is a small lump on the side of my wrist, a purely cosmetic thing. I'm glad I didn't let myself get pushed into an unnecessary operation. Oh, I have a Ph.D., too. One of my professors told me, "When you get a Ph.D. you won't know everything, but you'll know how to find the answer." So true. Dave C. 07/09/2009 11:58
Fay, (Sorry for posting this twice to two different articles, I wasn't paying careful attention) Dave C. 07/10/2009 10:22
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