Clarissa's Blog

6 responses to “Quote of the Week”

1. 

   musteryou

   June 26, 2012

   They do try to get you hooked on something. It’s a shame, because as you have mentioned many times on the blog, the root of the problem needs to be addressed. The problem may also be systemic at times. For instance, why are so many kids on ritalin? Is “outside” really all that dangerous, or is staying inside worse? The philosophy governing contemporary life has incorporated too much fear. Being cautious may seem like the best recipe for health and doing well, but an overly rational perspective can create the problems it seeks to curtail. Our relationship with parasites and dirt now seems to be different from what we’d thought in the past, for instance. It is said that exposure to dirt at an early age can reduce the chances of developing allergies, whereas, parasites in the body can also play a role in diverting the immune system away from attacking itself — as in the case where somebody becomes allergic.

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2. 

   the twisted spinster

   June 26, 2012

   Now, I wouldn’t say that all drugs are useless. There are a lot of people out there who would be dead, or at least very ill, without their medication. People whose thyroids don’t work, for example: if they don’t take their medicine, they become very ill and die. Diet can only help a little bit in those situations.

   Obviously there are too many people taking too many pills if a doctor is shocked that a healthy 32-year-old isn’t on anything, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say “all drugs are useless.” I love sweeping generalizations as much as anyone but that’s ridiculous. (Note: I’m 49 and I’m not on any medications either.)

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3. 

   NancyP

   June 26, 2012

   Big generalization here. Antibiotics, anesthesia, simple aids to diagnosis (opthalmic solutions to dilate eyes), cancer therapies, anti-inflammatory therapies. That’s not to say that there aren’t a lot of “useless” drugs out there – “me-too” drugs structurally related to other efficacious drugs but offering no advantage other than patentability. Many drugs are mis-used, often by demand of the patient. A doctor can tell a patient “You have a viral upper respiratory illness aka common cold – we can’t fix it with a drug – just wait out the symptoms”. The patient can doctor-shop until he gets one that will prescribe antibiotics “just in case”. Many drugs address diseases that would be best addressed by lifestyle changes. Many adult-onset (type II, “metabolic syndrome”) diabetics could control their disease completely by weight loss and exercise. In the absence of said weight loss and exercise, the drugs do help control the ravages of diabetes.

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4. 

   brian

   June 26, 2012

   It could be that curing a disease is simply extremely difficult. There were many diseases and conditions that were death sentences a generation ago that are very treatable now, such as childhood leukemia and HIV. If Virapen’s quote were true, people in countries with less access to pharmaceuticals would live longer. Of course, the reverse is true. I am pretty sure people in Haiti or Rwanda would happily take their chances with pharmaceuticals. This isn’t to say there aren’t abuses, but it is a foolish oversimplification to deny the benefits the pharmaceutical industry has provided in the last century.

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   1. 

      musteryou

      June 26, 2012

      That’s true, but in some cases there is a link between mind and body that is at the source of the disease.

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      1. 

         musteryou

         June 26, 2012

         And in some cases, taking medicines rips apart that mind-body link, which is to the detriment of those who want to live a full and happy life. Always be aware of how your mental states are affecting your body, because your body will be able to tell you if you’re messing up big time in terms of lifestyle choice.

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