The topic of this article might seem like it doesn't quite fit with the theme of Prep School Daily. But bear with me here. I believe it does fit and is something to be considered in our ever-changing world.
It honestly doesn't matter to me what kind of medicine individuals favor. It's that person's business, and nobody else's. I do care that they're happy and healthy and not infringing on anyone else's happiness or health.
However, I think it's essential to understand the opposition many people, including doctors, have to alternative medicine, some of which is quite legitimate.
1. Big Pharma is antithetically opposed to herbal medicine of any kind. It's the nature of that beast. Because herbs are naturally-occurring, they can't be patented. If they can't be patented, Big Pharma won't make any money on them. If there is no profit motive, there is no basis for research and development. Furthermore, because Big Pharma has to turn a profit, they need doctors to prescribe the drugs they produce. Their drug representatives wine and dine doctors, and those doctors magically prescribe magic pills.
2. Along these same lines, most insurance companies do not cover herbal supplements, so doctors don't prescribe them. If the doctor's office can't bill for it, it just creates a headache for all involved.
3. Some physicians consider herbs to be inferior.
4. Herbs can be utilized with positive effect in different parts of the body. For example, thyme can be used to treat kill scabies and maggots in wounds, and mosquito larvae in water, but it can also potentiate penicillin, as well as relax bronchial muscles to relieve asthma symptoms. An usnea tincture can be used to treat tuberculosis or urinary tract infections. Those who use herbs appreciate that they can be used in a lot of different ways (but they also have to be aware of contraindications at the same time). On the other hand, it's commonly stated that aspirin would not receive FDA approval today. It was developed as a pain reliever, for which it works very well. But it also has a lot of other effects on the body, including working as an anti-coagulant. When new drugs are being researched, many will fail because they have too many other effects on the body. Or because the drug doesn't work any better than a placebo. Ideally, pharmaceuticals do one thing only. However, most have side effects (which are somehow considered just an annoyance to be dealt with) that the physician must be sure will not adversely affect the patient.
5. The biggest opposition, however, stems from the fact that doctors have no understanding of herbs and how they work. Herbs are complete unknowns. Physicians have no basis for judging them objectively or scientifically, and doctors are trained to be very scientific in their approach to solving problems. Herbs are just too variable for the comfort of many doctors. The potency of a tincture can vary dramatically depending on the conditions in which it's made, the species of plant used, the growing conditions for that plant, how it was harvested, how exactly it was prepared, and so on. There is no way to determine the strength of any given herbal preparation to calculate dosages. Should the patient take two teaspoons or three? Five drops or ten?
However, there are those licensed medical providers, regular MDs and not naturopaths, who do like herbs and other alternative treatments. They use them on themselves and their family members. But due to the potential for litigation, they'll never recommend them to a patient.
When litigation ceases to be a concern and when conventional pharmaceuticals are no longer available, more doctors will open up to using alternative treatments. They won't have a choice. The alternative will be no patients at all. In the meantime, it's important to understand that some of their opposition to using alternative therapies is legitimate. After all, one of the first things they learn is "Do no harm." Herbs are powerful medicine, and if they don't understand them, the responsible thing to do is avoid them.
For further reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1896178/
https://www.ivl.com/articles/health-library/health-concerns/supplement-vitamins-wellness/Why-Doctors-Do-Not-Prescribe-Natural-Alternatives/
https://www.sott.net/article/235021-Doctors-Use-Natural-Remedies-But-Don-t-Prescribe-Them
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/12/30/rethinking-medical-associations-best-interests.aspx
Jennifer, you are spot on. I have found that trying to have a conversation with my doctor about alternative treatments or medicines is akin to bashing my head against a brick wall. The result is nothing more than a headache.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few doctors who use alternative medicine with their own families. They know it works and in many ways is superior. But I can't say I blame them for sticking with Big Pharma. We all have to share some blame for letting lawyers win frivolous lawsuits and perpetuate the madness. And refusing to become educated enough ourselves. Why does a food label showing the ingredients as containing wheat, soy, peanuts, or milk also have to have a separate warning showing that these items are in the food? Why does anyone need to be told that driving a car with a cup of hot coffee between the legs is a bad idea? It drives me up a wall.
DeleteIt is called scientific evidence, which despite claims of efficacy by many people just cannot be produced for all things herbal, homeopathic, etc.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, this statement does not make sense:
"4. Herbs have many different effects. Pharmaceuticals are designed to do one thing only (even though they may have lots of side effects as well). Too many variables, like occurs with herbs, make physicians uncomfortable."
Definitely not one of your better researched articles.
Hi RR, With writing, there is always room for improvement. And it's best to have another person to proofread and indicate where clarification is needed. Unfortunately, I don't have that. I write most articles 2-3 months in advance and then revisit them just before posting so that I'm able to better see flaws and correct them.
DeleteSo thank you for pointing out a problem here, and I'll try to improve it, though I'm pretty sure you still won't like it.
I, too, believe in scientific evidence. It's one reason why I like Buhner's Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals. He cites the studies that support the use of these herbs. Most of the studies are from other countries because herbal medicine is so frowned upon here that trials cannot get approval or financial support.
If alternative medicine is all that bad, why is there so much opposition? If herbs didn't work as claimed, wouldn't a properly conducted and funded trial demonstrate that?
Having a curious mind and being open to learning I think is critical. There are a lot of things we don't understand, but it doesn't mean we can't try to learn. What about the placebo effect? Docs know it exists. But they don't like it because they don't understand it. They don't know who will benefit and in what situations it works best. And yet, it can be a valuable tool.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts.
Reasonable Rascal, as for the side effects of prescription drugs PLEASE REMEMBER:
DeleteEVERY Drug pulled from the market was APPROVED BY the FDA.
You might want to look up Thalidomide as a wonderfully bad example.
Side effects for anything that affects the human (or animals for that matter) is often more a problem than the "problem" so addressed.
Feel free next time to LISTEN to that clam quiet voiceover in ALL (DR. Approved FDA Approved) Drug ads for "not ALL of the side effects" they boilerplate tell you.
Skin problems, No Problem try XXX side effects include suicidal idealization and, and and.
And BTW it's often better to show some restraint and kindness when you post. Gets your post information across better.
..Why the Opposition to Alternative Medicine?"
ReplyDeleteWell, because much of it is bunc. There needs to be a definitive NON-"big pharma" answer to the valid deep and abiding questions regarding efficacy and safety of any approach to medicines.