2009/4/16 Fr. Ivo C. de Souza icso...@bsnl.in [1] I endorse totally your statement that any medical system has to be evaluated by scientific methods. If it is accepted as a medical system, it is because it is yielding good results. WHO has approved it.
Dear Fr Ivo .....Thank you for your thoughts. My comments interspersed COMMENT: I am not sure that I would suggest that just because WHO approves it, I should particularly be impressed. The WHO has to work with 'what is available'. It approves the use of 'foot doctors'......anyway the WHO is a long story. Many parts of it are very good - many not. -- [2] In Allopathy there have been tragedies of which you should know (for example, thalidomide). Comment: While thalidomide (like chloramphenicol) has its uses (even future), I submit that it was not adequately tested for the purpose it was used. You may not know but Big-Phaarma faces similar questions from individuals like Santosh and jc. There are pleanty free trips and goodies available - ESP in Goa, if doctors go along with the Pharma chaps. You may wish to know that I do not accept samples nor their 'hospitality' if I attend a lecture sponsored by them. -- [3] Homeopathy has been tested by medical science. ......If Homeopathy is fake, all Governments should have stopped it. Comment: The same ones who are unable to 'stop' the counterfeit medicines? I am glad you have better faith in Govt than I have. -- [4] But it is a genuine medical system, which works according to its principles. Allopaths who have practised both Allopathy and Homoepathy have written about the superiority of Homeopathy over Allopathy in many diseases (you can read C.A.Madan, Homeopathy cures when Allopathy fails. Comment: I know that Homeopathy is a system of medicine. What I am yet to see is any convincing (scientifically reproduceable) evidence that it works. I ahve read many books by allopaths who also practised homeopathy and ayurveda. I have yet to see any scientifically designed studies in any of them......only anecdotes You may wish to know that such articles/writings by allopaths about allopathic medicine would never get published in 2009. The criteria for proof are very strict, and most submissions for publication get thrashed. [5] Many patients will come to you because they have 'faith' in you, though there may be several physicians better than you. All should be responsible. Quite often, what saves the allopathic physician is not his knowledge, but his diploma... Comment: I agree. Every single physician I know, is better qualified and more knowledgeable than I am. If a few patients trickle my way - it is because I make myself available to them - at anytime. (and my internet is on 24/7 - they communicate with me - where-ever I am) -- [6] Medicine has always been complicated, because our body is complicated and individuals even more complex. People have died due to such errors of physicians. Usually they do not "lose their license". Comment: Having had the opportunity to study two disciplines - Medicine and Law, and later Medical law ... I look at the issue slightly differently than some years ago. >From my understanding - Errors happen. As long as there is no evidence of gross negligence - the doctor is liable only for damages. If the error is gross or repeated - the license is lost (often for good). My position however is very clear (at least in my mind): IF a person (and that includes Faith Healers) positions himself out there as being " Able to Cure this and that" - and this results in an index patient being delayed from receiving KNOWN and TESTED treatment which could have prevented a tragedy - the doctor pays. If the patient dies in the process, the doctor gets an opportunity to be charged for Involuntary Manslaughter and spend time in jail. This is constant - whether the 'healer' is a Allopath, Homeopath, Hakim, Swami or Priest. That is why, I suggest, that anybody who puts himself (herself) as a 'Healer' should protect himself by using methods and medications which have been scientifically tested and proven to be effective. If one does that - and a side effect occurs - even death; the chances of liability, even criminal liability are negligible. A word to the wise is often enough. Over to you jc
