On Friday 08 Jul 2011 11:49:32 am Srini RamaKrishnan wrote: > I've observed this form of cargo-cult behavior more commonly in the > middle east than in India. I believe in India it's not a question of > aping the west but one of subverting the intent of the exercise for > maximum benefit. >
Actually there is more than one "intent". It this case it definitely starts with aping the west. Hospitals try to gain advantage by selling themselves as high tech. "We recommend what the FDA (of the USA) recommends. The educated Indian (whether he is a doctor or not) is easily fooled by words like "FDA", "laser", "high tech" and "computerized' in medicine. So the idea of using staples when you can do without them is sold for that reason. Having created a need for staples the next step is to cut corners and the company representative (such as Ethicon, a well known brand) is complicit in making the "used gun" offer. It bothers me that a huge adveriseent for "Laparoscopic surgery" outside Mallya hospital in Bangalore mis-spells the word "laparoscopy". Shoddiness and subterfuge are fine as long as it "looks good" to the dumb consumer/patient. Sorry if I sound scathing but if we Indians had any sense, we would openly do a scientific study that could well prove that re-using the stapling gun after resterilization might be safe. But we won't do that because if the reasearch findings don't prove that then a whole lot of doctors and hospitals would be in big trouble. So it is white lies and subterfuge. We don't even want to admit in medical journals that this happens. Sooner or later there will be a backlash. shiv
