Nexus - 0213 - New Times Magazine-pages

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days and, as pointed out by the National Catholic Reporter, during the corporate mind-set. If corporations did not have control that time the death rate fell by 35 per cent. This was confirmed by over their distributors (the physicians) they would not be the National Morticians' Association of Columbia.“ able to guarantee profits to their stockholders... Thus, we Again in California a few years later, and in the United Kingdom need not wonder why senior executives of major health- in 1978, identical events have occurred. care oriented corporations have decided to woo physicians ee . into their camps." The Small Role of Medicine in Mortality Pharmaceutical companies have curried the favor of It is important to understand that the vast majority of people are practising physicians for many years... As the cost of devel- born healthy and, if not tampered with, are ‘equipped’ to remain opment and marketing of pharmaceuticals increased [dur- healthy throughout life. We seldom require intervention with ill- ing the 1960s], the drug companies efforts to attract the nesses because the body, as well as the mind, is usually able to allegiance of practicing physicians intensified. defend and heal itself against disease and injury. Only infrequently Not only did drug company operation costs increase do we require assistance. markedly, but the rewards of the marketplace rose tremen- Medical intervention is the least important of the four factors that dously.... The increase in revenues brought competition determine the state of health. The Center For Disease Control which led to a nationwide increase in drug advertising. analysed data on the ten leading Advertisements in medical jour- causes of death in the United States, nals and public magazines and determined that lifestyle was by were popularized by carefully far the most important factor (51%), 9 He controlled news releases associ- followed by environment (20%), “"* 50% of drugs on the market did ated with 'medical break- biologic inheritance (19%), and last- not exist 10 years ago - and doctors throughs’. ly medical intervention (10%). : * Th dvertisi fforts, ” according to a classic analysis by had not learned about them in which began with gift to — Professor Thomas McKeown of medical school tising doctors and medical stu- Birmingham University, medicine = dents, have become a massive pinyed a very email els Sh exemdlng Busy physicians therefore rely campaign to mold the attitudes, erage lifespan in Britain over * : : : oughts, and policies of prac- the past few centuries, the major mainly on drug company sales staff ting physicians Drug compa- benefit to people having been . * nies hire detail men to visit ——_ in nutrition and public to tell them about new medications. ph yl offices = *, wall sanitation. ribute drug samples. The Researchers, John McKinlay and describe the inleations peed Sonja McKinlay came to similar these drugs and attempt to per- conclusions. They showed that medical intervention only account- suade physicians to use their products. Like any other ed for between 1 and 3.5 per cent of the increase in the average salesman, they denigrate the products of their competitors lifespan in the United States since 1900.” while glossing over the shortcomings of their own. Detail The above statistics prove that health depends primarily on pre- men have no formal medical or pharmacological training vention, through hygiene and proper nutrition. and are not regulated by any state or federal agencies. Despite their lack of training, these salesmen have been very effective. Their sales campaigns have been so success- ful within the United States that the average physician today has virtually been trained by the drug detail man. This practice has led to widespread overuse of drugs by both In the few instances, when therapy of any sort is warranted, it must deal with the whole person (the holistic approach), treating the actual cause rather than attempting to isolate and suppress symptoms. Allopathic medicine fails in comparison to the holistic _ = en ao Maaagee Gee patie Pret mare physicians in their everyday practice and the lay public... hana sangha d th ‘ — With the exception of heroin and cocaine, 85 percent of nd a aa, Se all drugs currently abused in the streets are manufactured thy, naturopathy, osteopathy and acupuncture, to name a few, work by ‘ethical’ drug companies... Gross sales forecasts from on the holistic approach, and are generally far superior in safety these ‘ethical’ drug companies deliberately include profits and efficacy than-allopathic ‘meatments. made from illicit sales to drug peddlers. ‘ a The drug industry woos young medical students by offer- Drug Companies Bribing Doctors A ing them Hts, a S fe eae erences', and free "hilar. A major reason why health care is in such a shambles is that the tional material’." [Emphasis added.]*! medical establishment has allowed itself to be bought off by the A double page article titled "$200m ‘bribe’ to lure our doctors" pharmaceutical industry, whose prime motive is profit. In the book i " Dissent in Mudicine - Nine Boctors Speak Out (1985), Dr Alan PP*0ing The Sen Harold (13 Angost, 1992), meported that: Drug companies spend a massive $200 million every ee lis the Uetited Siintan hes few year in Australia on marketing their products... That repre- billion-dollar tao, tt is responsible fer ae 12 per aie a vy -4 rb cael jade ath ak pe alien cath cent of the gross national product. Revenues from the = a a r= sree J a * * 4 rrr io Ur Ken Harvey trom La |robe Universily. health industry, which currently exceed $360 billion a The article cited Thea van Lieshout, searetary of the NSW ear, are second only to those of the defense industry. ; : ; rue profits are much higher. [In 1991 the US had spent —_ Be tee my as saying that 50 per cent of drugs on the $750 billion on health care. It has been estimated that by market did not exist 10 years ago - and doctors had not learned the year 2000, annual health care costs in the US will have about them in medical school. Busy physicians therefore rely ivarttand to at lanet 1.5 ylien dollars.*] N is not difficult, —_ on drug company sales staff to tell them about new medica- then, to see why this industry is so appealing to corporate 7 . . investors. Many industrialists determined to profit from As reported in The Bulletin (24 March, 1991), Dr Ken Harvey health-care products have encountered one major obstacle: stated: “The students concede concern. The problem is, after five pragtieing physicians remain the primary distributors of Years out in practice, with six drug reps a week coming in, they ealth care products. Physicians, who have traditionally have gone away from prescribing sensibly and by scientific name existed as independent entrepreneurs, do not fit easily into to prescribing the brand promoted by the last rep who walked in."* days and, as pointed out by the National Catholic Reporter, during that time the death rate fell by 35 per cent. This was confirmed by the National Morticians' Association of Columbia.“ Again in California a few years later, and in the United Kingdom in 1978, identical events have occurred.” Drug Companies Bribing Doctors A major reason why health care is in such a shambles is that the medical establishment has allowed itself to be bought off by the pharmaceutical industry, whose prime motive is profit. In the book Dissent in Medicine - Nine Doctors Speak Out (1985), Dr Alan Levin writes: "Health care in the United States has become a mega- billion-dollar business. It is responsible for over 12 per cent of the gross national product. Revenues from the health industry, which currently exceed $360 billion a ear, are second only to those of the defense industry. rue profits are much higher. [In 1991 the US had spent $750 billion on health care. It has been estimated that by the year 2000, annual health care costs in the US will have increased to at least 1.5 trillion dollars.*] It is not difficult, then, to see why this industry is so appealing to corporate investors. Many industrialists determined to profit from health-care products have encountered one major obstacle: present physicians remain the primary distributors of ealth care products. Physicians, who have traditionally existed as independent entrepreneurs, do not fit easily into NEXUS¢27 Vol 2, No 13 - 1993