We Are Moving to the Wrong Direction

Here is my respond to a colleague in our PCP of San Diego Forum which I like to share with you. (He was shocked to learn things about the Drug Companies as exposed by Dr. Marcia Angell.) 

 

“Dr. Angell was the editor-in-Chief of NEJM for 2 decades. She saw the Big Pharmaceuticals gain nearly limitless influence over medical research, education, and how doctors do their jobs! Drug Companies use their wealth and power to push their agenda through Congress, the FDA, and academic medical centers.”

 

We, doctors, practice in the field.  A lot of our medical decisions are derived from scientific articles and studies. Unfortunately, the scientific papers  had been “tainted”.  Remember the famous retracted articles, one on meta analysis on hydroxychloroquine (alarm on safety) published in Lancet in May 2020? How about the retracted article on “CVD, Drug Therapy, and Mortality in Covid-19” published in NEJM, June 2020? There are a lot things happening behind those publications. (Subdued articles of Laurie, Kory, Hill and others.) There are a lot of bullying behind the scene. 

 

And the system wants us to follow evidence-based medicine? We have to have scientific but independent mind-set. 

 

From the beginning, the health authorities in the US and the capitalist health bureau has changed the belief of the physicians. We were trained to follow the guidelines for health promotion and treatment, the so called “evidence- based” medicine. We were sucked up by the system. They made us believe that we can not treat our own patients without the system. On the contrary, if you want to improve or reverse diabetes, don’t follow the ADA guidelines. (I’m presently “reversing” 26 patients in my office from their diabetes.)

 

Have we improved in the management of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2?

Between 2007-2010 period and 2015-2018 period, the percentage of adult NHANES participants with diabetes whom glycemic control was achieved (A1c <7) declined from 57.4% to 50.5%. Blood pressure control also dropped from 74.2% to 70.4%. 

 

We are moving  to the wrong direction! It is a time period when we have new drugs and insulin (Insulin made 23 billion dollars in 2013) for diabetes and new medicines for hypertension. There was also a new guideline for blood pressure for more strict control. Spending for healthcare keep on rising and yet medical care worsens. (The government spends 327 billion dollars for DM treatment per year.) We are going to the wrong direction even with A LOT OF EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE!