The diagnostic clinic blog

The Daily Mail headlined on Monday 29^th March that we are on average picking up 16 prescriptions a year.  This includes 50 million prescriptions for “cholesterol-busting statins” despite a lack of evidence of their efficacy in women or individuals over the age of 65.  Try searching the internet for ‘women statins’ and ‘elderly statins’.  Also, please see The Diagnostic Clinic’s comments on cholesterol in our ‘Spotlight’ section.

The Mail article suggests a lack of stoicism in the British public which I think is a bit harsh.  Doctors today have very little in their training or their armoury other than drug medicine and lack the time needed in a consultation to probe into the subconscious and conscious minds of their patients who are under-exercising, overeating, tempted by alcohol and drugs and poisoned by our polluted and toxic food, water and air.

If everyone had a session or two with an Integrated Physician, considered a baseline screen to find out where their problems truly lie and adjusted their lifestyle only slightly we could see a dramatic drop in our dependence upon prescription medicine, a nation-saving drop in health expenditure as well as seeing personalised health benefits.

Dr Rajendra Sharma

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee have criticised the use of public money on the use of “highly diluted remedies” used in homoeopathy suggesting there is no evidence beyond placebo (BBC website 23^rd February 2010).

Most senior physicians using and research scientists studying homoeopathy would strongly disagree that there is no evidence of efficacy. Many studies support its use. Although quite how homoeopathy works is still under review I believe that implies a lack in our knowledge that may be filled as science continues to look, rather than evidence of ineffectiveness. The world was once thought to be flat until open minds and science caught up with the truth.

This is not a debate about efficacy so much as value for money since about £4 million a year is provided by the NHS to fund homoeopathy through the homoeopathic hospitals in London, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow (the one in Tunbridge Wells was recently closed).

The Department of Health website (http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/PatientChoice/index.htm) talks about patient choice.  In summary the government policy states “policy and guidance on improving patient choice, including how, when and where patients receive treatment, and giving the public a bigger hand in shaping local care systems”. This was stated on 3^rd July 2008.  The Committee has voiced concern about surveys showing satisfaction rates with homoeopathy of above 70% due to concern about the “balance of witnesses”.  I am sure most surveys could be dismissed on some grounds to fit a particular agenda.

The Committee suggests this is all about ‘faith’ and that should not be encouraged nor paid for. If we take that line let us remove the pastors and chaplains from hospitals as well please.

We spend billions on drugs that have limited efficacy and even the BMJ has doubts about modern medicine effects.

• 13 percent are beneficial to the patient
• 23 percent are likely to be beneficial
• 8 percent is a trade-off between benefits and harm
• 6 percent are unlikely to be beneficial
• 4 percent are likely to be ineffective or harmful
• 46 percent have unknown effectiveness

ISSN 1752-8526  © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

Why stop with homeopathy?

Dr Rajendra Sharma

Welcome to Thediagnosticclinic.com blog where our medical team looks forward to sharing thoughts and opinions of the day or for the week on various medical subjects. Thank you for your interest and hope you will continue visiting us in the future!

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