The Doctor, the Medical Researcher and the Ghostwriter! he story broke on a consumer television show the other day. Of course, many of us knew this was going on to some extent, as there has been some fallout in the last few years where one researcher in particular (working for a large pharmaceutical firm in Canada) was suspended and then fired because she spoke out against the marketing of a drug that she felt was more harmful than helpful to children with a serious Iron-deficient disease. She was later reinstated but the damage to her reputation had been done. The Marketplace television program had invited a ghostwriter to be the guest and he appeared in a hood with his voice masked. He was afraid of repercussions and would surely have lost his very lucrative job for exposing the fact that he wrote what the pharma firms wanted him to write about newly developed drugs. His article would then have a respected doctor attach his name as author (for lots of money as well) and then the article would be sent to the topnotch medical journals who would print it giving the new drug much more credibility than it deserved....sweeping all the harmful side-effects and problems under the proverbial rug. The rest of the medical profession would be impressed and awed and would start prescribing the drug without looking further into the situation. Voila, a problem waiting to happen! All the more reason to stick with virtually harmless herbs and natural remedies. It's always bizarre to read that one person became ill from taking, say, Echinacea...and the drug firms want it taken off the market....when hundreds of thousands of people become ill and thousands die from taking simple aspirin or its derivatives. That's when I can definitely see how money talks. However, it is always best to check out herbal interactions (there can be dangers if one is taking prescription drugs.) The effectiveness of the drug can either be enhanced or diminished with sometimes disastrous effect. Drug-free folks have very little to worry about. For example, St. John's Wort can apparently make birth control pills less effective, whereas it can make ADD/ADHD drugs work too well. It's about time we all realize that the drug companies are hurriedly formulating new drugs in their labs to make more money...and not really to be helpful to the population. They are amongst the richest companies in the world today and seem to have gotten a stranglehold on the very agencies that police false claims and harmful effects. The other day my husband went to see his medical doctor for a check-up to go over some blood work he'd had done for his Type II diabetes. The doctor declared him to be his best Diabetes patient but that he should take some drug for borderline cholesterol problems. Thankfully, my husband declined and said he'd work on it nutritionally. You see, he also went to his naturopath and went over the same lab reports and was told how to reduce his cholesterol and how to reverse his diabetes over time so that he wouldn't be dependent on drugs (which were known to damage the liver.) The visit with the naturopathic doctor was much longer and much more informative and therefore much more helpful in the long run. I wonder if Doctor No.1 was told by the pharmaceutical companies that their cholesterol drug was side-effect free and that it wouldn't damage the liver or other internal organs? I wonder if he even knew what those effects were? My daughter had a run-in with a doctor at a Medicentre when online information showed that the antibiotic that had been prescribed for her little girl's ear infection had the possible effects of halucination, stomach problems, depression, sleep disturbances and a whole list of other deleterious effects. She only started to do her own research when a co-worker mentioned that she'd had to stop that drug (Biaxin) some months previously because she was starting to hallucinate. My granddaughter seemed to be crying all the time, was not sleeping well and was having nightmares. Pity the pharmacist and doctor when my daughter showed up with her wrath and research papers in hand! To add insult to injury, the cost of the drug was very high and she was told to stop using it and get another brand! Needless to say, no other drug was purchased, the doctor thought she might have had enough (although it's always reinforced to administer all the drug) and my daughter is now waiting to hear from the drug company since neither the doctor nor the pharmacist knew of those side effects. It turns out that they were in very fine print at the bottom of the more mundane possibilities. I guess it all boils down to "buyer beware" but how can we beware when we believe what the medical profession tells us is correct and safe for general usage? "Get thee to a naturopath," or at the very least your local health food store where the staff is usually very knowledgeable. Your chances of being harmed can be dramatically lower than by visiting an "in and out in 5 minutes" medicentre. Or, at the very least, do your research, research, research....and be sure to let your doctor see what you've found out. You'll be much healthier in body and mind! Monika Dery Bella Altmed Host Since I am not a medical practitioner, be sure to see your doctor (Allopathic or Naturopathic) if you don't feel well or have any medical difficulties. Back to the Writing Index