CAM Politics

Does mainstream medicine suppress “natural” cures?

HemOnc Today interviews experts… and me.

They should have asked Dr. Stanton…read on.

Why do some people believe there’s a conspiracy to hold back cures for disease?

Gary Coody, the FDA’s National Health Fraud Coordinator

  • It’s an age-old problem.
  • When there’s no effective cure, people look for an easier cure, one that doesn’t have side effects.

Dr. David Gorski at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan

  • Patients want to believe there’s a cure out there that their doctor does not understand.

The argument against a conspiracy?

Dr. Mark Moyad at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor

  • Pharmaceutical companies already make millions selling the most common dietary supplement and vitamins.
  • There’s actually a lot of money in a “cure” because it probably has to be taken on a regular basis.

The bottom line?
The article lacks balance in that it doesn’t present the view of those who believe in the conspiracy to hold back cures. Alternative points of view are here and here.

My view?

I’ve taught in pharmacy and medical schools and worked in medical communications since 1976. I’ve never seen evidence there is somebody holding back a natural cure (or prescription drug) for political reasons or because it would hurt sales of another drug.

9/10/08 19:51 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.