The Medical Industry: The legal drug dealer for the Pharmaceutical industry.$
The statistics are undeniable. Americans
spend more money on medical services and prescription drugs than any country in the world. The top three causes
of death in the USA today - heart disease, Alzheimer's and lung cancer are considerably lower in all other developed
countries. Most Americans believe we have the best medcial care, and are the healthiest people in the world. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Is it the so called "health care" system? That's part of it. |
One of the root causes is something the corporate giants and their friends in the news media and government have done a first class
job of keeping out of public consciousness. Typically in the 60's and older age group today, nine out of ten times you see a doctor,
you leave with a prescription. Drugs are poison by definition. Apparently, doctors are taught this in medical school. They do not cure.
They simply treat the symptom in most cases to make you feel better while hopefully your immune system is able to take care of
the problem. With these drugs, your immune system is weakened and you often end up on more and more drugs often until death.$ Today,
countless people are taking so many drugs they don't have enough pockets to carry them all. They most often seem to be sick with one
more problem after another. This in my opinion is no way to live out your final days.
A short video on medical industry history and how we became a nation of drug dependent sick people
In spite of the rising health care costs that provide the illusion of improving health care, the American people do not
enjoy good health, compared with their counterparts in the industrialized nations. Among thirteen countries including Japan,
Sweden, France and Canada, the U.S. was ranked 12th, based on the measurement of 16 health indicators such as life expectancy, low-birth-weight
averages and infant mortality. In another comparison reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) that used a different set
of health indicators, the U.S. also fared poorly with a ranking of 15 among 25 industrialized nations.
Although many people attribute poor health to the bad habits of the American public, Starfield (2000) points out that the Americans do not lead an unhealthy lifestyle compared to their counterparts. For example, in the year 2000, only 28 percent of the male population in the U.S. smoked, thus making it the third best nation in the category of smoking among the 13 industrialized nations. The U.S. population also achieved a high ranking (5th best) for alcohol consumption. In the category of men aged 50 to 70 years, the U.S. had the third lowest mean cholesterol concentrations among 13 industrialized nations. Therefore, the perception that the American publics poor health is a result of their negative health habits is false.
Even more significantly, the medical system has played a large role in undermining the health of Americans. According to several research studies in the last decade, a total of 225,000 Americans per year have died as a result of their medical treatments
Note: The percentage of smokers in the USA in 2014 was down to 19.5% averaged between male and female, a considerable drop from 2000. However, the number of people now on numerous drugs in older age is considerably higher.
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12,000 deaths per year due to unnecessary surgery 7000 deaths per year due to medication errors in hospitals 20,000 deaths per
year due to other errors in hospitals 80,000 deaths per year due to infections in hospitals 106,000 deaths per year due to negative
effects of drugs |
By citing these statistics, Starfield (2000) highlights the need to examine the type of health care provided to the U.S. population.
The traditional medical paradigm that emphasizes the use of prescription medicine and medical treatment has not only failed to improve
the health of Americans, but also led to the decline in the overall well-being of Americans. Starfields (2000) comparison of
the medical systems of Japan and the U.S. captures the fundamental differences in the treatment approach. Unlike the U.S., Japan
has the healthiest population among the industrialized nations. Instead of relying on sophisticated technology and professional
personnel for medical treatment as in the U.S., Japan uses its technology solely for diagnostic purposes. Furthermore, in Japan,
family members, rather than hospital staff, are involved in caring for the patients.
America's Healthcare System is the Third Leading Cause of Death
Barbara Starfield, M.D. (2000)