This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Do You Like Being Deceived or Experimented On?
Were you aware that black people in America have been victimized by the medical community by having things done to them without their consent? Or not done to them when effective medical solutions were available? Nancy Reyes gives the details here.
And most of the research she cites was from a time when bioethics as a field did not exist. Black people were experimented on, mentally retarded people were experimented on, and Joseph Mengele experimented on Jews.
Aside from the story of Pfizer's meningitis drug study in Nigeria (which has its own bias, and is only half the story), most of the stories Dr. Reyes cites were conducted half a century ago. From reading the article, it seems to me as if she has an agenda as well.
Linking the bad outcomes from the Nigeria study to the anti-polio vaccine sentiment is disingenuous. The resistance to that vaccine is the result of Anti-American rabble-rousing by politicians and religious extremists.
We had polio ERADICATED. The only stocks left were in a few secure labs in the US and Russia. Thanks to religious extremists preaching a culture of hate and distrust, it's making a comeback IN THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
In the early days of trauma care in the 1960s, most of our advances came about from R. Adams Cowley's "death ward" in Baltimore. Patients were turfed to him when every other doctor had given up hope, and few of these patients were able to formally consent.
Yet many of them lived, and many more live today from what Cowley learned.
In the US and Canada today, it is virtually impossible to conduct a medical trial without an Institutional Review Board (a bioethicist panel) approving a public information campaign and an opt-out process for the citizens who do not want to participate in the study.
The process is burdensome and onerous, but necessary. And it prevents about 99% of the abuses Dr. Reyes is railing about.
I also thought it was disingenuous (at best) that she mentioned that poor people are "afraid" to question authority figures such as doctors.
I'm considered "poor" according to our government standards (although I don't consider myself truly poor, having seen, firsthand, true poverty in other countries), and I have no problem questioning medical authority if I have a question.
I'm certainly not afraid of "authority figures" such as doctors, and I saw no sign of it in our community hospital when I worked there or at the VA I go to, and there's a lot of "poor" people at both.
Everyone has access to medical information in our under-used libraries (for free), or online through computers, and I always encourage anyone affected directly or indirectly by any ailments to do their own research.
That being said, it's not a "class" issue, regarding any "fear" some folks may have to ask questions, but rather an issue of apathy, or, in other cases, a lack of assertiveness brought on by a low self confidence, or perhaps some folks believe that doctors are somehow infallible and incapable of making mistakes including not answering unasked questions.
That's not to say mistakes aren't made, nor that there is no room for improvements, but the article in question goes far beyond that, as Ambulance Driver pointed out.
The writers clearly have an agenda and are looking for racism and classism in the wrong places. The racism, classism and intentional harm they cite as being currently present in our medical professionals can more easily be found in the writers (of the book and article) own bathroom mirror.
My first tip-off was the sources she was citing (MSM and left-wing organizations mostly) and the lack of specific and detailed information (which the MSM is notorious for).
Sorry Bob, I'm not railing at you, as I'm certain it was an honest mistake with the best of intentions at heart (Lord knows I've made a few of those).
I just hate it when racists like this doctor and reporter spread fear and lies through deception. It only hurts the people they claim to be helping.
Actually, the Oklahoma City study withholding treatment from minority kids was the late 1980's, and the Red Lake study withholding penicillin was 1966. Neither were 50 years ago.
Both involve American Indians, not just blacks (although some Okie Indians are black, since Cherokee slaves were granted tribal status). I am aware of them because I worked in the Indian health service.
There are enough aggressive people to defend blacks, but who defends the TERRY SCHIAVO'S when the ethics committee says to stop treatment, and the family doesn't know that 40% of those with PVS are aware and can live a disabled but not comatose life? Under Texas law they can stop treatment, and wait til Hillary's universal health care comes in. In England, this means no dialysis for those over 70, and no heart surgery for smokers, and retarded kids can be denied simple life saving treatment.
Actually, I am pointing out the problem is not just for blacks anymore. It is YOU if you are old and slightly senile.
4 comments:
And most of the research she cites was from a time when bioethics as a field did not exist. Black people were experimented on, mentally retarded people were experimented on, and Joseph Mengele experimented on Jews.
Aside from the story of Pfizer's meningitis drug study in Nigeria (which has its own bias, and is only half the story), most of the stories Dr. Reyes cites were conducted half a century ago. From reading the article, it seems to me as if she has an agenda as well.
Linking the bad outcomes from the Nigeria study to the anti-polio vaccine sentiment is disingenuous. The resistance to that vaccine is the result of Anti-American rabble-rousing by politicians and religious extremists.
We had polio ERADICATED. The only stocks left were in a few secure labs in the US and Russia. Thanks to religious extremists preaching a culture of hate and distrust, it's making a comeback IN THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
In the early days of trauma care in the 1960s, most of our advances came about from R. Adams Cowley's "death ward" in Baltimore. Patients were turfed to him when every other doctor had given up hope, and few of these patients were able to formally consent.
Yet many of them lived, and many more live today from what Cowley learned.
In the US and Canada today, it is virtually impossible to conduct a medical trial without an Institutional Review Board (a bioethicist panel) approving a public information campaign and an opt-out process for the citizens who do not want to participate in the study.
The process is burdensome and onerous, but necessary. And it prevents about 99% of the abuses Dr. Reyes is railing about.
I also thought it was disingenuous (at best) that she mentioned that poor people are "afraid" to question authority figures such as doctors.
I'm considered "poor" according to our government standards (although I don't consider myself truly poor, having seen, firsthand, true poverty in other countries), and I have no problem questioning medical authority if I have a question.
I'm certainly not afraid of "authority figures" such as doctors, and I saw no sign of it in our community hospital when I worked there or at the VA I go to,
and there's a lot of "poor" people at both.
Everyone has access to medical information in our under-used libraries (for free), or online through computers, and I always encourage anyone affected directly or indirectly by any ailments to do their own research.
That being said, it's not a "class"
issue, regarding any "fear" some folks may have to ask questions, but rather an issue of apathy, or, in other cases, a lack of assertiveness brought on by a low self confidence, or perhaps some folks believe that doctors are somehow infallible and incapable of making mistakes including not answering unasked questions.
That's not to say mistakes aren't made, nor that there is no room for improvements, but the article in question goes far beyond that, as Ambulance Driver pointed out.
The writers clearly have an agenda and are looking for racism and classism in the wrong places.
The racism, classism and intentional harm they cite as being currently present in our medical professionals can more easily be found in the writers (of the book and article) own bathroom mirror.
My first tip-off was the sources she was citing (MSM and left-wing organizations mostly) and the lack of specific and detailed information (which the MSM is notorious for).
Sorry Bob, I'm not railing at you, as I'm certain it was an honest mistake with the best of intentions at heart (Lord knows I've made a few of those).
I just hate it when racists like this doctor and reporter spread fear and lies through deception. It only hurts the people they claim to be helping.
Actually, the Oklahoma City study withholding treatment from minority kids was the late 1980's, and the Red Lake study withholding penicillin was 1966. Neither were 50 years ago.
Both involve American Indians, not just blacks (although some Okie Indians are black, since Cherokee slaves were granted tribal status). I am aware of them because I worked in the Indian health service.
There are enough aggressive people to defend blacks, but who defends the TERRY SCHIAVO'S when the ethics committee says to stop treatment, and the family doesn't know that 40% of those with PVS are aware and can live a disabled but not comatose life? Under Texas law they can stop treatment, and wait til Hillary's universal health care comes in. In England, this means no dialysis for those over 70, and no heart surgery for smokers, and retarded kids can be denied simple life saving treatment.
Actually, I am pointing out the problem is not just for blacks anymore. It is YOU if you are old and slightly senile.
Oh oh,
That's me!
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