The Corruption of Evidence Based Medicine — Killing for Profit

originally posted by: Flesh699
Ironically, after I read your post a customer in my store passed out from a Shingles vaccination. Later in the day I overheard an older gentlemen say he got the shingles vaccination and ended up with shingles six months later. His "hair hurts," he said.

When I got shingles, one of the first things the nurse in back asked me was if I received the vaccine... (no)... and then if my supermarket or drug store gives shingles vaccines... (yes). She told me it was possible I contracted it from someone who had received the vaccine and then did their shopping. Apparently, folks are contagious for a short period after receiving the vaccine. And I believe that guy's hair hurt!!! My face felt like it was burning. I've never known such pain! (And this is from a woman who gave birth without benefit of pain relievers... tho not by choice!) I was fileting aloe vera leaves and placing directly on my face. Other than ice, it was the only relief I found.

I've meet a slim few that receives a flu shot and doesn't get sick! I work in a pharmacy.
I've never had the flu shot and do not fall ill, at all, though I work in a pharmacy and handle all sorts of nasty things sick people touch.

My mother-in-law was once a big believer in those flu shots... not so much anymore. She stopped getting them after retiring from nursing, and hasn't had the flu since, although she still helps out at the local clinic during flu season and other times they need some help. She thinks the flu shots were once more effective, and that something went wrong in the processes.

If a majority of people knew the cost of most cancer medicines they would revolt over night, or if most people had any idea how medical insurance works. It's a total scam from start to finish.

Yes. I have a very very poor opinion of the cancer industry. My brother died of bone cancer that was misdiagnosed for over a year... my mother just died of breast cancer... and the day I posted this I found out an old and dear family friend was diagnosed with cancer. I won't say too much. But I will say that my family now is well aware that if I get cancer, I will not accept conventional treatment. Period.

Another fun fact, and a symbol of just how stupid people are. They just changed the labels of all fish oil supplements to read "Omega oil." And because the labels no longer say fish oil people won't buy them. They don't believe me when I tell them it's the same exact fish oil they have been buying, just labelled differently.

This is how completely stupid people are, and I don't know what's worse: The fact people blindly buy fish oil and have no idea what's in it, or that people were buying fish oil just because a PhD told them too.

I've seen similar and I just don't get it. People don't understand the prescription medicines they take either. And with older folks, they can take so many different meds they don't even know all the interactions taking place in their bodies, and what might be a side effect or what's a symptom or anything else.

I became interested in natural medicine 30 years ago when my son had health issues, and he was allergic to prescription antibiotics. But I also had an amazing D.O. that helped me along the way. They just don't make doctors like that any more... Big sad sigh...

We laugh about it all shift. The old bags just don't understand it!

Here's a funny one for you... My mother's doctor had suggested fish oil for her diabetes/neuropathy/rheumatism but she didn't like the aftertaste of fish that it gave her, so I suggested that she try hemp seed oil instead. She was soooooo worried that it would get her high that she didn't want to even try it! I assured her that would not happen and that the hemp seed oil might actually be better than the fish oil because of its superior ratio of Omega 3's/6's/9's. She finally agreed to ask her doctor about it -- my mother was so afraid that her doctor would just think she was a druggie! -- and then agreed to try it when he gave it the A-ok. (And it did help!!!)

a reply to: stormcell

If you look at what chemicals and processes are used by the food technicians...

I know RickyMouse gave you a much better reply, but I have to chime in just to agree that our food products are being compromised in so many ways -- whether we want it or not! And unnecessarily it seems...

We don't eat much prepared foods, and for the most part, when we do it's something I pick up in the store bakery, which used to use real whole foods for their baking. But that's been changing. I picked up some raspberry turnovers yesterday, and instead of coarse sugar crystals, they used some kind of glaze -- and I use the term "glaze" loosely because this wasn't a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze. Whatever this stuff was it tasted sickly sweet and had the consistency of playdough. I scraped it off, and when I rinsed the plate, that stuff didn't dissolve and melt away... just congealed even more. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't even edible. Why? Why??? Coarse sugar worked just fine!

It seems that we are being bombarded with fake food everywhere we turn, and natural whole foods are becoming harder and harder to come by -- even when we want them and are willing to pay for them! And so many of the foods we are told are "bad" and so we avoid them are simply creating deficiencies and conditions which then need to be treated by doctors...

I am a dairy junkie. That's my weakness. From whole milk to butter to cheeses and yogurts and on and on. I've even had cashiers comment on the amount of dairy I buy. And ya know what? Cholesterol has never been a problem for us. Ever. And in fact, I am actually a little underweight, which my friends/family don't understand how that can be. But if I tell folks there are actual clinical medical studies which indicate whole milk actually helps us lose weight, they look at me like I have three heads!

Anyway, all this to say that I don't think it's a coincidence that conventional medicine is right there to treat the very conditions and diseases created by poor food choices and eating habits...

originally posted by: Cygnis
This really should be a major issue, and getting news coverage.

You're 100% right. This should be an absolutely HUGE issue. I believe the only reason it isn't is because people have been so dumbed down and intimidated by medical "authorities" that they really don't know any better. And people have no faith or confidence in themselves to nurse and nurture their own health.

I vote we replace all the Political stuff with this stuff!

Isn't it sad that with all the complaints about the left/right politics and how ATS just isn't what it used to be, that threads like this get so little attention? Put up a thread saying "Trump says Hillary is ugly and her mother dresses her funny" and it will have 100 flags and 1,000 comments in no time flat from "both" sides... Put up a thread that addresses an actual criminal conspiracy that's harming (if not killing) all of us, and it's "ho hum"...

It's genocide.

Fine, you don't want to make a cure, but don't make a product to make it worse or kill. That's a predatory practice, and companies have been in deep-do-do for it in the past.

Exactly. This crap is a crime against all humanity.

originally posted by: Sahasrara
a reply to: Boadicea

The instrumented diary was done before I joined the company, but I don't think the numbers were that surprising to the researchers, maybe a little ... they were pretty sure compliance was low and needed a software solution.

Well, good for them for seeing the problem and finding a solution. It's really a shame they would have to though. I suppose though that's part of the problem as a whole, that too many folks just don't want to put the time or effort into taking care of themselves right, and think they can leave it all to doctors and such.

a reply to: one4all

You are missing the BIG PLAY....ask yourself WHAT THEY ALREADY PUT INTO PEOPLE LONG AGO THAT IS NOW MORPHING INTO SHINGLES ....lol....what if the vaccines they give contain time-capsules of DNA that are set to turn to these types of diseases down the road...to keep the big pharma train a rolling.....you might NEED the shingles treatments if you have already been intentionally infected with a Trojan Horse virus.

The chicken pox vaccine. As I understand it, that's all that's needed to introduce the potential for shingles.

Back in the day, it was well known that if you didn't get chicken pox as a child, that you could get shingles as an adult -- and that shingles was much much worse! Hence, the chicken pox parties for kids. At some point, that "wisdom" changed, and it was anyone could get shingles, whether you'd had chicken pox or not.

I have read that the number of shingles cases is increasing dramatically, especially in older generations. The chicken pox vaccine was introduced in '95. It would be interesting to see how the numbers correlate.

originally posted by: Iconic
1. Science constantly proves itself wrong. such is the nature of science...

Let's start right there: True science cannot be proven wrong because true science has already proven itself to be replicable under the same circumstances by anyone and everyone every single time. Not sometimes. Not this time or that time, but every time.

Consensus is NOT science.

So the problem is not science constantly proving itself wrong; the problem is self-annointed experts proclaiming something to be "science" when it's not.

2. there are plenty of reasons studies are not published

Sure there are. And among those reasons is poor results.

3. medicine is not perfect

Nope. It sure isn't. But that's not the problem. I can accept and appreciate our limitations. What is not acceptable is misrepresenting medicine, and medical providers, as perfect.

4. evidence based medicine is not the same as science and study backed medicine

when I think of evidence based medicine, I think about arriving to a scene with a patient who is presenting arterial bleeding. the evidence would be the arterial spurt, the color of the blood, etc. I would then have the evidence available to proceed with proper treatment.

You obviously understand the context in which the term is being used here. And the concept. And the results. And the discussion. So while your point is valid, it's not the topic of discussion.

5. The biggest problem with medical science is all the phonies and idiots out there putting out non-evidence based medicinal practices, like chakras and homeopathy.

Oh dear... Chakras and homeopathy have absolutely no bearing on the shortcomings and faults of conventional medicine. And, to be quite honest, if conventional medicine were as omnipotent as they present themselves, no one would have any need for any alternative medicine.

As a first responder, I can tell you first hand;

We have alot of answers. there are answers we dont have yet.

Um... non-first responders can tell you the same thing from first hand knowledge... especially all the folks out there with conditions and diseases for which the medical establishment has no answers.

We do, however, and I promise you, have the patient's well being in the utmost of severity.

I believe that with all my heart... but as a first responder, I would never put you in the same category as Big Pharma, or even doctors.

What we don't like, is people propagating the idea that modern medicine is nothing more than a giant population control, or worse, anti-life.

Funny how that works... because we don't like the idea that modern medicine is nothing more than a giant parasite on our health and well being...

tl/dr: Stupidity and ignorance is alot more dangerous than medicine....

Indeed. Especially when one only gets their health information from those who have only their own best (financial) interests at heart...

...get your vaccinations so we don't have another outbreak of measles.

Already had measles -- and look! I lived!!!

a reply to: Frostmore

Forgive my ignorance...

...p-hacking is so common in all branches, not only social sciences.

I'm not familiar with this term. What is "p-hacking"?

originally posted by: Serdgiam
I've had more experience with the flaws in our medical system than most.

While corruption is absolutely an issue, I feel there are more facets that make it even more difficult to solve.

One major aspect is the inability to admit fault. It seems like the concept of "science is self-correcting" is somehow bent into justification on how its incorruptible and never wrong. Sure, its easy to say otherwise, but actions still speak louder than words.

I'm so sorry you have to go through this. It's hell. Been there and done that -- both for myself and my daughter. Too many health care providers, in their dangerous combination of ignorance and arrogance, will blame the patient if they can't figure out what's wrong or if the patient doesn't respond to treatment as they expect or in any other way defy conventional medical wisdom. Doctors can be downright insulting and even abusive to their patients. I was once treated so offensively by a emergency room doctor and nurse that the MRI tech reported them to administration, and they were immediately taken off the case.

When a person with power and authority have a person's very life in their hands and they abuse that patient, it should be criminal.

originally posted by: Vroomfondel
a reply to: Boadicea

Modern science in all its glory does not seek to cure illness nearly as much as provide relief from symptoms. Curing illness means losing a customer. Relieving symptoms and nothing more ensures return business.

My husband and I have noticed and commented on this -- and RickyMouse as well. Conditions and diseases are "managed" -- not cured or healed.

We should be scouring old medical texts looking for the answers to our problems. Granted, some of the so-called treatments from past times are downright barbaric, but some of them actually worked.

Definitely. Folks managed to keep themselves alive and reproducing somehow, eh? They were obviously doing something right. They were also eating better food products. Even things like cod liver oil, which was once chock full of the immune-building and strengthening fat soluble vitamins, and forced down the throats of reluctant kids by their mothers, is now rendered virtually worthless with modern processing, and the vitamins (often synthetic) are added back in.

I have read that before modern antibiotics, the low life expectancy was most often due to infections from injuries -- not systemic diseases or viruses. (Excepting things like the Black Plague and Spanish Flu, of course). Today, we are more likely to die from systemic diseases. Maybe because we live longer and therefore have a greater chance of developing a deadly disease. But it could also be due to other factors, such as the growing use of herbicides and pesticides, other environmental pollutants, artificially genetically-modified foods, synthetic hormones and other medications in our water supply, and on and on and on...

I wonder how much suffering and illness might have been avoided if doctors had been permitted to continue using and developing things like cannabis oil. It amazes me that we still have to fight just for the opportunity to do the research let alone use the product.

There's an article at the Daily Mail this morning about the FDA giving approval for a synthetic CBD product... and it's disgusting and unconscionable.

Going forward, true healthcare reform -- not just who pays for it, but real healthcare reform -- should require Big Pharma to prove that their synthetic product is better than the natural product. And those studies should be made public whatever the results. In fact, I'd like to see all study results made public -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think we would learn much about the natural synergy in foods and our bodies. CBDs are pretty amazing; they may work better when isolated or they may work better in their natural form working in synergy with other components. All of which could greatly improve real health outcomes for real people.

originally posted by: LunaMoth
I have hypothyroidism. The company that developed Synthroid, was also the company that developed the TSH test. I was on Synthroud for years, and progressively getting sicker. But my TSH was in the "normal" range. Prior to the development of Synthroid and the associated tests, hypothyroidism was treated with natural dedicated thyroid, and the goal was symptom relief. I don't deal with doctors for my hypothyroidism anymore. They don't listen. I found a source of natural dedicated thyroid as a supplement. I dose based on how I'm feeling. I rarely get sick anymore.

I'm so glad you found something that helped! But so sorry you have to deal with it at all too.

One of my sister-in-law was just diagnosed with Hashimoto's and prescribed Synthroid... I've been a little worried about her. I suggested she look into Lugol's. I'm going to have to share your comment with her also. Thank you!

And welcome to ATS!!!

a reply to: Babalou

My heart goes out to you. I know what a nightmare it can be for some people... perhaps most, and we just don't realize it yet. Especially because so many of those drugs cannot be stopped on a dime. The patient has to be tapered off. We need to study and understand the long-term effects of these drugs as well as the short-term effects.

You might find some answers (and relief!) in naturopathy and/or nutritional supplements, as well as high CBD cannabis products (which have no psychoactive properties, so no worries about that!). It could be worth researching at least.

Good luck and God bless!

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: rickymouse

From my studies I see very few new chemistries being created, I guess that was done prior to the seventies and eighties extensively with funding from our government.

I knew this was true of antibiotics; I didn't know it applied across the board though.

Research peaked in the late seventies if I remember right.They did identify a lot of medicines and the effects back then of these meds, this database is what is used to design lots of new meds, they just have to make the chemistry newly patentable and accepted by the FDA for the disease.

Ongoing research these days is a lot less than people think it is overall. This database was actually paid for by our government at great expense. I have read of many drugs being formed from this database in the last five years. Even statin chemistry is an old known chemistry. The present increase of the cost of medicines is actually not justifiable.

At this point, I have a huge problem with medical patents in general -- in large part because taxpayers have funded so much of the research. And because the system has become parasitic to the health of the people.

I read about one drug, and I don't remember which one now, that was patented in a way that they knew was inferior, in order to later "improve" the drug and extend the patent. I'm sure that goes on far more than we know.

Whenever you make something extremely profitable, there are consequences. It is illegal for all roofers in the area to talk among each other and raise the price of doing roofs. In the case of Big Pharma, not all pharma is bad, this leads to creating increased profits more than creating proper meds. I am not happy with many of the methods they are using to treat diseases these days.

originally posted by: anonentity
a reply to: Babalou
I put this in another thread but it relevant here as well, The guy gets a bit evangelical, but it doesn't take a genius to work out that , most of what he says is true. Like if vaccinations are so safe why did the government make them fault free? and compulsory. The fact is becoming clear that if you go to a doc. on a bad day you might end up on meds for life, and then again if you went on a good day. he might not prescribe anything.

People were not designed to live sickly and stressed, what happened to the pursuit of happiness?

I will watch this shortly, thanks.

I don't believe that my happiness was ever a concern. Rather, it is more important to keep me as a "healthy" worker and supporting their research.

originally posted by: texasgirl
a reply to: Babalou


I am sorry you went through all that. It takes a strong person to weather a storm to see the rainbow.

Hugs to you!

You're nice for saying that, I appreciate it. I just don't see it like that. I was an idiot for going against my better judgement and I'm paying the price. It was 10 years of wasted time that has left me as a shell of my former self. I lost my home, my job, everything once the pills took it's toll. And I can only blame myself, because evidently science has no blame in this game, it's supporters are too numerous.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: Babalou

My heart goes out to you. I know what a nightmare it can be for some people... perhaps most, and we just don't realize it yet. Especially because so many of those drugs cannot be stopped on a dime. The patient has to be tapered off. We need to study and understand the long-term effects of these drugs as well as the short-term effects.

You might find some answers (and relief!) in naturopathy and/or nutritional supplements, as well as high CBD cannabis products (which have no psychoactive properties, so no worries about that!). It could be worth researching at least.

Good luck and God bless!

Actually I just received my medical cannabis card. A local dispensary took pity on me and found a doctor willing to sign me up. They even waived the doctor fee. I will forever be in gratitude for this. I am expecting a major blowback from my family physician real soon as he is explicitly against cannabis. I will be telling him to suck a fart out of my ass.

I started smoking cannabis 15 years ago, not heavily, but enough to deal with pain in order to keep working. This replaced the prescription pain killers I had to take to be able to work. I was demonized for my decision of course. So I plan to keep my license a secret until it is safe.

Cannabis made me feel calm and collected, but I can't afford it as easily as pills sadly. I used it mainly for pain, and to bring me out of moments where I felt extreme sadness. Sadness isn't a problem anymore, as it is a feeling of hopelessness now.(when not medicated)

Now that I have my license, I plan to switch to CBD oil treatment as soon as I can afford to do so. And honestly can't wait as in my experience with cannabis the only side effects I've ever encountered were having a real dry mouth, and sometimes heavy chest feeling. And all it took to remedy those things was a glass of juice or something to munch on. I can live with that.

I wish that option would have been available years ago. But at least for future generations, it is becoming more accepted.

Thanks for your well wishes.