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Dutch doctors face fine for prescribing pregnancy hormone as dieting aid

BMJ 2011; 342 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d1805 (Published 21 March 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;342:d1805

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Re: Dutch doctors face fine for prescribing pregnancy hormone as dieting aid

As a medical research journalist in the Netherlands for years I have seen that any method or substance which can truly and positively solve physical and/or mental problems, systematically gets prohibited, while users are being ridiculed and doctors persecuted.
The HCG witch hunt has nothing whatsoever to do with patient safety, yet everything with profit protection and the creation of repeat business. Western patent medicine got firmly and exclusively pharmaceutical-based in 1910. As the sole instrument of the health care systems all over the world to flourish it needs many illnesses and many patients. I notice that its protocols only change symptoms, never address or solve any cause(s).
The Simeon lifestyle method for weight loss encompasses much more than just the short period in which minute quantities of HCG are being administered to address cases of sometimes morbid obesity. Where mainstream medical methods fail, time and time again the HCG method has shown success in letting patients lose the weight while increasingly letting them feel more healthy and happy. I personally know both the method and the Dutch doctors who have been working with this approach for over 20 years.
The HCG actually only provides a kick-start, it effectively helps to break detrimental eating habits so the person can grow into a more healthy lifestyle, and learn to maintain this for the rest his or her life. The successful weight loss is a wonderful incentive, giving them back their lives.
In the Netherlands the cracking down on doctors who are helping patients by using HCG within the severe Simeon schedule has everything to do with the protection of the interests of the Dutch HCG producer, and -- again -- NOTHING whatsoever with the best interest of the patients!
More importantly, none of these ‘righteous’ authorities are ever offering any valuable alternatives to these patients...

Competing interests: No competing interests

18 November 2012
Désirée Röver
medical research journalist
none
Bredehoff 15, 1474 KA Oosthuizen, the Netherlands