I read with interest the editorial ‘Too much medicine?’1, with which
I agree wholeheartedly. However, I believe there is a further dimension to
the problem, and hence to the solution. Another way of looking at it is
that we are trying to make our existence perfect. Indeed any kind of
imperfection – e.g. illness, baldness, infertility, ageing and even death
– is looked upon with embarrassment or disdain. While no-one is prepared
for the unexpected, we have the ability to reflect, seek help
appropriately and then adapt. Unfortunately, post-modern medicine has
strayed from its noble humanitarian origins into the commercial arena of
demand and supply. The medical and pharmaceutical establishments, lay
people and academics all shoulder a part of the blame for perpetuating the
myths of the ‘magic bullet’. No biological system is perfect, and even
less so the current social, commercial or information networks.
The basic needs of food, shelter, clothing (and love) are unchanged,
but are no longer sufficient for happiness and contentment. With affluence
has come greater expectations, with the most well-off seemingly the most
ill, and the poorest people rating their health the highest2. We have
developed ourselves mentally, physically – and some would add morally, too
– but have forgotten our spiritual dimension. We have forgotten how to be
‘mere mortals’, and little can be said about the virtues of self-control,
altruism and humility. While denying responsibility for our health, we
abhor the concept of fate, and have become ungrateful for small mercies.
We have even begun to think that the whole universe revolves around us: in
fact, we are but a lowly life-form, on a speck of dust in the vastness of
the Cosmos.
The authors refer to the works of Illich from the last century as
having clinched the diagnosis. The cure, however, might lie in the wisdom
from religious texts of the last millennium, or earlier. Life’s not fair,
but what will happen after death. There is definitely life after death:
about 6 billion lives, actually, after your death … and what can they look
forward to if you squander precious resources on ‘non-diseases’ ?
Feroz Dinah Specialist Registrar in Orthopaedics
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast BT12 6BA feroz72@hotmail.com
Competing interests: None.
References
1. Moynihan R, Smith R. Too much medicine? BMJ 2002; 324: 859-60 (13
April).
2. Sen A. Health: perception versus observation. BMJ 2002; 324: 860-1 (13
April).
Rapid Response:
Too much selfishness
26th April 2002
Dear Editor,
I read with interest the editorial ‘Too much medicine?’1, with which
I agree wholeheartedly. However, I believe there is a further dimension to
the problem, and hence to the solution. Another way of looking at it is
that we are trying to make our existence perfect. Indeed any kind of
imperfection – e.g. illness, baldness, infertility, ageing and even death
– is looked upon with embarrassment or disdain. While no-one is prepared
for the unexpected, we have the ability to reflect, seek help
appropriately and then adapt. Unfortunately, post-modern medicine has
strayed from its noble humanitarian origins into the commercial arena of
demand and supply. The medical and pharmaceutical establishments, lay
people and academics all shoulder a part of the blame for perpetuating the
myths of the ‘magic bullet’. No biological system is perfect, and even
less so the current social, commercial or information networks.
The basic needs of food, shelter, clothing (and love) are unchanged,
but are no longer sufficient for happiness and contentment. With affluence
has come greater expectations, with the most well-off seemingly the most
ill, and the poorest people rating their health the highest2. We have
developed ourselves mentally, physically – and some would add morally, too
– but have forgotten our spiritual dimension. We have forgotten how to be
‘mere mortals’, and little can be said about the virtues of self-control,
altruism and humility. While denying responsibility for our health, we
abhor the concept of fate, and have become ungrateful for small mercies.
We have even begun to think that the whole universe revolves around us: in
fact, we are but a lowly life-form, on a speck of dust in the vastness of
the Cosmos.
The authors refer to the works of Illich from the last century as
having clinched the diagnosis. The cure, however, might lie in the wisdom
from religious texts of the last millennium, or earlier. Life’s not fair,
but what will happen after death. There is definitely life after death:
about 6 billion lives, actually, after your death … and what can they look
forward to if you squander precious resources on ‘non-diseases’ ?
Feroz Dinah Specialist Registrar in Orthopaedics
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast BT12 6BA
feroz72@hotmail.com
Competing interests: None.
References
1. Moynihan R, Smith R. Too much medicine? BMJ 2002; 324: 859-60 (13
April).
2. Sen A. Health: perception versus observation. BMJ 2002; 324: 860-1 (13
April).
Competing interests: No competing interests