Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Views & Reviews Review of the Week

The origins of the Prozac nation

BMJ 2009; 338 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b1784 (Published 27 May 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b1784

Rapid Response:

Is healthcare a religion?

Doctors proudly declare themselves scientists. But is this really true? Although
science is based on the scientific method of predictability and reliability,
healthcare is often unpredictable and unreliable. Perhaps healthcare is, in part,
a religion, in which the doctor (priest) inquires about symptoms (sins),
prescribes a medicine (sacrament), and performs a procedure (baptism), in
order to cure (save) the patient (parishioner) of sickness (eternal damnation)
and restore health (grace). Both healthcare and religion depend on faith.

Competing interests:
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

07 June 2009
Hugh Mann
Physician
Eagle Rock, MO 65641 USA