"Who publishes doubt & calls it knowledge; whose science is despair, Whose pretence to knowledge is envy, whose whole science is To destroy the wisdom of ages to gratify ravenous envy, That rages round him like a wolf day & night without rest."

William Blake (1757-1827): "Milton. A Poem in Two Books", 1804.

Some of our central understandings (regarding complementary and alternative medicine)

• Each year medical doctors kill more people in the United States than traffic accidents, homicide and other important death causes together.
  See the frightening governmental report "To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System (2000)" from the Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine (IOM).
  • IOM: Shaping the Future for Health
  • Short Summary
  • Executive summary
  • The report
  • Index
  
   
• Nearly no scientist or medical doctor work independently in your interests as patients but mostly in the interests of the industry.
  See this sad and disappointing summary "Sponsorship, authorship and accountability (2001)", published by outstanding distinguished members of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) for 12 of the world most reputable medical journals.
  

  Conflict of Interest?! The New England Journal of Medicine and other worldwide distinguished scientific Journals have given up finding truly independent doctors to write and review articles and editorials for them, as a result of the financial ties physicians have with so many drug companies in the United States and elsewhere. The journals editors say the drug companies' reach is just too deep.
     For example: In 2000, the drug industry sponsored more than 314,000 events for physicians - everything from luncheons to getaway weekends - at a cost of almost $2 billion. On top of that, many doctors accept speaking and consulting fees that link them to drug companies.
     No publication in this country influences the way your doctor treats an illness more than the New England Journal of Medicine. Since 1812, the Journal has scrutinized and published thousands of clinical studies. These „review” articles on drug therapy that can be pivotal. They tell doctors the strengths and weaknesses of new medications for everything form high blood pressure to obesity to cancer.
     The Journal, in a letter to its readers, says the policy change is necessary because it simply could not find enough qualified authors who did not already have ties to drug companies.
     Now, the Journal will allow these critical evaluations to be written by people with financial ties to drug companies. Under the new policy, doctors writing reviews in the Journal can accept up to $10,000 a year from each drug company in speaking fees and consulting fees. Some doctors are concerned that by relaxing conflict-of-interest standards, the Journal is reducing the prestige and influence that it has taken 190 years to build.

• Complementary medicine is what the people want.
  Take a look at the newest governmental report "Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States (2005, not even published yet)" from the Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP), Institute of Medicine (IOM).
  • Short summary
  • Executive summary
  • Preface
  • Contents
  • The report
  
   
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the UK and Germany – Research and Evidence on Supply and Demand - 2003.

• Most of us can and should take responsibility for the health of our families and ourselves.
• Qualified information is the basis of informed decisions.
• the-family-doctor.com will increasingly deliver such information.

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• Trends in the Health of Americans, United States 2004, United States 2005.