WHOSE JOB IS IT TO FIND CURES FOR CHRONIC DISEASES?

If someone asked you, “whose job is it to find cures for chronic diseases,” what would your answer be?

1. Doctors?

2. Pharmaceutical Companies?

3. Researchers, Developers and Scientists?

Most people probably believe at least one of these choices answers the question (if not a combination of these choices.) In this post, I’m going to try to convince you cures ( to a large extent) remain undiscovered because cures are NOT THE GOAL. Then, I will share my opinion where the best CURES can be found.

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1. It is believed today, a medical doctor’s job is to diagnose and provide pharmaceutical treatments based on these diagnoses. The consumer ASSUMES these treatments appropriately “FIX THE PROBLEMS.” As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, doctors have NO INTENTION of “curing” chronic health problems (ex. high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol.) These medications are provided with the assumption the patient will require them (or newly developed drugs to replace them) for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. Yet the consumer ASSUMES this method of treating chronic health conditions is “FIXING THEM.” Ongoing renewable prescriptions is NOT A CURE; it is an ongoing source of RENEWABLE REVENUE. The doctor, therefore, simply follows a protocol that supports a FINANCIAL MODEL OF SUCCESS for the medical industry. It is NOT their job to discover cures!

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2. The Pharmaceutical company’s “job” is developing and supplying new drugs THAT ADDRESS, (NOT CURE) chronic health conditions. We have more than 50 different cholesterol lowering drugs, 270 high blood pressure drugs, and 154 Type 2 diabetic drugs on the market, yet none of them were developed with the intention of “CURING” any of these conditions. They were designed to (metaphorically) “PLUG” HOLES rather than designed to “REPAIR” HOLES. From a business perspective, treating chronic disease by “plugging holes” perpetuates an ongoing source of revenue. Although a better business plan, this approach does NOT PRODUCE CURES! Think about it, when was the last time you heard any pharmaceutical company say it was their JOB to develop CURES? They may mention the term, “seeking cures,” but in reality the focus is developing new drugs for doctors to distribute to their patients (life long when possible.) We consumers simply ASSUME these companies do research to develop cures. Our naivety and desire to believe the pharmaceutical industry and medical industry has the consumer’s best interest in mind has lead to an ongoing FALSE ASSUMPTION. Does this make the pharmaceutical industry evil? No, they are business people looking out for THEIR OWN INTERESTS. They are NOT making us use their products. They are simply providing availability the same way the tobacco industry and alcohol industry provide their products. If consumers CHOOSE to support the pharmaceutical industry by following a lifetime drug treatment plan their doctors recommend why are we blaming the pharmaceutical industry? Until we wake up and ACCEPT THE TRUTH that drugs DON’T FIX CHRONIC DISEASE and, therefore, DO NOT OFFER CURES, we will continue following a path that commonly destroys the quality of our lives.  As you can see, pharmaceutical companies are NOT taking or claiming RESPONSIBILITY for developing CURES for chronic diseases?

3. Researchers, Developers and Scientists are given money to explore new approaches to address diseases. Where are the dollars coming from to provide funding for these professionals? Almost 75% of U.S. clinical trials in medicine are paid for by private companies. (Bodenheimer, T. 2000. Uneasy alliance: Clinical investigators and the pharmaceutical industry. New England Journal of Medicine 342:1539-1544.) These companies have financial stakes in the game and often impose their designs and criteria for researchers, developers and scientists to follow. With such limitations imposed on these professionals, their jobs often come down to simply reporting the findings. Once again, CURES are not the goal in their job descriptions. The private industries use these professionals to gain government regulatory approval for drug marketing and use.

WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US?

It leaves us with a REALITY we must face. CURES ARE NOT THE GOAL FOR CHRONIC DISEASE. All of these professions provide services on some level that benefit all of us. That being said, we must look at these doctors, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, developers and scientists recognizing the LIMITATIONS THAT EACH POSSESS. Cures are not typically found in prescription bottles; they are found in lifestyles that provide our bodies the tools needed to overcome disease restoring health and balance. When great imbalances exist, additional support in the way of homeopathic remedies, ayurvedic medicines, eastern medicines or western pharmaceuticals may be needed. However, when health and balance is restored, these agents should no longer be necessary (in most cases.)

Well then:

WHOSE JOB IS IT TO FIND CURES FOR CHRONIC DISEASES?

It’s YOUR JOB and MY JOB to diligently work hard to learn and practice a lifestyle designed to PREVENT  UNNECESSARY CHRONIC DISEASES. It’s THEIR JOB to develop products designed to provide SHORT TERM support when our bodies are temporarily compromised beyond their own capabilities to combat invaders. It’s their job to develop and provide LONG TERM support when genetic and environmental factors impede our bodies from recovering on their own. This approach creates a winning team effort utilizing all of our skills and knowledge to achieve AND MAINTAIN OPTIMAL HEALTH.

Tags: alternatives, happiness, health, lifestyle, pharmaceutical companies, prescriptive medications, quality of life, responsibility