From: linda/richard <kyote@wolfenet.com>
Subject: Re: FDA approval: Magic bullet vs. symptomatic relief
>>the double standard applied by some holistic disciples to herbal remedies
>>(which require no
>>safety-testing, certification & etc. but remember belladonna) and to
>>'pharmaceuticals' which
>>require FDA Approval. As in everything, efficacy should be proved.
>>Thus if a herbal remedy is potent, its toxicity should be checked,
>
>question: how many people die each year from taking fda approved drugs?
>question: how many people die each year from taking herbs?
>question: how many drugs are tested in combination? (many people with
>chronic conditions take several
>drugs)
>
>richard
>
>The reason why I take issue with those who take the moral high ground
>with respect to alternative therapies is that they are often
>untested. The same cannot be said for drugs which have passed the
>FDA screen. At the best end of the spectrum, insulin, angiotensin
>converting enzyme inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists and many
>antibiotics are safe, specific and effective and meet Koch's concept
>of a 'magic bullet'. At the worst end there are many drugs with
>recognised serious side effects (eg. NSAID's) which nevertheless
>bring considerable symptomatic relief. Prescription of these is a
>recognition that benefit outweighs risk. I think that this pragmatic
>approach is probably the best way to view the subject.
>
>Best wishes
>
>George Grimble
>
thanks for your comments george.
the problem is that pure science is not involved here. herbs and nutritional
supplements are not going to be tested because none of the multinational
corp. are going to be able to patent and make any money on these products.
the FDA is at least in part a political organization with close ties to the
industry that its supposed to regulate.
for many of the conditions that NSAID's are commonly used for there are
products available that have no side effects. not to mention the lack of a
proper diagnosis.
this is not a high moral ground. for a country such as the USA that spends
billions on health care each year the stakes are very high and corporations
will influence legislation and do what they can to maintain their income and
dominance of the market place.
as far as alternative therapies being untested, untested by who? chinese
medicine has been used for thousands of years, homeopathy for hundreds.
there are also hundreds if not thousands of published articles on the use of
supplemental nutrition for the treatment of health problems.
richard
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richard and linda seattle wa.
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