Needing an honest answer

ppocket · Sep 8, 2010

As nurses why do you guys think that medications only treat the symptoms of a disease instead of curing the disease? Is it because no one has come up any cures yet? () Or do you guys think it's a conspiracy?
I for one think it's a conspiracy and that's what I'm writing a paper on. Just wanted to know how you all felt. Thanks.
Side note: OMG just noticed I put "and" instead of "an" in my title. Disregard Please!

I am not sure it is a conspiracy, however, I do feel that medicine in general is just a band-aid. We are not taught to look at the very "root" cause of the condition. I never really felt this way until I read a book by Louise Hay, called, You Can Heal Your Life. It gave me a completely different outlook on how thought processes could and can be the medicine people actually need. I think medicine can maintain a disease for someone to live a productive life, but we need to think a little deeper, and I know some people are not comfortable with this, I know I was at one time.

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2010

Its crazy talk. Medical conspiracy ? That would be like suggesting that the government would intentionally infect a group of men with syphillis and then conduct a study of it's effects on them while they slowly died. Some things are just lunatic in nature. And if these things were being done wouldn't the government just openly tell us about it ? They would never hide anything from us. The things people suggest. :icon_roll

FYI: There is NO profit in cures, only treatments.

kellyskitties · Sep 8, 2010

In my experience, the patients could improve or cure their own diseases through changes in their own habits, lifestyles, diets etc, however, they choose NOT to do this and would much prefer the dr just "give them the pills."

Many diabetics could follow a carb counting diet based on their OWN bodies and get exercise and not need the meds they need. Obesity is curable through diet and exercise, but how many will do it?

In my experience, drug addicts keep shooting up, drinkers stay in the bottle, fat folks keep eating badly, and smokers keep smoking. Only the rarest of people seems to make a change, even in the face of life threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease. NOT many of u would be any different. So the pills go on....

atoyama · Sep 8, 2010

Just an idea, take a look at why there has been less emphasis on primary care compared to tertiary care. Like a few of the previous replies have mentioned, some of the most common diseases can be avoided or delayed by a change in lifestyle. Other diseases that are inherited are very complex. Pharmaceutical companies are definitely persuaded by profits and there is something to be said in that regard, but a conspiracy to withhold research or a medicine that could cure might be a stretch.

yadda_yadda_yadda, LPN, LVN · Sep 8, 2010

:lol2:

As a young child, my Mom always told me that I was 'easily amused'....good to see that 40+ years later, I still am. :lol2:

RNCCMMS, RN · Sep 8, 2010

Medicine is not nor has ever been an exact science. Many things were developed through trial and error and years of studying. Most drugs do treat symptoms. Very few cure . They are an adjunct to lifestyle choices, like weight control, exercise, etc. I do believe there is a "conspiracy" if you want to use that word about what drugs cost...there are minimal allowances for those with limited or fixed incomes to pay for their medications. Many senior citizens choose between meds or food; no choice either way, but that is the way of capitalistic America. meanwhile they wine and dine the physicians to persuade them to prescribe their drug.

Maybe you could tweak the topic to be about what it costs to research a drug, or or the available programs to help those who can't afford their meds?

Good luck with your paper and school!

nursenow · Sep 8, 2010

Is this another one of those topics posted just to get a response and drum up interest/participation?

MattiesMama · Sep 8, 2010

Its crazy talk. Medical conspiracy ? That would be like suggesting that the government would intentionally infect a group of men with syphillis and then conduct a study of it's effects on them while they slowly died. Some things are just lunatic in nature. And if these things were being done wouldn't the government just openly tell us about it ? They would never hide anything from us. The things people suggest. :icon_roll
FYI: There is NO profit in cures, only treatments.

Regarding the Tuskegee study, from what I understand the men were not "intentionally infected" with syphilis, they already had it. They were given placebo treatments instead of lifesaving ones, and the course of the disease (and how it ultimately killed) was studied. Which is not to say that what was done to those men wasn't horrible, because it was, but I wanted to clarify.

Interesting you bring this up though. In my class, we discussed that study and how it has had a lasting affect on the black community's additudes towards healthcare. I personally know more than one intelligent and otherwise reasonable persons who have similar views to the OP, and will not be convinced otherwise even when facts and evidence seem to contradict them.

It's not unique to the black community either...look at the anti-vaccine movement. Buncha crazy white folks convinced of a big-pharma-big-govt. conspiracy, despite all evidence to the contrary :coollook:

latebloomer74, LPN · Sep 8, 2010

All I have to say is sometimes a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

mstutz0201 · Sep 8, 2010

Probably not a conspiracy, though the profit motive does raise some concerns. More likely not enough research has been done to determine how/why diseases occur. Most promising research I have seen lately involves the role of glutathione in reducing oxidative cell stress. Glutathione is the antioxidant preferred by mammalian cells and is produced by the body, but production can be severely hampered by environmental and emotional stressors. Interesting note is that glutathione level is an independent predictor of outcome for AIDS patients, no matter what the viral load and the T-cell count is. Look into it.

The Doc · Sep 8, 2010

Hi Ebony and all: It's nice to see all the varied opinions. NO, conspiracy is NOT too strong a word. You mean to tell me that NONE of you have ever wondered if the Drug Companies, or any of the numerous multinational Pharmaceutical Organizations, have never thought about "hedging".. errr holding back some of a cure or potential future cure, of any of the article mentioned diseases or deadly syndromes!?? Did any of you ever see that Sean Connery movie, several years back, about a True Cancer cure developed from an Amazon Rain Forest herb or enzyme-whatever it was. Food for thought nurses. Greed has always been in Medicine. The people I work with and about ALL of the nurses on our Med Surg. unit have brought me to tears, so many times with all the care and selfless dedication I have felt with them. It would be hard to prove, but, I still think they do- to what degree or how much, is a possibility only to be uncovered by minds larger than this evaluator. Dr. J Physical Medicine Cleveland,Ohio

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2010

Regarding the Tuskegee study, from what I understand the men were not "intentionally infected" with syphilis, they already had it. They were given placebo treatments instead of lifesaving ones, and the course of the disease (and how it ultimately killed) was studied. Which is not to say that what was done to those men wasn't horrible, because it was, but I wanted to clarify.
Interesting you bring this up though. In my class, we discussed that study and how it has had a lasting affect on the black community's additudes towards healthcare. I personally know more than one intelligent and otherwise reasonable persons who have similar views to the OP, and will not be convinced otherwise even when facts and evidence seem to contradict them.
It's not unique to the black community either...look at the anti-vaccine movement. Buncha crazy white folks convinced of a big-pharma-big-govt. conspiracy, despite all evidence to the contrary

Thanks for the clarification. I just think of the wealthy and powerful like cockroaches. For every one that you see there are at least 9 bigger, nastier ones that you can't see. If it happened once it happened again you just didn't hear about it. As far as evidence, how is the Tuskeegee experiment not evidence to someone? Because it happened in 32 ? So what ? When the CDC's official answer to mercury based preservatives causing the rapid spike in Autism is "we aren't sure" how are intelligent people supposed to feel ? The love of money is the root of all evil and people will do ANYTHING for it. Just flip on a TV. War is profitable. Illness is profitable. If someone will water down chemo meds for a few thousand dollars, what would people do for billions? I believe in research but I won't be so open minded that my brain falls out. I don't believe HIV just sat dormant in some tree or monkey somewhere for ages and managed to sweep the globe at exponential rates out of nowhere. THAT doesn't seem rational to me and no MD with a nice smile and an expensive suit on TV is gonna make me believe it either. Some people have to trust what they are told by the "experts" because to believe otherwise would cause them to meltdown.