Around 400 high profile doctors, medical researchers and scientists
recently joined forces to form lobby group Friends of Science in
Medicine (FSM) in order to have "alternative medicine" degrees removed
from Australian universities.
Chiropractic, osteopathy, Chinese
medicine, naturopathy, iridology, kinesiology, reflexology, homeopathy
and aromatherapy are some of the courses on their blacklist.
The issue has had significant media coverage, but one question has failed to be properly answered.
Why
is a group of prestigious doctors and scientists who have the backing
of the most profitable industry in the world according to Fortune 500 –
the pharmaceutical industry – targeting a few poorly-funded natural
medicine courses?
The official line of the group is that these
"alternative medicines" are making Australia look bad and "trashing" the
universities' reputation. But is that really the reason? With all the
countries and all the universities in the world that provide alternative
medicines?
A similar move was made in the UK recently – the
British will no longer be able to study certain natural medicine degrees
– this does not include chiropractic or osteopathy – at publicly-funded
universities from this year. Yet natural medicine has been utilised
across Asia and Europe for thousands of years.
The United States
and Canada are pioneers of chiropractic as we see it today, providing
university courses long before they were ever offered in Australia.
Also, nearly 85 per cent of US medical schools offer elective courses in
alternative medicines.
According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO), 80 per cent of the world's population relies on natural
therapies. The figures in Australia are much the same.
So why Australia? What is FSM so worried about?
The
group seems to be particularly concerned about an increase in
chiropractic courses after it was announced recently that Central
Queensland University would be offering a new chiropractic science
degree. The move could also be partly to do with the ruling in 2010 that
all chiropractors in Australia may use the title 'Doctor'.
FSM
has accused what it labels as Australia's "lesser" universities that
offer alternative medicine courses of "putting the public at risk".
However,
this is a difficult notion to fathom when you compare the tiny number
of injuries inflicted on natural medicine patients compared to the
hundreds of thousands of deaths recorded each year due to medical
errors.
WHO estimates that one in 10 hospital admissions leads to
an adverse event while one in 300 admissions leads to death. WHO puts
medical errors as among the top 10 killers in the world. According to
the US's Institute of Medicine, preventable medical errors kill 98,000
people in the US alone each year and injure countless more.
One of
the group's biggest complaints, according to FSM co-founder Emeritus
Professor John Dwyer from the University of NSW, is that natural
medicine "doesn't strive to be tested". He says that modern medicine is
"totally devoted" to taking an "evidence-based approach" and "do good
science and do good research into the things we do to people".
The
argument that modern medicine is evidence-based as opposed to other
types of medicine is an argument that is often used by medical
lobbyists, and tends to be generally accepted by the public. However,
according to a report by a panel of experts assembled by the prestigious
Institute of Medicine, "well below half" of medical care in the US is
based on or supported by adequate evidence.
According to the
report, between 1993 and 2004 there was a more than 80 per cent increase
in the number of medications prescribed to Americans. The panel
believes this boom in pharmaceuticals is outpacing the rate at which
information on their effectiveness can be generated. "If trends
continue, the ability to deliver appropriate care will be strained and
may be overwhelmed," the report concluded.
What FSM fails to
recognise is that natural medicine courses taught at universities
incorporate a much higher level of evidence-based studies, such as
health science and human physiology, than if they were to be taught
outside of a university.
The Australian universities that have
been criticised have all defended their courses, saying they are very
much evidence and science-based.
In naturopathy, for example, on
top of herbal medicine and nutrition, students also learn the same
things that a physiotherapist, medical doctor or nurse learn. As well as
chiropractic studies, chiropractors study biology, physiology,
neuroscience, anatomy and pathology, for example. These are all
scientific studies.
Acting head of RMIT's Health Sciences School
Dr Ray Myers has defended its programs as "evidence-based education and
practice", saying clinical research of natural medicine treatments are
funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
If
FSM really was so worried about public safety they would not be trying
to exclude natural medicine from universities where they are taught with
much more of a medical focus. Graduates of these courses are much more
likely to refer patients to medical doctors when necessary.
As
Nick Klomp, dean of the science faculty at Charles Sturt University,
points out, thousands of practitioners already provide alternative
medicine and they are very much in demand. "I could ignore them or I
could train them better," he said. "We actually create graduates who are
much better health care providers. It's all about evidence based,
science based."
The other question to ask is just how
representative the group is of Australian doctors. Dr Wardle, a NHMRC
Research Fellow at the University of Queensland's School of Population
Health conducted a survey of every rural GP in NSW and found a third did
not refer to alternative medicine providers, a third were incredibly
open to it, and a third would refer patients to practitioners that they
knew achieved results.
The Australian Medical Association
president has withdrawn his support from the lobby group. A number of
researchers and doctors have also pulled out of FSM reportedly saying
they were not aware of the full picture.
Many Australian medical
doctors recognise their limits and refer to natural providers when
necessary. However, others continue to believe that modern medicine –
which is only 100 years old – is the only way of curing pain.
Natural
therapies have been used for more than 10,000 years, and so they
deserve a place in society, in Australian universities, and even in
modern medicine. According to Australian trauma and general surgeon Dr
Valerie Malka, former director of trauma services at Westmead Hospital,
while modern medicine is revolutionary when it comes to surgery,
particularly in emergencies, for pretty much everything else,
traditional, natural or alternative medicine is much more effective.
She
says in particular, modern medicine is completely unable to treat or
cure chronic illness. Rather than focusing on symptom control, natural
medicines work on the body's ability to heal the cause of the illness
while modern medicine suppresses the body's healing mechanism with drugs
that attack the body's natural defence mechanisms, throwing the immune
system out of whack.
Dr Malka believes the attack on natural
medicine has more to do with the threat to modern medicine's power base
as well as its "unhealthy relationship" with the "trillion-dollar
pharmaceutical industry".
This is not the first time natural medicines have been attacked by the medical industry.
Alternative
healthcare professionals such as chiropractors, naturopaths, and
midwives have been targeted by the American Medical Association (AMA)
for nearly a century, in spite of a federal court injunction against the
AMA in 1987 for illegally trying to create a monopoly in the healthcare
market.
Up until 1983, the AMA had held that it was unethical for
MDs to associate with "unscientific practitioners" and they labelled
chiropractic "an unscientific cult". They also had a committee on
"quackery" which challenged what it considered to be unscientific forms
of healing. Five chiropractors including Chester Wilk sued the AMA,
claiming that the committee was established specifically to undermine
chiropractic.
Wilk won the case, with Judge Susan Getzendanner
ruling that the AMA had engaged in an unlawful conspiracy in restraint
of trade "to contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession," also
saying that the "AMA had entered into a long history of illegal
behaviour".
If you look at the history of attacks on natural
healthcare providers over the last 100 years, it is difficult not to
associate this attack by FSM as the latest attempt to influence the
public into believing that natural medicine is, as it says, "quackery"
by spreading propaganda that most of the time is simply not true.
"It's just extraordinary that such undisciplined nonsense is being taught in universities around Australia," Mr Dwyer has said.
Why
does this group feel that it has the right to talk this way about
natural medicines that are ages old and used by 80 per cent of people
across the world?
If FSM really was concerned about patient care
and safety in Australia, then perhaps it would investigate medical
practices which, unfortunately, seriously injure and kill thousands of
people every year, rather than target natural medicine.
Sarah Schwager is an Australian journalist currently working in South America. View her full profile here.
Herbalife Side Effects
Some
people experience unpleasant side effects when using various Herbalife
products. These are described and addressed in this article for your
safety and well-being.
Bloating:
If you
experience bloating, try changing the portion size to reduce this
feeling. Enjoy healthy snacks during the day and smaller meals to assist
your digestion. If you are using the shake mix as a meal replacement
you may want to reduce the portion size or frequency.
Dry Mouth:
Some
people report that their mouth is dry after black or fruit tea. Detox
products often produce thirst so you can try increasing your intake of
water. Dryness from using the shakes can be caused by acid reflux since
it contains guar gum and psyllium husk. These have expanding properties,
which can cause reflux. Guar bean is high in protein and oil and guar
gum is used worldwide in many beverages, foods and supplements. In
significant quantities, guar gum dehydrates the body and can cause some
serious side effects. However, it is regulated by the FDA who only
permits extremely small quantities of it in food. Guar gum in the shake
mix is used to emulsify or bind the particles and has been determined to
be of insignificant quantities.
Heart Palpitations:
Palpitations
may be from caffeine sensitivity. The tea does have caffeine in it so
you could either stop using the tea or eventually you will get used to
caffeine and the palpations should recede. The shake mix does not
contain any caffeine.
In the nineties it was found that Ephedra
caused increased heart rate and Herbalife discontinued using Ephedra in
any of its products.
Upset Stomach, Headache and Fevers:
In
the first few days, many years of accumulated toxins and waste in the
body begin to be expelled. Diarrhea, headaches, fever or nausea can
arise.
These are temporary symptoms and will subside whether you
continue the diet or not. The discomfort is not very common but happens
to some people. Once you are detoxified you should feel great however.
The body has toxins or free radicals surrounded by fat molecules, and
when burning these fat molecules, the toxins are released into the
bloodstream for elimination. They circulate through the body and are
filtered out by the kidneys and liver. This can take up to 2 weeks.
Areas where toxins and pollutants are expelled from the body can display
reactions. You can first use a detoxification program to cleanse your
system before starting the weight loss program if you wish.
Unpleasant-Smelling Urine or Perspiration:
This
is another possible reaction to the body cleansing that is not caused
by the products, but the waste you are cleaning out. The products are
working just as they should.
Allergic Reaction and Blocked Sinuses:
People
who are very allergic to fish need to know that some Herbalife products
contain fish oil. See a medical specialist to determine if this is an
allergic reaction. Sinuses are especially sensitive because they are
soft tissue. Sinus irritations should clear in 1 to 3 weeks but if they
get worse, discontinue using the product and consult a medical
professional.
Malnutrition:
Beware
of nutrient deficiency when losing weight. The Herbalife ShapeWorks
program recommends that along with the 2 shakes and one healthy meal,
you should add the Multivitamins and Cell Activator to ensure that you
are getting enough nutrition. Cell Activator helps increase your
nutrient absorption from food.
Stimulants:
Caffeine
in green tea is not the same as in coffee. It is slower-acting and has a
calmer quality. But if you feel too stimulated try half a cup instead
of a whole cup for a while.
Swollen Legs:
This
might indicate an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the Herbalife
products. Please show your doctor the product labels and ask his advice.
It would be best to discontinue using the product until you know what
the cause of your swelling is.
Stomach Acidity:
If you
are using Cell-U-Loss, try discontinuing it and see if that reduces your
symptoms. If so, then Cell-U-Loss is not for you. If acidity persists
when you are not taking it, there is some other cause. Cell-U-Loss
contains 3 ingredients which may be causing the acidity: Apple Cider
Vinegar, Vitamin C and Iron. It also contains herbs that have diuretic
properties such as couch grass and corn silk extract.
Pregnancy:
Total
Control (the metabolism booster) carries a warning to not be used by the
pregnant, lactating (or those that want to get pregnant). Rapid weight
loss and stimulants during breastfeeding can release too many toxins
into your blood stream and thus into your milk. This can cause a
decrease in your milk supply and be unhealthy for your baby. Avoid the
stimulants in Total Control and the Herbal Tea, which contain caffeine.
Herbalife products have nutrition labels that show warnings to guide
women who are pregnant, nursing or who may become pregnant.
Rashes:
These
are the most commonly reported side-effects that happen when the body
is de-toxifying. Redness, blotchy skin and irritation can arise. Your
skin being the largest organ, has the most cells to repair and also
discharges toxins. It takes about 2 weeks to cleanse the blood stream
and during this time the departing toxins can be irritating. Exercise
produces sweat and will release toxins that can irritate the skin.
Herbal Aloe Soothing Gel can provide symptomatic relief.
Hair Loss or Breakage:
Formula
1 Nutritional Shake Mix has been shown to improve skin, hair and nail
growth. If you experience hair loss early in your weight loss program,
this is because damaged cells are being repaired or replaced. When
beginning a weight loss program, your body will target the most damaged
cells. Hair usually has the oldest cells and is thus the first target
for renewal. Hair soon becomes healthier than before so you need not
worry about this.
General Detoxing Effects:
It is
very well known that at the beginning of a diet or fast there may be
some adverse side effects. These usually subside within a few weeks
however. If you detoxify for a few days using plain water, fruit or
vegetables you will also experience some side effects. When we have
better nutrition, or when toxic substances such as coffee, tea,
chocolate, tobacco, salt, and pepper are discontinued, amazing changes
take place. Our bodies discard the lower grade materials and tissues to
make room for newer, healthier ones.
Weight Gain:
An
ideal weight-loss rate is between 3 and 5 pounds per week. If you lose
weight gradually and are getting proper nutrition, it will stay off.
Moderate exercise like walking is necessary to get the fat burning
process going. Adequate hydration (drinking water regularly) is
essential to flush the toxins.
Do not try to stop any Herbalife side
effects by taking drugs. Either let the healing take its natural course
or stop using the product if you experience an allergic reaction.
