I think it is true that there is a lot more than just prescribing drugs
in practice of medicine. For instance it has been shown that avoidance
of triggering factors (allergen) in ashtmatic patients would reduce the
episodes of attacks as well as reducing the amount of medications. In
low back pain, studies by Buchbinder et al in Australia as well as
similar study conducted in Scotland showed that simple public education
can reduce the number of office visits due to chronic non specific low
back pain.
I think the main problem is the tendency to medicalize every aspect of
life and trying to find the quick cure (in the form of drugs). Remember
the debate on 'female sexual disfunction a while ago ?
Thank you.
Kukuh Noertjojo, MD MHSc MSc
Evidence Based Practice Group,
Clinical Services, Worker and Employer Services
WorkSafe BC
6951 Westminster Highway
Richmond, BC V7C 1C6
CANADA.
Phone: 604 231 8417
Fax: 604 279 7698
-----Original Message-----
From: Evidence based health (EBH)
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anne
Peticolas
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 6:01 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: how strongly does dishonesty challenge the underlying
assumptions of EBM?
Simon, Steve, PhD wrote:
"The big drug trials get all the attention, but there is a lot more to
the practice of medicine than just prescribing drugs. I'm not a doctor,
but I suspect that most of the things that you do to help your patients
get better don't involve a pill."
Well, for some conditions -- such as asthma -- the best interventions
are absolutely going to involve drugs (pills AND inhalers). I would
guess that most of the things doctors do to help their patients get
better DO involve drugs.
Sincerely,
Anne Peticolas
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