Hey! – Rob here
Your Daily Health Fix today is about …
How to decide whether to take the treatment or look for an alternative . . .
Scary statistic #1 –
Only 5.6% of medical interventions (medicinal or surgical) are effective
Scary statistic #2 –
By deduction – the remaining 94% of intervientions are at best, unsuccessful.
The most concerning part of this:
Side effects and harms are significantly under reported (an estimated average of 1 in 10 harms reported or recorded diligently).
Who’s winning?
Unsurprisingly the biggest winners here are the Big Pharma drug companies, who’s ineffective medications are paid for by the patient (or patients insurer/medical provider). Other winners include the practitioners who sell high value treatments, and are paid on execution rather than upon resolution or remission of the ailment.
Who’s losing?
The losers are the patients and the broader public. Directly, the patient is left with an unresolved condition, or in many cases suffers short and long term harm from a hastily implemented inappropriate intervention. Additionally, whether the system is a private or insurance backed, or a state subsidised, we end up with rising costs of treatments for those that really need help, putting strain on the individual and the tax payer.
What you can do:
In order to avoid unnecessary harms, and the frustration of wasted time and money, you must do your own research. When an intervention is suggested, ask the practitioner for the study papers (from randomised controlled trials) that show the efficacy rates of the suggested course of action. (Be sure to look at the numbers and not the summary conlcusion). Additionally, use Google Scholar, forums, Facebook groups and Youtube presentations. Whilst nothing can be taken on face value, all these resources can help you build a bank of information to be able to interperet the liklihood of success vs harm. Only then should you book in for the treatment. Along the way you may discover more effective or cheaper ways of solving your problem.
. . . That’s it for this dose,
Until the next time – Stay Motivated!💪🏼
Rob
P.S. If you’re enjoying these updates and they are helping you, please support me and The Health Fix by buying me a coffee ☕️
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