Quote:
Originally Posted by nelie
So now I'm a bit disheartened in that I may be full steam towards an industry that encourages our reliance on pharmaceuticals to cure everything. Sure I think it'd be nice if cancer treatments could be made more effective based on gene studies but what about the holistic view? What about the prevention of things such as heart disease, diabetes, etc? What about complimentary medicine?
Am I blowing things out of proportion? Are drug companies not as evil as I think and not only out to make a profit and screw everyone else in the process?
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Yeah, that's tough. I have been in the medical field for 15 years (pharmacy for 8 of them) yet I am highly interested in homeopathy, acupuncture, alternative medicine, etc.
I am of two minds of this also. On one hand I think pharmaceuticals have changed lives, can help, can heal, can fix.
What I think the problem is, is that too many people depend on them instead of fixing what the real issue is, mostly because docs are so easy to hand out a pill (most of the time that they get for free from the drug companies *ahem*). I have worked in medical clinics where the drug reps come in with their new drug, inform the physicians about it and give free samples. All of a sudden, every patient is now on this new drug.
Drugs are just faster and easier. For example, if you have a fever or pain, you "could" technically make some white willow bark tea.....or you could just pop an aspirin. what do most people do?
So, I understand your concern. Is there going to be any room in your career for education about holistic/alternative approaches? Or is it strictly pharmaceutical drug research?
~CGH~