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As mentioned in the previous post Part 1, Drs. Angell and Dassirer in an editorial in The New England Journal of Medicine stated that once Alternative Medicines have been proven to work they will be accepted as legitimate treatments, the full quote states:

“Once a treatment has been tested rigorously, it no longer matters whether it was considered alternative at the outset. If it is found to be reasonably safe and effective, it will be accepted. But assertions, speculation, and testimonials do not substitute for evidence. Alternative treatments should be subjected to scientific testing no less rigorous than that required for conventional treatments.” 1

Does your Doctor use Accepted Medical Treatments?

The British Medical Journal observed in an editorial that “only about 15 percent of medical interventions are supported by solid scientific evidence” 2

Or put another way by Dr Robert Califf, Director of the Duke University Clinical Research Institute, who estimates that less than 15% of US health care is evidence based: “Only 15% of the decisions a doctor makes every day are based on evidence,” he recited. (As reported in the October 12th 1998 issue of TIME magazine).

Likewise Dr Gabriel Stewart, a practicing GP who uses both complementary and conventional treatments and has a clinic in Dublin, made a similar statement in an article entitled ‘Mainstream medicine hostage to vested interests.’:

“The main reason that these (alternative treatments) are not accepted is that they have not been proven by the Randomized Clinical Trials so rigorously demanded by mainstream medicine. Yet more than 80 per cent of conventional treatments have not been subject to trials.”3

“There is only medicine that has been adequately tested and medicine that has not…”1 According to the New England Journal of Medicine. Apparently from the above quotes most haven’t “been adequately tested”.

What about the other 85% of medical treatments? If only 15% of ‘Conventional Treatments’ have been ‘rigorously’ tested why do MDs. insist on 100% for ‘Alternative Treatments’? Why do they self-righteously accuse ‘Alternative Medicine’ advocates of not wanting to ‘scientifically test’ their treatments. An old Texas Proverb applies here. ‘When you throw dirt, you lose ground.’

But, this information begs the question that was asked at the outset of this post. –

Is Conventional Medicine (CM) Effective? It’s not as effective as they think it is because they themselves haven’t properly studied pharmaceuticals .

“But assertions, speculation, and testimonials do not substitute for evidence.”1 This statement should apply to Conventional Medicine as well. If effectiveness of medications haven’t been properly studied; surely though, the safety of medications has been examined? As a patient this information would ring an alarm bell in my mind.

To be discussed in my next post: Is Conventional Medicine Safe?

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Dennis Cutforth is a researcher and writer with over 35 years experience in health-care sales, marketing and research in pharmaceuticals and natural health. Visit his website at Get A Better Life Today.
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1. Angell M, Kassirer J. Alternative Medicine—The risks of untested and unregulated remedies. New England Journal of Medicine 339:839-841, 1998.
2.Smith, R. (editor), “The Poverty of Medical Evidence”, British Medical Journal, vol. 303,5 October 1991. Quoting, David Eddy, Professor of Health Policy and Management at Duke University.
3. Irish Times Published 02/05/2006.