September 9, 2016
As many of us have suspected, there is a huge problem with modern medicine, and now we know that Doctors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly a quarter of a million people each year.
Iotrogenic
This term is defined as induced in a patient by a physician’s activity, manner, or therapy. Iatros means “healer”, and genesis means “origin”.
In July 26, 2000 issue of JAMA (Vol. 284, No. 4) Dr. Barbara Starfield, MPH of the Department of Health Policy and Management, John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, talks about the deficiencies of U.S. medical care. Among her notes and comments are the following (ALL THESE ARE DEATHS PER YEAR):
- 12,000 — unnecessary surgery
- 7,000 — medication errors in hospitals
- 20,000 — other errors in hospitals
- 80,000 — infections in hospitals
- 106,000 — non-error, negative effects of drugs
These total to 225,000 deaths per year from iatrogenic causes! Dr. Starfield offers several warnings in interpreting these numbers:
First, most of the data are derived from studies in hospitalized patients.
Second, these estimates are for deaths only and do not include negative effects that are associated with disability or discomfort.
Third, the estimates of death due to error are lower than those in the IOM report. If the higher estimates are used, the deaths due to iatrogenic causes would range from 230,000 to 284,000. In any case, 225,000 deaths per year constitutes the third leading cause of death in the United States, after deaths from heart disease and cancer.
For Example
Do we really understand how significant these numbers are? If a Jumbo Jet crashed and killed 280 people every day, 365 days a year . . . year after year, would you be concerned about flying? That is close to 100,000 people dying every year. Yet, over twice this number die from doctor caused deaths, and still people go to the doctor when they are sick. This is truly ridiculous.
Health in the United States
The United States does not have very good health either. In a comparison of 13 countries, the United States ranks an average of 12th, which is second from the bottomo. This was for 16 available health indicators. Here are some of them:
- Last for low-birth-weight percentages
- Last for neonatal mortality and infant mortality overall
- 11th for postneonatal mortality
- Last for years of potential life lost (excluding external causes)
- 11th for life expectancy at 1 year for females, 12th for males
- 10th for life expectancy at 15 years for females, 12th for males
- 10th for life expectancy at 40 years for females, 9th for males
- 7th for life expectancy at 65 years for females, 7th for males
- 10th for age-adjusted mortality
Change
It is evident that we need to change the way we think, and take the responsibility for our health. Doctors, medical procedures, and drugs do NOT have the answers for Health and Vitality.
Now, at Herbs4You we offer a Basic Herbalism Course that will Empower you and help YOU gain the knowledge, experience, and know-how to keep you and your family healthy. I encourage every one to take it.
We’re here to help you
Amy Willis, Your Local Herbalist