Allen1:
That was an interesting comment you left Jeff, a bit of the honey vs vinegar approach and in cases like this, probably the right one. It is good to see that Statin damage is being looked into and the information you are providing is adding fuel to the fire and it looks like that fire is not going to extinguish any time soon.
Jeff:
I was a little fed up with the formatting for it gives the wrong impression and suggests that the reply was a bit of a knee jerk reaction but I accept that the editor was probably unaware. It is a huge step in the right direction to see that GP's are now are starting to fall out of love with cholesterol levels disease and statins. I had sent some material to the PCT authority for the whole nation and the BMJ and the BMA... all ignored, whatever about the condescending response from the MHRA but Pulse is read by just about every practising GP. Getting a chance to promote any sort of debate is heartening. I have been trying to attract the attention of GP's for a long time. It is easy to dismiss non-qualified people as idiots who know nothing. I expect that a combative style of debate at this point will encourage the GP's to ignore the argument and look at the manner in which it is couched. i don't want to risk the tiny toehold that has been offered to me by Pulse.
Allen1:
I know that I would like to see this end up with certain doctors being struck off for hiding the information that has been brought to their attention and then ridiculing those problems on TV and newspapers and then to place major doubt to any possible validity in 1000,s of peoples minds.
Jeff:
My issue with this sentiment is that I think one should never attribute to malice that which can be explained by ignorance and stupidity. The trouble with the medical profession today is I believe that the emphasis has shifted and the training has changed substantially from what I remember... where every doctor once had to display clinical skills (looking at a patient, listening to their history and laying hands on the patient, now they are more likely to be trained as to what test to ask for and they have to understand what a rise of .001 in any particular test value denotes. I used to work with clinicians who had deductive powers which were based upon a thorough knowledge of their specialty and the human body. Now, it is much less common to see such skills.
Allen1:
Those doctors and professors involved should also face criminal charges for the further harm that they allowed to take place by pretending everything was rosy when they knew things most certainly were not, I still can't believe how low what some people will stoop for money.
The problem is that organisations such as the ill-named NICE are now in a position of being able to dictate what they think is best possible practice. Any GP who works in contravention of the imprecations from NICE to work in a certain manner, are sailing too close to the wind. If a patient were to suffer asa direct result of the clinician not following the guidelines laid down by NICE, there will be no defence to charges of malpractice. If all of ones colleagues are following the guidelines and you chose not to, there is a groundswell of opinion that says you are wrong,before it even gets to a hearing for negligence. I don't believe that clinicians have anyone else to blame for that situation but themselves.
When I worked clinically, I would NEVER accept any orders from administrative staff on the grounds that they had insufficient training to understand why I was working in the way that I had chosen. Over-arching bodies such as NICE were originally provided to advise on best clinical practice... The National Institute for Clinical Excellence was their original title and I supported the idea that clinical work could be improved by looking at the best possible evidence for the different methodologies and endpoints. Unfortunately, our dumb political masters and the inevitable corruption that follows power has shifted the emphasis and despite many name changes and roles, NICE is now the arbiter of best clinical practice and if you do not follow their dicta, you are in big trouble. It removes the need for clinicians to think for themselves and I am in no dount that this is a very bad thing.
Allen1:
The way things are going these hopes may soon become a reality, many things are changing especially here in the UK, just look at what has happened to the politicians for a start, it goes to prove that not everyone is above the law, even when they think they are.
Jeff:
I am not convinced that using the politicians is a good example of change. Not one single politician has faced criminal charges and now they are complaining about having to pay back the money they stole from the public purse. What we really need are numerous political heads on sticks...for all to see outside the palace of Westminster and perhaps we should also borrow madame guillotine from our near neighbours, the French. We need a revolution to rid ourselves of our greedy and lazy politicos who have no interest in the welfare of the people. Grrr...
Allen1:
Keep up the good work Jeff
Jeff:
If it was good work, I would not have to do it.
