Medical hubris

In my last entry I shared that my postmodern moment with the space program evinces the possibility that some sectors of today's Scientific Community are guilty of consuming massive amounts of money in pursuit their own self-perpetuating goals. 

A second postmodern moment—personal disillusionment with Scientific Institutions—came this past summer when I was subjected to some megalomaniacal claims of the Medical Community. 

My wife participated in a two-day mitochondrial conference where hundreds of researchers, doctors, practitioners and patients stricken with mitochondrial conditions gathered in Washington D.C. I accompanied her to the evening banquet where the keynote speaker presented the research that was being done. Research that unquestionably has been helpful to a number of people. 

Allow me to preface my upcoming critical observations:

• I highly value research. 
• I do not expect miracles from the medical community. 
• I have friends who are medical doctors who truly care about people and do their best to help them. 
• The medical community has helped millions (billions?) of people and I am thankful for medical practitioners and advancements. 

Did you see him in the Olympics?

It was the boastful claims of the Medical Institution at this particular gathering, flagrantly uttered into the ears of suffering people (and primary caregivers), that raised my ire. 

Some researchers and doctors in the room obviously viewed themselves as an elite group of people, above those in other disciplines. (E.g. I hold a doctorate in missiology which is interdisciplinary—sociology, theology and history—considered to be "tainted" by its metaphysical component. The "social" disciplines are deemed “soft,” not “hard” sciences, thus considered to be less rigorous and reliable.) 

Note that "religion" is not even considered

The evening began with an opening speech by the president of a patient’s association. She confessed to having traveled the world over, seeking help from everything from the Scientific/Medical Community to shamans and filipino healers, to the denigrating amusement of some of the doctors in the room who were, by the way, unable to help her. 

This movingly sad testimony was followed by the president of the mitochondrial research group. His triumphal discourse implied confidence that given enough time and money, the Medical Community would one day cure mankind’s ills. He shared about breakthroughs that have helped a small number of people at the cost of $10s of millions.

I was reminded of the woman “who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on doctors and still could find no cure” (Luke 8:43). Despairing patients, parents of afflicted children and primary caregivers have no other this-world-recourse but to put their faith in scientific "miracles." 

I believe that God heals people today. Yet mine is not a rejection of medicine nor a denigration of medical doctors. I pray concomitantly for healing, for my doctor, and that medication will be effective. I would simply like to see humility in a Medical Community that seeks the good of the patient. It would be refreshing to hear specialists admit that, while they can alleviate some suffering, they cannot and will not be able to cure all of humankind’s maladies. 

The Servant who healed the afflicted woman 

The September 13, 2012 editions of Le Monde (a French NY Times) cited a report by the former dean of the Paris College of Medicine that a cholesterol medication taken by about 4million French people, at the cost to the health system of 2billion euros per year, is “completely useless.”* Concerning other medications, the report concludes that “5% are potentially very dangerous.” 

The Wall Street Journal cited a report by an 18-member panel of doctors, business people and public officials about the U.S. health-care system. While acknowledging the good that the medical community has done, the study group claims that  $750billion per year is wasted in “unneeded care, byzantine paperwork, fraud and other waste.”**

Curtailing some of this waste might help the U.S. economy regardless of whom one votes for in the upcoming election. But evidently this sector is either unable or unwilling to render itself efficient. Or possibly it believes itself deserving of $750billion worth of perks per year in light of the good that does for people. 

In the pre-modern era the Roman Church was accused of financial abuse, exploiting people by various means in order to pad its own pockets and top off its coffers. Clergy lived in opulence while the commoners footed the bill. Guilty as charged. 

“Yes but,” one might retort, “while the Scientific and Medical Institutions may be perpetuating their own existence and consuming vast amounts of money in doing so, they nonetheless do some good.” 

“Granted,” I concede, “but ‘religion’ and the ‘Church’ are often portrayed as categorically nefarious. This is patently untrue. History demonstrates, for example, that the monastic movement saved Western civilization from barbarism. Much earthly good has also come from Christianity." ***

The metaphysical is rightfully viewed as a matter of faith. But it is disparaged, not necessarily by individual scientists and doctors but by the Scientific Institution, relegated to the private sphere, sequestered with other “mythologies.” Yet, is unquestioning confidence in the Scientific Institution’s benevolence and ability to eventually heal all of man’s hurts warranted? Is not their trust in their own abilities, in the face of historic facts, a matter of "faith"? 

The RMS Titanic

“After all,” one might argue, “while it is unfortunate that some in the Medical Community may be profiting financially from its superior status, at least the Scientific Institution hasn’t tortured and killed people like the Church did during the Crusades and the Inquisitions.” 

"Oh really?!"

Next up: Positivism and the rise and fall of the 20th century superMan.

* Le Monde.fr, “Selon MM. Debré et Even, un médicament sur deux ne sert à rien,” 13.09.2012

** Wall Street Journal, “Report Cites $750 Billion in Annual Health-Care Waste,” September 6, 2012

*** See for example, How The Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.