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Now, I should probably warn you that I think alternative medicine is really stupid. I am fully aware of the fact that many of our medicines are derived from plants, and that some plants do have some ability to help with medical ailments - but when it comes to cancer or other major diseases I find it highly unlikely that plants are going to do anything. No vitamin or plant is going to get a defective p53 working again.
But regardless, the article in question (from the NY Times) considered Jobs' decision to delay surgery in a fairly positive light. The author at one point comments that "in theory, Mr. Jobs’s tumor could already have spread invisibly to his liver by the time it was first diagnosed. If it had, operating earlier probably would not have made a difference." This is, however, is not an actual reason to not have surgery. It seems to me to be more the author's attempt to justify Jobs' decision. Jobs had no way whatsoever of knowing whether or not it spread, and it still seems to me like he should have gone for the surgery. What did he have to lose?
The author then delves in to issues of people accidentally discovering tumors after CT scans for unrelated issues and how they are often reluctant to get surgery. While that's all very nice, I'm not sure why the author completely avoided discussing why one of the most innovative men in the world thought that being vegan would make his cancerous tumor go away. Because that really doesn't make any sense to me. At all. Maybe if he decided to use acupuncture, or herbs, or any of the other things the article mentioned to treat headaches, or allergies, or even mild asthma I could begin to understand, but cancer, really? Really?
The author's complete avoidance of the subject leads me to believe that she shares the same opinion. What do you think?
I don't really agree with you Haley. Obviously, I'm not a doctor, but quite from what I hear it's not at all uncommon for all of these drugs currently on the market to have very serious side affects. I don't really know all that much about Jobs's specific case, but I don't think you're being honest with yourself if you think that the medicine currently in use, which is dominated by very strong drugs, is always good. I'm fairly certain that at least in some cases natural medicinal products could be substituted in for drugs with a very positive effect. The problem is that all of these drug lobbyists in the government, herbal medicine doesn't even get a chance. But anyways, agree or disagree with me, that's just my take on things.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would definitely agree that the majority of cancer drugs have horrible side effects. However, for one Jobs avoided a surgery, not pills - but he probably also would have gotten those.
ReplyDeleteBut, more importantly, cancer occurs because there is a defect in the genes, such as in your tumor suppressor gene, which makes p53 which keeps you from growing tumors. This defect is not going to be reversed or the cells with it eliminated by sticking needles into your body. Alternative medicine like taking coenzyme Q10 for breast cancer patients is one thing, but Steve Jobs tried going vegan. Going vegan is not going to get your p53 working again, period. It just won't.
Anyways, herbal medicine companies make a ton of money, so they're not exactly helpless. AND in pretty much all peer-reviewed studies on the subject, truly alternative treatments have been shown to do little to nothing.
I actually had a conversation about this with my mom about my dad's medication for high blood pressure. My dad is a very healthy man; he eats well, exercises, doesn't smoke, and is by no means overweight. He did, however, for a long time have an hereditary-induced high blood pressure and needed to be prescribed something for it since he was otherwise fit. My dad is also holistic at heart and naturally wanted to try out an alternative medicine called red yeast rice. This actually helped for a bit, but then plateaued causing for my dad to instead begin using Lipitor.
ReplyDeleteIn the conversation that I was having with my mom, we discussed that perhaps holistic medicine is a good way to prevent an illness, but often is simply not as helpful as a cure for such an illness. For instance, to prevent high blood pressure, one can take fish oil, but doubling the dosage of these pills will probably not help as much as a prescribed medication to bring the blood pressure down once it's already high, although if the blood pressure is high due to non-hereditary reasons, then the holistic practices can't hurt.