tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28691495.post7279255074347187469..comments2023-12-11T22:30:17.239-10:00Comments on Not My Second Opinion: The limits of Evidence-Based MedicineClintonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511383754690179606noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28691495.post-8956008678158421582006-12-12T12:29:00.000-10:002006-12-12T12:29:00.000-10:00I agree with everything you say, clark. I am a sk...I agree with everything you say, clark. I am a skeptic too... but I am trying hard to learn to have faith in faithful, who feel that skepticism undermines belief. (And "messes up" a treatment that would have worked... if they only believed.)<br /><br />However, there is a difference between a personal philosophy and a general practice. I am learning that being a good doctor means sometimes, you can't be critical of your patients! Everyone has their own beliefs and it has been a big struggle for me to learn to appreciate ways of thinking that do not coincide with my own.<br /><br />There is a difference between positive feedback and negative criticism. If I were to disparage someone because they were wasting money on ineffective treatments, would they bother to tell me about their treatments that might be downright dangerous and contraindicated with conventional medicine? I think not.<br /><br />CAM should be approached seriously from a cultural and societal context, even if so much of it is flawed from a scientific perspective. Many CAM treatments are based on suppositions, theories and wacky hypotheses, which I find fun in a fantasy-fantastic sense. In contrast, EBM is slow, clunky, traditional and time-consuming, so it's no wonder that some people prefer to educate themselves on alternatives.<br /><br />Being able to speak respectfully and intelligently about CAM is not a flaw... rather, I see is as an asset in good medical practice.Clintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05511383754690179606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28691495.post-4214551631754343662006-12-11T15:21:00.000-10:002006-12-11T15:21:00.000-10:00I don't have the patience at this point to touch u...I don't have the patience at this point to touch upon your poor logic throughout this post but I will focus on one thing that I feel is vital. In order to allow society to excell to its fullest potential everybody should be a skeptic, but at the very least anyone who provides health care must approach their actions with a critical mindset. <br /><br />I'll try to return soon to say more on the bulk of this post but my 2 year old has a diaper full of crap and my Final Fantasy XII characters need some attention. I'm a skeptic, I never said I was cool.Clark Bartramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02244503981356708609noreply@blogger.com