Modern Medicine, Conventional Medicine, Biomedicine

1) What are the origins of this therapy?

About 200 years old à relatively new.

Ancients à Greeks à Middles Ages (Herbalism) à Renaissance à Modern Times

European Renaissance, led to a rational, mechanical view of the world.

Isolation and purification of Natural Products

Synthetic Drugs,

Surgerical Intervention

Instruments

Radioactivity

2) What is this particular therapy's view of health and illness?

The body is a machine. If it breaks we can “fix” it.

Karen Lee Fontaine says “People à Patients à Bodies à Machines”

Health is absence of disease and/or discomfort

Tends to compartmentalize and specialize.

3) Describe the diagnostic methods and treatment process for this particular therapy.

Physical/External Symptoms (ignore social, spiritual, mental & emotional aspects of health)

Aggressive – War against disease

Germs cause disease. Kill germs with drugs to treat disease.

Break down into parts – specializations are extremely popular.

Treatment to suppress symptoms (such as pain) as important or more important than treating cause.

4) What is the role of herbs in this particular therapy?

Pharmaceuticals are

1) purified natural products (Penicillin, Quinine, Morphine, Codeine, Taxol, Digitoxin)

2) synthetic natural products or natural product analogs (Aspirin)

3) or completely synthetic drugs (Tylenol, Chloroquin, Zantac, Prozac, Viagra).

Two levels: Over The Counter (OTC) drugs and Prescription Drugs

Increasing awareness of herbals.

5) How does this particular therapy promote long-term health and well-being?

Tends to adopt a short term view.

Some drugs are taken on long-term basis – Diabetes, Heart Medication, Anti-depressants, and painkillers.

Many chronic diseases (Diabetes, Heart Conditions, Multiple Sclerosis) are treated on on-going basis.

Drug load may be modified depending on results.

Drugs to treat side effects of other drugs.

Increasing awareness of lifestyle and healthy habits.

6) What types of illnesses or conditions are usually treated with this particular therapy?

Infections, Surgical interventions, Drastic interventions – radiation, drugs etc… that treat aggressive diseases.

Amoxicillin and Penicillin (Antibiotic), Premarin (Hormone-Menopause), Zantac and Prilosec (Ulcers), Ortho-N (Contraceptive), Hydro-Diuril and Lasix (Diuretic), Tylenol + Codeine (Painkiller), Ventolin (Bronchodilator), Digitoxin (Cardiac), Prozac (Anti-depressant), Viagra (Sexual Disfunction), Wieght Loss. Vioxx and Celebrex (Arthritis),

Some gaps – “Incurable diseases” such as AIDS, Diabetes, Cancer, Chronic Pain, Fatigue Syndrome, Pscysomatic Conditions, Mental Illness, Depression.

6) Who (what clientele) would be best suited to use this particular therapy?

People with Health plans – Health Insurance.

Secular world-view

7) What are the advantages and/or strengths of this particular therapy? What are the disadvantages and/or weaknesses of this particular therapy?

Mild problems – OTC drugs are effective for fevers, headaches, colds etc… Tend to be “fast and effective.”

Does well in some cases: Infections, Pain, Surgery.

Sound Research practices: Double-blind studies. Look for real effectiveness. Try to discover mechanism of action.

Chronic Illnesses and Incurable conditions are problematic.

Secondary effects are problematic.

8) What is your overall evaluation for this particular therapy? Would you use this particular therapy or recommend it to someone else?

This is the medical practice that I have grown up with. This is “normal” to me.

9) List your references and resources.

Healing Practices: Alternative Therapies for Nursing, Karen Lee Fontaine. Prentice Hall 2000