People seem to have trouble grasping what I mean by the “Obsessionalization” of medical and social processes.So let me give you an example to help you understand.Dr. Richard Bartlett ,a Texas physician, claims he is having great success in treating Covid cases with inhaled steroids specifically Budesonide.He explains that Covid is a respiratory inflammatory disease and these steroids are inhaled and anti-inflammatory.He also claims that Taiwan,Japan and Singapore are doing really well with the same approach.Makes perfect sense to me.I I call that”scientifically plausible hypothesis” something I much prefer to “evidence-based” which is far too technical and Empirical for me.
So you would think this would elicit interest and enthusiasm in the medical field,no?! Not at all! Remember.these people can’t hear!
So here is the commentary from one medical analyst.I am including it because it is so typical of contemporary “scientific” thinking!
A few things to beware of in COVID “news”:
- Evidence that is ANECDOTAL– testimonial – no numbers, data, study. (Always be concerned when this is the primary evidence that is given. It is one of the hallmarks of medical quackery.)
- Lacking specific numbers or data to back up the claims. The doctor we are discussing today won’t tell how many patients he’s treated, just that he’s been “doing it since March” and that “they’re all alive”. (So have I and mine are too…maybe I should go on TV!)
- Bashing all of the major national and international health care authorities (CDC, WHO, NIH), suggesting they are missing something very basic. (“All the experts are wrong” is usually a suspect position)
- Consider the Source – Credentials Matter. Physicians should share their specialty, medical school training, etc. rather than mentioning TV appearances or political appointments. When a physician speaks, he should have a specialty that would be tied to the topic as well. For instance, this doctor mentions being a surgeon. That carries a bit less weight than a pulmonologist or infectious disease specialist or even an emergency physician or family physician who are on the front lines.
- Over-simplification of statistics can be suspect as well. These claims of why ENTIRE COUNTRIES are seeing such low numbers, claiming it MUST be because of this treatment and not because of effective prevention because of masks, tracking, etc. (Beware of oversimplification of something this complex)
- Consider Motives. This is most obvious when someone is trying to peddle a product – medication, therapy, book, etc. But occasionally it might be for other reasons, like notoriety. I see no clear red flags in this case, but this is often the most obvious warning sign that something is amiss.
- Let’s take these one by one:
- 1) Evidence that is anecdotal-the bugaboo of all medical science.That terrible enemy of all Empirical processes.But you know what?!”There is more reality in anecdotes than in all the scientific literature(Ibrahimic aphorism lol)How did you chose your last vacation spot(anecdotal evidence lol).How did you choose your last partner lol?Unless you went on a dating site lol Anecdotal evidence etc.,etc.What they are saying is: “Don’t listen to anyone.Just read the peer-reviewed journals.”Then you will get lost for sure.Ok. Then be guided by an expert who studies them regularly.But the experts like Fauci don’t listen,don’t look elsewhere,don’t really think deeply.They just accumulate data.i.e Empiricism!Never ignore anecdotal evidence! It can be life-saving!
- 2) Lacking specific numbers. They had very specific numbers in the Lancet study that had to be retracted-from 95,000 patients(probably the reason it got published!These people are omnibulated by numbers.Like some men with breast-size lol)
- 3)Bashing all the major international health authorities.Duh… Well,they have been wrong on nearly everything about this virus so I don’t see that as a big problem!
- 4)Consider the Source – Credentials Matter. I see! So if he were a respiratory physician he would be credible?!But as a surgeon he is not. Then I guess we need to listen to Trump lol He’s the president,the top of the food chain. Personal Anecdote lol: I once went to be evaluated at The Shouldice Hernia Clinic outside of Toronto.They saved me from an unnecessary operation! All the doctors there are recycled physicians.The vast majority are not even surgeons .But they have the best results for any hernia clinic in the world.No.Credentials are NOT what is most important.Knowing how to get the job done is what counts.
5)Consider motives. Aha,the last-ditch attempt to deny real knowledge.Impute a selfish motive! They do it in politics all the time.Why not in medicine?!Since the drug in question is very cheap,they can’t impute a greed element.It must be the search for notoriety.Maybe he’s looking to sell a book like John Bolton lol? This is obscene.
So there you go.If you want to mistrust,I would suggest you go to the top of the food chain-the so-called experts.There are a lot of good people like this Christian doctor looking for practical solutions rather than ideological and greedy ones.We need to listen more to them and less to experts!
