How does My Plate give them any power? You said, “it’s not like they’ll listen anyway.” Looks more like lack of power.
Not all of RFKs ideas are terrible. The food system is obviously broken. Removing toxins from the environment is good. Prescription drug prices in the US are very high. I read RFKs environmental book, some of his environmental points are strong… his understanding of medicine is not.
But Covid required real leadership. Canada and the US are different places, but the death toll in the US per capita was almost three times higher in the US. Canadians, a compliant bunch, generally wore masks and got vaccinated. Ivermectin is effective against certain worm infections, but not viruses. Maybe I’d have a higher opinion of it if I had a brain worm. Not sure about the Central Park bear cub. Pretty sure you don’t want to inject bleach. There are valid discussions on informed personal choice, but good information matters.
So, how does Mr. Kennedy plan to make America healthy again?
Not by addressing issues like poverty, obesity, gun violence, climate change and infectious diseases like COVID and bird flu. But by rolling back some of the greatest public health successes in history, like childhood vaccination, fluoridation and food safety regulation while improving access to unproven therapies. MAGA meets woo.
The data on vaccination is very solid. The studies suggesting fluoride causes a drop in the IQ in rural China are poorly done and there are a thousand other possible explanations, but the best fluoride dose is not known, and it deserves limited study in the US, though still should continue until there is better information. There is no doubt adding fluoride improves dental care, but there are other ways to get it. It is not like it will cease to be in toothpaste where the same (unproven and likely false) concerns exist.
But will a Trump government really roll back massive subsidies to corn growers – most of whom are in the Republican heartland – because they produce unhealthy corn syrup? Is the way to tackle drug prices by slashing research budgets, or by actually regulating prices, like most countries do?
Some people enjoy Trump placing bulls in these China-Shop institutions, and some could doubtless do with some changes. As a libertarian I much prefer smaller government, but not ineffective government. Science is what fuels human progress. To ignore or diminish science and data is to turn one’s back on the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and the benefits of Silicon Valley.
Health institutions actually do important things to protect the American people. A marginal leader is one thing. Getting rid of the scientists and institutional memory for no real reason could cause much lasting damage, though some of this is probably bluster. Incompetent decisions will be remembered when the next election rolls around. Trump himself got Covid, and the best possible care. There will be future pandemics and health challenges. Future presidents might choose to look directly at the sun during a partial eclipse. The decisions made matter.
(Classic comedy: the homeopathic emergency room. YouTube video is under three minutes.)
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Breaking news.
At least Dr. Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon. Wouldn’t be my choice, (physicians don’t always like his alternative medicine shilling or praise of hydroxychloroquine during COVID), but you need to have studied a lot of science and medicine to do cardiac surgery well. As a Canadian, American health care seems byzantine to me.
“You get an enema! You get an enema!”…
I wouldn’t worry too much about any person “upending the apple cart.” The inertia of the FDA is far greater than any man.
Not explicitly, but it’s a different beast in terms of marketing, staff time, logistics etc. not to say
We couldn’t but I value the quality of patient care we provide and 90% of guys aren’t like folks on this site that are well versed in hormonal health. The likelihood of getting any good continuing quality of care from dedicated staff (same 1 or 2 people each doctor interaction) is non existent in that space. I’m open to it but would want to figure out a model that I can add value beyond just pushing vials
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The biggest reason why I didn’t follow up with my TRT guy is because they charge $250 per consult.
If this was cheaper, or had no-charge quick questions for dialing things in, I’d be more on board with it.
The best model I’ve seen is letting the patient experiment and figure out what works for them. I’m also a libertarian absolutist here, so take it with a grain of salt.
It’s a demonstration of their power. In this case, the power to push a government funded lie.
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You mean the corruption has gone on so long and is so deeply entrenched that it is virtually impossible to change. I unfortunately agree here.
4char
I’ve seen him defend his understanding of the medical system and he comes across as very competent.
Such as?
How is he doing this? By forbidding people to vaccinate?
Like the FDA?
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If only. CEO’s need to be put behind bars. Until there is a measurable consequence for these murders for profit then nothing will change.
So our clinic is $200 per month including labs (every 3 months) and unlimited consults. I’ve had a lot of feedback about telehealth and also local clinics that will upcharge for dosage changes and/or consults and I just think it’s bad business. Much better to be transparent and set a price that covers your costs and allows you to provide a high quality of service.
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… did you look at the same picture I did? Because he literally said he’s going to do that.
Just sharing information here.
Defy Medical (telehealth) is about $1500 per year with 2 consults and 2 blood draws at 200mg/wk test only.
Matrix Hormones was about $1800 for the same. Cheaper test, more expensive consults.
I appreciate what you do and why you do it, so this is just information sharing. Maybe it’s helpful, maybe it’s not.
Lawyers are trained to speak well. This is not the same as deep understanding or competence.
Limited gift link:
https://wapo.st/4eGDB42
Normal link (same article):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/11/15/rfk-jr-views-conspiracies-false-claims/
Using the Washington Post as a factual compass is risky business.
Who knew RFK was a fascist?
I don’t fully agree with everything in the Post article. But it is likely to be more accurate than Random Internet Dude. Risky business is taking ivermectin for anything other than worms, but not giving your kid an MMR dose.
In my third year of postgraduate study, I went to India for a month. I saw many people with diseases rare in Canada - such as leprosy, polio and tetanus. Even diseases like chicken pox or measles can have rare severe complications like deafness or encephalitides (swollen brain). Through the immense progress of vaccines, these tragic diseases are preventable. In America 150 years ago, the average male life expectancy was only 40.
Contrary to what many believe, something like 97% of children in places like Africa are now fully vaccinated (only three countries worldwide have low vaccination levels). Had you seen how much damage these diseases caused in the past, and how weak the link between autism and vaccines seems to be - this is not a difficult decision. People can express their own opinion on vaccination, but they are not entitled to their own facts. I’m not going to argue it further, though, just because someone on the internet is wrong.
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I understand the argument that allowing telehealth means that less people are going to clinics and that means it is harder for clinics to stay sustainable.
But the reality is that a lot of people go to the doctor for things that can be treated remotely. Lots of doctor trips, particularly for children, involve a doctor reaching a common diagnosis upon cursory inspection and then prescribing medication. In some cases, people already even know what medication is needed but have to go to the doctor for the prescription because the medicine is not OTC. In this system, the medical profession has a rent-seeking feel to it where doctors are simply charging a toll for access to medicine.
Of course, doctors do a lot of good and not all diagnoses are simple. Hands on care is often required to diagnose and treat many conditions. Access to this care is vital to communities and making sure that it is available and financially viable in more remote locations is important. However, I don’t think it makes sense to fund that care through tolling medication.
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