Tempering the need to treat at all costs

Heath and Montori’s article on responding to the crisis in modern healthcare reminded me of Robert Lustig’s words: “Treatment is not cure—it’s not even treatment.”12 The idea persists that the right pill can be found, and if enough money is spent, the problem will be solved and the waiting list reduced. Understandably, this mechanistic view, driven by crisis, has turned medicine into a conveyor belt.We have put our faith in science and lost sight of the person who is the reason for our being there. No pill replaces the touch of a hand or the look of concern. No pill enables discussion of whether a patient has had enough of treatment and wants to be left alone to die. Sometimes roses are more useful, more important, than bread. Given the poor general health of so many people in high income countries, roses might end up being the cure.In a career…
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