Posted by Tabitha on July 26, 2016, at 12:25:34
In reply to Lou's response-death by psychiatric drugs, posted by Lou PIlder on July 25, 2016, at 21:48:24
> > > In fact, there is no class of medications listed as a leading cause of death. It is all illnesses, accidents, and suicide.
> > >
> > > This is data from 2014:
> > > ... All causes 2,626,418 100.0 823.7
> > > 1 Diseases of heart (I00-I09,I11,I13,I20-I51) 614,348 23.4 192.7
> > > 2 Malignant neoplasms (C00-C97) 591,699 22.5 185.6
> > > 3 Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47) 147,101 5.6 46.1
> > > 4 Accidents (unintentional injuries) (V01-X59,Y85-Y86) 136,053 5.2 42.7
> > > 5 Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69) 133,103 5.1 41.7
> > > 6 Alzheimer's disease (G30) 93,541 3.6 29.3
> > > 7 Diabetes mellitus (E10-E14) 76,488 2.9 24.0
> > > 8 Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18) 55,227 2.1 17.3
> > > 9 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (N00-N07,N17-N19,N25-N27) 48,146 1.8 15.1
> > > 10 Intentional self-harm (suicide) (*U03,X60-X84,Y87.0) 42,773 1.6 13.4
> > > 11 Septicemia (A40-A41) 38,940 1.5 12.2
> > > 12 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (K70,K73-K74) 38,170 1.5 12.0
> > > 13 Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (I10,I12,I15) 30,221 1.2 9.5
> > > 14 Parkinson's disease (G20-G21) 26,150 1.0 8.2
> > > 15 Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids (J69) 18,792 0.7 5.9
> > > ... All other causes (residual) 535,666 20.4 168.0
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dozpAshvtsA
>
>The video shows Peter Gøtzsche claiming that prescription drugs are the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, that these drugs kill around 200,000 people in America every year, that half are death from side effects and half due to prescribing errors. That is a fantastic claim, given that it contradicts the actual death statistics from the CDC. Have you heard the phrase "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"? He is making an extraordinary claim, and providing no evidence other than his own statements.
He continues on with more fantastical claims, comparing the drug industry to the Mafia, claiming widespread corruption and bribery, again with no evidence other than his own statements. This is where I stopped listening and concluded he is a total crackpot.
Incidentally I notice that the video is on the Dr John McDougall channel. I'm familiar with his work. He promotes a low-fat vegan diet for which he makes a lot of un-substantiated health claims. He charges high fees for diet consultations and retreats. He has had medical colleagues ask him to present data to support his claims about the benefit of his diet, but he dismisses them, and believes he is capable on his own of determining that his diet works as advertised. This is very poor practice and borderline un-ethical. His colleagues understand that cognitive bias and other factors can easily mislead people into thinking treatments work when they don't. This is why rigorous testing has been used since the mid-20th-century. Dr McDougall insists such standards don't apply to him.
Not only does he promote and sell un-proven techniques, but he actively encourages people to stop their current medical treatments. He routinely advises people to stop their blood pressure and cholesterol medication. He advises people to treat breast cancer with only local excision, despite ample evidence that this increases relapse and decreases survival. He gives medical advice over email. Frankly I am surprised he still has a medical license. I assume his popularity insulates him from censure.
poster:Tabitha
thread:1090852
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20151112/msgs/1090881.html