by: lim ju boo
Professor Dr Marilyn Li Ching who is a regular contributor in a WhatsApp group recently sent me this video for my comment.
1. How Medicine was Hijacked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
2. Dr Peter Gotzsche on drugs as 3rd leading cause of death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
There is also another video I saw here:
3. Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime: How Big Pharma Has Corrupted Healthcare
https://www.goodreads.com/
After viewing all these videos. here's my comment.
But first, let me write very briefly on the history of medicine.
History of medicine:
The transition from natural remedies to synthetic drugs was driven by scientific advancements but also by corporate profit motives. While synthetic drugs have saved lives, the modern pharmaceutical industry prioritizes patents, high pricing, and market control over accessibility and affordability. The challenge remains in balancing innovation with ethical medicine.
As far as I know the earliest records of natural products were depicted on clay tablets in cuneiform from Mesopotamia (2600 B.C.) which documented oils from Cupressus sempervirens (Cypress) and Commiphora species (myrrh) which are still used today to treat coughs, colds and inflammation . The Ebers Papyrus (2900 B.C.) is an Egyptian pharmaceutical record, which documents over 700 plant-based drugs ranging from gargles, pills, infusions, to ointments. The Chinese Materia Medica (1100 B.C.) (Wu Shi Er Bing Fang, contains 52 prescriptions), Shennong Herbal (~100 B.C., 365 drugs) and the Tang Herbal (659 A.D., 850 drugs) are documented records of the uses of natural products . The Greek physician, Dioscorides, (100 A.D.), recorded the collection, storage and the uses of medicinal herbs, whilst the Greek philosopher and natural scientist, Theophrastus (~300 B.C.) dealt with medicinal herbs.
Aspirin's discovery began with the ancient use of willow bark for pain relief, leading to the synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) by Felix Hoffmann at Bayer in 1897, which was then marketed as a pain reliever in 1899. The use of willow bark for pain relief and fever reduction dates back thousands of years, with Sumerians and Egyptians using it for medicinal purposes. The synthesis of Aspirin started in 1897, when Felix Hoffmann, a chemist at the Bayer company, synthesized acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), the active ingredient in aspirin, by modifying salicylic acid. Bayer, was a German pharmaceutical company that patented the process and marketed the drug under the name "Aspirin" in 1899. After Aspirin lost its patent rights, other pharmaceutical companies began to manufacture other analgesics such as NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
The same scenario is with other antibiotics after the discovery of penicillin after the Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin in 1928 while working at St. Mary's Hospital in London, noticing a mold inhibiting bacterial growth on a contaminated petri dish, leading to the development of the first
First of all, I must straight away say it is not entirely true that drugs are unless. There are many drugs that are life-saving and irreplaceable as they can act very fast to stabilize a patient especially in a medical emergency. I have written some examples here:
Here are further examples:
1. Epinephrine (Adrenaline) – Used in anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) and cardiac arrest.
2. Aspirin – Essential for heart attack and stroke prevention.
3. Insulin – Vital for type 1 diabetes management.
4. Antibiotics (Penicillin, Vancomycin, Meropenem, etc.) – Critical for bacterial infections and sepsis.
5. Steroids (Dexamethasone, Prednisone) – Used for severe inflammatory conditions and autoimmune disorders.
6. Anticoagulants (Heparin, Warfarin, DOACs) – Prevent blood clots that could cause strokes or pulmonary embolisms.
7. Antiviral Drugs (Tamiflu, Paxlovid, Remdesivir, etc.) – Used for severe viral infections, including influenza, COVID-19, and HIV/AIDS.
8. Chemotherapy Drugs (Cisplatin, Doxorubicin, Imatinib, etc.) – Essential for treating various cancers.
9. IV Fluids and Electrolytes – Lifesaving in dehydration, shock, and metabolic imbalances.
10. Oxygen Therapy & Ventilators – Indispensable in respiratory failure, pneumonia, and critical care settings.
Some of these drugs especially emergency drugs, and powerful antibiotics are very life savings.
While many chronic diseases require lifestyle-based solutions, there are pharmaceutical drugs that have undoubtedly saved millions of lives.
As I have some training in emergency medicine let me very briefly in a nutshell explore this area.
Here are more key examples of life-saving drugs that are absolutely essential.
A. Emergency & Critical Care Drugs
- Epinephrine (Adrenaline) – Used for anaphylactic shock, severe asthma attacks, and cardiac arrest.
- Atropine – Used in emergencies to increase heart rate during severe bradycardia (slow heartbeat).
- Norepinephrine & Dopamine – Critical for septic shock to maintain blood pressure and circulation.
- Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid) – Rapidly given during heart attacks to prevent clot expansion.
- Nitroglycerin – Used to relieve angina (chest pain) and heart attacks by dilating coronary arteries.
- Thrombolytics (e.g., Alteplase, Streptokinase, Tenecteplase) – Dissolve blood clots in strokes and heart attacks.
B. Life-Saving Antibiotics & Antivirals
- Penicillin & Cephalosporins – Still crucial for treating bacterial infections like pneumonia, syphilis, and meningitis.
- Vancomycin – One of the last-resort antibiotics for MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infections.
- Doxycycline & Azithromycin – Effective against malaria, bacterial pneumonia, and Lyme disease.
- Rifampin & Isoniazid – Key drugs for tuberculosis treatment.
- Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) & Remdesivir – Used for severe cases of influenza and COVID-19.
- HIV Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) – Drugs like Tenofovir, Efavirenz, and Dolutegravir allow HIV-positive individuals to live long lives with undetectable viral loads.
C. Surgical & Anesthetic Drugs
- Propofol & Midazolam – Used in surgeries and intensive care for anesthesia and sedation.
- Lidocaine & Bupivacaine – Local anesthetics for pain relief during procedures.
- Heparin & Warfarin – Essential for preventing deadly blood clots during surgeries.
These drugs are not lifestyle medicines but true life-saving interventions. They remain indispensable for acute, life-threatening conditions.
The Problem with Pharmaceutical Dominance in Chronic Diseases
Let me point out, chronic lifestyle diseases (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.) cannot be "cured" by drugs, they are simply managed indefinitely. This benefits Big Pharma, which profits from lifelong patients.
Examples of chronic disease drugs that do not "cure" are:
Statins (e.g., Lipitor, Crestor) – Reduce cholesterol but don’t address the root cause of cardiovascular disease.Instead of using drugs let us dive into integrative medicine first.
Integrative medicine is an approach that combines conventional allopathic (western) medicine with evidence-based complementary therapies to treat the whole person - body, mind, and spirit, rather than just the symptoms of disease. It focuses on lifestyle, nutrition, mind-body connection, and natural therapies alongside conventional treatments like pharmaceuticals and surgery.
I see several key strengths and considerations regarding integrative medicine:
Strengths of Integrative Medicine
1. Holistic Approach – It considers not just the disease but also the patient’s overall well-being, including diet, stress, sleep, exercise, and emotional health. This is in line with modern understanding that lifestyle factors significantly impact chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer.
2. Personalized Treatment - Integrative medicine often tailors treatments to individual patients, considering genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. This agrees well with the emerging field of personalized medicine.
3. Preventive Care Focus - Unlike conventional medicine, which often focuses on treating diseases after they appear, integrative medicine strongly emphasizes prevention, which is key to reducing the burden of chronic diseases.
4. Less Dependence on Pharmaceuticals - While conventional medicine heavily relies on drugs, integrative medicine incorporates non-pharmaceutical treatments like acupuncture, herbal medicine, meditation, and nutritional therapy, which can sometimes be equally effective and have fewer side effects.
5. Scientific Basis for Some Complementary Therapies - Some integrative approaches, such as mindfulness, yoga, and plant-based nutrition, have strong scientific backing in improving health outcomes, especially in mental health, inflammation reduction, and chronic pain management.
Challenges and Considerations
1. Lack of Regulation and Standardization - Unlike pharmaceuticals, many complementary therapies do not undergo rigorous clinical trials, making quality control and efficacy harder to verify. Some herbal remedies, for example, may have variable potency or interact with prescription drugs.
2. Risk of Pseudoscience - Some practitioners incorporate unproven or even harmful treatments. It is crucial to differentiate evidence-based integrative medicine from pseudoscientific or exaggerated health claims.
3. Mainstream Resistance - Despite growing interest, some conventional doctors view integrative medicine with skepticism, often due to the lack of extensive large-scale clinical trials for many complementary therapies.
4. Economic and Industry Influence - The pharmaceutical industry has long shaped modern medicine, sometimes limiting the integration of alternative approaches. This raises concerns about conflicts of interest and whether the best treatment options are always prioritized.
I see integrative medicine as a promising approach if it is grounded in scientific evidence. The future of medicine should not be a battle between conventional and alternative medicine but rather a fusion of the best, based on rigorous scientific validation. The ultimate goal should always be what benefits patients the most with the least harm.
The list of 50 integrative doctors I like to provide here as examples including well-known figures like Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Andrew Weil who show that even highly trained conventional physicians see the value in integrating nutrition, lifestyle, and natural therapies into medical practice. This is an encouraging trend.
Besides this list there are also other medical doctors and immunologists and scientists who too believe the body can heal itself if injured or diseased given the appropriate stimuli.
Among the medical doctors are:
1. Professor Dr Chang Jia Rui, MD a Taiwanese physician who wrote the book “The Body’s Natural Instinct: Understanding Your Body’s Healing Ability” . Professor Chang is the Honorary Professor and Chairman of the World Natural Medicine Foundation
2. Dr Vernon Coleman MD who wrote several books about the body as a natural medicine that can heal itself. Among the many books he wrote are: 1. Body Power 2. How To Stop Your Doctor Killing You 3. Anyone Who Tells You Vaccines Are Safe and Effective is Lying 4. Twelve essential medical secrets which could save your life 5. Mindpower: How to Use Your Mind to Heal Your Body.
3. Dr Jau-Fei Chen PhD who is a Nutritional Immunologist
4. Dr Niwa MD, PhD (Med), a well-known Japanese physician, immunologist and researcher who wrote a book called “Drugs Do Not Cure Disease”
Integrative medicine continues to gain recognition as healthcare professionals worldwide acknowledge the body's inherent ability to heal when provided with appropriate support. Beyond the practitioners I mentioned, numerous other doctors and scientists advocate for combining conventional medical treatments with complementary therapies to promote holistic healing. Here are some further notable figures in the field:
1. Dr. Andrew Weil, MD
Background: A pioneer in integrative medicine, Dr. Weil is the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.
Contributions: He emphasizes the body's natural healing capacity and advocates for a balanced approach that includes nutrition, mind-body interventions, and botanical medicines.
2. Dr. Mark Hyman, MD
Background: A family physician and a leading advocate for functional medicine, Dr. Hyman is the Head of Strategy and Innovation at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine.
Contributions: He focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic diseases through personalized treatments, including dietary changes and lifestyle modifications.
3. Dr. Avni Sali, MD, PhD
Background: An Australian surgeon and academic, Dr. Sali is the founder of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine (NIIM) in Melbourne.
Contributions: He has been instrumental in promoting integrative medicine in Australia, emphasizing evidence-based complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments.
4. Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD
Background: An endocrinologist and a prominent figure in mind-body medicine, Dr. Chopra has authored numerous books on health and wellness.
Contributions: He integrates principles from Ayurveda with modern medicine, focusing on meditation, yoga, and the mind's role in health and healing.
5. Dr. Joseph Mercola, DO
Background: An osteopathic physician, Dr. Mercola advocates for natural health approaches and preventive care.
Contributions: He emphasizes the importance of nutrition, exercise, and natural therapies in maintaining health and preventing disease.
6. Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, MD
Background: A physician with extensive training in herbal medicine, midwifery, and massage therapy, Dr. Low Dog has served on the faculty of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
Contributions: She focuses on women's health, dietary supplements, and integrative approaches to health and wellness.
7. Dr. David Katz, MD, MPH
Background: A preventive medicine specialist and founder of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.
Contributions: Dr. Katz emphasizes the role of lifestyle and nutrition in preventing chronic diseases and advocates for integrative approaches to healthcare.
These practitioners, among others, have significantly contributed to the field of integrative medicine, promoting a holistic approach that combines the best of conventional and complementary therapies to support the body's natural healing processes.
There is also a very thick and voluminous book I have called: “Integrative Medicine”
This book is edited by Dr David Rakel MD who is a Professor and Chair Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He edited this massive book written and contributed by over 100 specialist physicians, most of them with not just a medical MD degree, but also armed with additional qualifications such as, MSc, MS, ND, MPH, MHS, DO, ABIHM, FACOFP, RD, ABOIM, FAAFP, FRCP, MTS.
They all contributed chapters on conventional medicine together with other systems of medicine covering evidence-based references on medicine that incorporated botanicals, supplements, mind-body, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, exercise, spirituality, chelation therapy, disease-orientated approach among others.
I think of doctors and other people these days are reverting to other therapeutic modalities especially integrative medicine rather than depending solely on pharmaceuticals that are actually chemicals derived from petrochemicals as what the link above "How modern medicine has been highjacked" clearly revealed.
The book Integrative Medicine edited by Dr. David Rakel seems to be a monumental work in the field, reflecting the growing acceptance of integrative approaches by highly qualified medical professionals.
So Why Are More Doctors and Patients Turning to Integrative Medicine today?
The shift towards integrative medicine and away from a sole reliance on pharmaceuticals is driven by several interrelated factors:
1. The Limitations of Pharmaceuticals
While pharmaceuticals have revolutionized medicine, their over-reliance has led to concerns about side effects, drug resistance, toxicity, and long-term dependency.
Many drugs treat symptoms rather than root causes, especially in chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune disorders.
Petrochemical origins of many drugs raise concerns about biocompatibility and environmental impact, leading some to explore plant-based or holistic alternatives.
2. The Rise of Chronic Diseases and the Failure of Conventional Models
The modern world is facing an epidemic of lifestyle-related diseases (obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders).
Pharmaceuticals manage these conditions but rarely cure them.
Integrative medicine addresses lifestyle factors - diet, stress, exercise, environmental toxins, rather than just medicating symptoms.
3. Scientific Validation of Traditional & Complementary Therapies
Research has increasingly validated many traditional and alternative treatments:
Botanicals: Curcumin (turmeric) for inflammation, berberine for diabetes, and resveratrol for cardiovascular health.
Mind-body medicine: Meditation, yoga, and tai chi are now scientifically recognized for reducing stress, inflammation, and even altering gene expression.
Gut microbiome: The link between the microbiome and immunity, mental health, and chronic disease has validated probiotic and nutritional interventions.
4. The Public’s Increasing Awareness and Demand
People are more informed these days on nutrition, natural medicine, and preventive health.
There is growing distrust in Big Pharma, partly due to the perception that the industry prioritizes profit over patient well-being.
Social media and global access to research have democratized medical knowledge, allowing individuals to explore alternatives.
5. Shift in Medical Education & Research
Major institutions (Harvard, Stanford, University of Arizona, Cleveland Clinic, etc.) now have integrative medicine departments.
The NIH and other global health bodies fund research into herbal medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, and mind-body therapies.
Even the World Health Organization (WHO) supports traditional medicine integration, recognizing its value in primary healthcare. According to WHO, 80 % or more of the world population including those from advanced countries and highly educated people uses traditional medicine after they became disgruntled with conventional allopathic medicine that did not cure them except to control the disease and symptoms
Patients get very dissatisfied and disappointed when asked just take all these petroleum chemicals called ‘medicines’ for life in their doctors' beliefs these drugs could cure them of their diseases.
The Ideal Future: A Balanced Approach
I believe that integrative medicine is the future of healthcare, but it should be:
✔ Science-based, incorporating only therapies that have proven efficacy.
✔ Personalized, considering genetics, environment, and lifestyle.
✔ Preventive, reducing the need for pharmaceuticals in the first place.
Pharmaceuticals still have a vital role in emergency medicine, infections, and critical care, but for chronic disease, a holistic and integrative approach is superior.
Do we think mainstream medicine will eventually shift towards this model, or will resistance from the pharmaceutical industry slow its adoption a prominent physician asked me?
If you were to ask my opinion, I think conventional allopathic medicine that uses petroleum products as ‘medicines’ to ‘cure’ has never ‘cured’ any disease especially lifestyle diseases like heart disease caused by high blood pressure and high cholesterol, stroke, asthma, coronary artery disease, and most types of cancers, etc, etc will not get very far as most patients are now very educated and very intelligent.
The Big Pharma and the pharmaceutical industry purposely make it this way so that after spending billions of US dollars developing their drugs over 10 - 15 years, they need to continue to reap lifelong profits out of them. The patients themselves too, trust their doctors that their ‘medicines’ could permanently ‘cure’ them.
I think we can blame this on the history of drug industry. Let's have a look how all these problem began with a brief history of profit-driven drug manufacturing.
For most of human history, medicines were derived from natural sources, plants, minerals, and animal products. Traditional systems like Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and herbalism relied on these remedies. However, the industrial era and advances in chemistry led to a major shift toward synthetic drugs, transforming medicine into a highly profitable industry.
1. Early Natural Medicines
Before the 19th century, remedies were largely plant-based, such as willow bark (aspirin precursor) and cinchona bark (quinine for malaria). These were often prepared by herbalists, apothecaries, and traditional healers.
2. Rise of Synthetic Pharmaceuticals (19th – Early 20th Century)
- 1804: Morphine was isolated from opium, marking the beginning of pharmaceutical chemistry.
- 1856: William Henry Perkin’s accidental discovery of synthetic dyes inspired the chemical industry, which later contributed to drug synthesis.
- 1897: Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) was synthesized by Bayer, one of the first blockbuster drugs, shifting medicine from natural extracts to lab-based production.
3. The Birth of Big Pharma (20th Century)
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1928: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, but it wasn’t until WWII that companies like Pfizer industrialized its production, showing the profit potential of mass-producing antibiotics.
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1950s – 1970s: The pharmaceutical industry exploded with drugs like corticosteroids, benzodiazepines, and statins. Synthetic drug patents allowed companies to monopolize medicines and generate enormous profits.
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Thalidomide Scandal (1950s-60s): The rush for profit led to ethical failures, such as the thalidomide tragedy, where a sedative caused birth defects.
