On February 16, 2012 a legislative committee of the Vermont House of Representatives discussed proposed Bill H.524, http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2012/bills/Intro/H-524.pdf, which if passed into law would give naturopaths, NDs, licensed in Vermont the opportunity to take a “pharmacology” exam and permit those who passed to “prescribe”.
Although I’m not a lawyer, I couldn’t understand how any government could pass such a vague law, one that didn’t specify what the test would cover, who would draw it up or what those who passed would be permitted to prescribe.
Based on my experience with NDs, I am certain that they do not have the education, skills or judgment required to safely and effectively prescribe drugs. I am certain that they know zilch about pharmacology and toxicology and believe that granting them the same privileges as medical doctors who practice evidence-based or scientific medicine have is dangerous. It is also highly deceptive in that it gives consumers the erroneous impression that NDs are the same as MDs when that is not true.
I expressed my concerns to the committee as did Ben, author of the blog, The Vermont Medicine Show, a Vermonter with a Masters in Philosophy but no college credits in any medical science. Ben explained his lack of qualifications to prescribe drugs and practice medicine to the committee and also told them that he had taken the “pharmacology” exam offered to NDs in Vermont and that he had passed it.
Harry Chen, MD, VT Commissioner of Health, and Chris Winters, an attorney and the Director of the VT Office of Professional Regulation, who are, I believe, the ones who introduced Bill H.524, spoke in favor of it as did naturopaths Sam Russo and William Warnock.
Sam and William represented VT NDs. I represented myself, the victim of an incompetent doctor; Ben represented himself, a VT small business owner and a concerned father. Madeleine Mongan, a lawyer with the Vermont Medical Society, was going to speak opposing the bill but do to lack of time, she had to return the following day to do so. Madeleine planned to give evidence showing that the NDs’ claim that their education is the equivalent of an MDs is erroneous.
Ben recorded some of the oral testimony and posted it on his blog: http://vermontmedicineshow.blogspot.com/2012/02/h524-naturopathic-prescription-license.html
This is the written testimony I submitted:
Hearing On Vermont Bill H.524
Naturopaths & Pharmacology
February 16, 2012
Belief-Based Medicine vs Evidence-Based Medicine
Naturopaths, NDs, lack the knowledge required to use drugs safely and effectively. They know nothing about pharmacology or toxicology.
Naturopaths practice a belief-based system of medicine rather than an evidence-based or scientific one. They believe in the healing power of nature and natural products. When presented with overwhelming evidence that their beliefs about silver were inaccurate and potentially dangerous, they ignored it showing that in addition to lacking the knowledge required to use drugs safely and effectively that they also lack the judgment required to do so.
Rosemary Jacobs
Representing myself, the victim of an incompetent medical doctor, an MD.
I attached hardcopy of the following:
http://rosemaryjacobs.com/naturopaths.html
From the following link to the VT ND Formulary
http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/naturopaths/info/Naturopathic Physician Formulary 20091211.pdf
I copied and submitted the unnumbered title page starting with, “Vermont Secretary of State Office of Professional Regulation 2009 Naturopathic Physician Formulary”, that precedes p. 1.
p. 1 marking the final item “Colloidal Silver Preparations”
p. 5 marking “Silver”
I also submitted hardcopy of:
A Wall Street Journal article by Jill Carroll (June 14, 2001; Marketplace; p. B1; Regulators Crack Down on Web’s New Miracle Cure: Colloidal Silver) which says that “federal regulators say it is a total scam.” It refers to colloidal silver.
Toxic Encounters Return with Us Now to Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear Argyrol and Argyria; Ronald B. Mack, MD (NCMJ; sep 1988; vol 49, # 9; p 451-2) in which Dr. Mack describes cases of argyria, skin discolored by silver, and argyrosis, eyes discolored by silver, that he had seen in medical school.
If anyone would like me to send them the last two, please let me know. Since they are copyrighted, I can’t post them.
naturopathic education, naturopathic medical schools, naturopaths vermont, sam russo, william warnock, prescription drugs, incompetent doctors, dangerous medicine
Why don't you go to Bastyr University or National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland and do the 4 year program first yourself, before you critize the profession? Don't forget to get your Science undergrad first.
ReplyDeleteIs that what you did Heartfelt Anonymous? Paid a lot of money and spent a lot of time at a school that offers a degree that doesn't provide lots of job opportunities other than clerking in a health fraud store?
ReplyDeleteAnd if you took undergraduate science courses at a college that teaches real science rather than the alternative ND kind, how do you reconcile what you learned there with the classical homeopathy taught in ND schools and practiced by their graduates? How do you reconcile the fact that NDs use and push supplements that have never been studied, something that those who practice scientific or evidence-based medicine know is the antithesis of science?
Why don't you have the guts to identify yourself? Why have you ignored the real issues? Why haven't you explained how it is that graduates of Bastyr and NCNM never learned in their 4 years of study that silver is a natural toxin that never should be taken internally and not an natural remedy or an essential mineral?
Why don't you address and explain this Ms. or Mr. Heartfelt Anonymous: http://rosemaryjacobs.com/naturopaths.html?
Or is it Ms. or Mr. Heartfelt Anonymous, ND?
If I were an ND, I would be mortified to learn how wrong the profess was about silver and how NDs had brushed off the person who told them. I'd be furious with them and thanking the messenger, not criticizing her. I'd also have very serious doubts about all that was taught in ND schools.
And that dear Heartfelt Anonymous is the crux of the problem. Not only are NDs totally ignorant about pharmacology and toxicology, they don't even have the emotional ability to admit and correct their mistakes yet they want to be revered as doctors and get all the privileges that go with the title.
Shame on you! You should be thinking about the welfare of the people who seek help from NDs rather than in getting NDs privileges they've never earned. But if you did that, you'd have to admit that you wasted lots of money and time on worthless degrees.
If the Vermont Medicine Show's site is down, you can view the video of some of the testimony here: http://vimeo.com/37305517
ReplyDelete