Integrative Medicine Specialists and Oncologists are now throwing stones at each others glass homes. What do you think?

[Attitude67]

Dr. Joesph Mercola has been called a charlatan by pharmaceutical companies and traditional practitioners. However Dr. Mercola is being followed by millions, physicians included, because he believes that the mainstream medical community is too apt to put patients on useless prescription drugs, which relieve symptoms but often don’t address the underlying causes of disease. Recently, Dr. Mercola has expanded his mission from providing provocative information to openly advocating his health-care beliefs and going up against what he sees as powerful corporate interests controlling the health-care industry.

He recently interviewed, Annie Brandt — herself a 16-year cancer survivor and author of "The Healing Platform: Build Your Own Cure!"— and shared some of the support detailed in her book, which can give anyone challenged with cancer access to valuable resources. Both he and she stated....

"Amazingly, oncology is the only specialty in medicine that is allowed and, may I say, encouraged to sell drugs at massive profits — typically in excess of 50 percent — and cancer drugs are, as a general category, the most expensive medications in all of medicine to begin with.

Oncologists actually get a commission for the chemotherapy drugs they sell, and with that type of incentive, it's nearly impossible to imagine them actively seeking other alternatives. As a result, patients are typically forced to go it alone if they don't want to go the conventional route. Oncologists are further constrained by the "standard of care" prescribed by oncology medical boards and the drug industry. If they go against the established standard of care, they're susceptible to having their license reprimanded or even taken away."

If you want a better look at this Mercola he was interviewed on the Dr. Oz show on 2-1-17. Controversial guys but thought provoking all the same...What do you think?

[matt2001]

In Canada I found the seperation between surgons and radiologist to be disturbing, instead of seeing both most men chose there prostate treatment seeing one or the other. Which really does give a distorted view as clearly if you ask a surgeon he is always going to be biased in favour of his own knoweldge and skills , and visa versa for radiologists. We are all biased according to our own experience and of course in some cases our potential rewards..

I assumed in Canada no commision is paid for drugs.. I could be very wrong and I will check...

[bdriggers in reply to matt2001]

That doesn't sound right. Do you have a link outside of Dr. Mercola about commissions being paid?

[Attitude67 in reply to bdriggers]

Not every provider is a profiteer but patients need to be aware that this is how these people make a living and understand that for most capitalism is more of a driving force than altruism.

[tjdillon]

Another view: kevinmd.com/blog/2012/07/on... I found several articles on the web alluding to this "buy-and-bill" practice within the oncology profession.

[pjoshea13]

Some years ago, my urologist told me that when urologists & oncologists were getting $1,000 for a Lupron shot, "We were all doing it!" In 2003(?), Medicare removed the profit motive, & the use of Lupron for indolent local disease decreased dramatically.

Interestingly, in the early days of the PSA era, while new cases spiked, there was also a slight but noticable increase in mortality rates. That was not supposed to happen. But if you rush men into Lupron treatment, you also rush them into CRPC. For some, that hastened their death.

With the Lupron cash cow dried up, some large urology groups entered into arrangements with radiologists:

"Instead of referring their patients to independent radiation oncologists or hospitals, some urologists began to lease or buy IMRT facilities, which officials say can cost at least $3 million, and hire or partner with radiation oncologists." [1]

"According to an analysis by MedPac, Medicare payments for radiation therapy for cancer to physicians outside hospitals who were not radiologists or radiation oncologists jumped 84 percent - to $104 million - between 2003 and 2008. Urologists were among those at the top of the list of non-radiation oncologists or radiologists getting reimbursed for these treatments." [1]

Here's what Dr. Dattoli (radiologist) had to say [2]:

"Here is the crux of the problem: Urologists are not trained in radiation therapy and have absolutely no connection with the actual clinical administration of radiation. Due to the recent joint ventures in which urologists have a vested financial interest and managerial role, these centers have a deleterious impact on a patient’s choice of treatment. e urologist and radiation oncologists have partnered in order to be able to o er a sophisticated form of external beam radiation therapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation erapy (IMRT), which is now reimbursed by Medicare at a higher rate than surgery. Medicare will reimburse for IMRT as much as $40,000 (depending on the geographical location). By contrast, Medicare reimburses about $7,000 for a radical prostatectomy or $1,500 for seed implants (not including the hospital stay)."

My impression of Mercola is that he has never seen a supplement that he hasn't liked, hyped or sold.

-Patrick

[1] (2011) washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/c...

[2] dattoli.com/wp-content/uplo...

[Daddyishealing]

Dr. Mercola s a very very intelligent man. Many alternative practitioners have been threatened some killed or died mysterioudky. The two schools of thought need to come together for complementary care. Dr.majid ali, is holistic bit also believes in chemo for certain cancers including stage 4 prostate. Brilliant work he does but he also profits high by putting his name on vitamins in his clinic. Money, always money. So sad to me. Sadly. From diagnosis on there's a million dollar price tag on people. But we must focus on healing and be grateful that though there are a million flaws we still have a medical system surpassing so many countries and some of the newest technology . Heal well all. Peace to all

[Hidden]

The minute one of Mercola's shpiels lapses into a sales pitch, I bail. I also doubt many of his other diatribes. However, I am convinced by independent research that his exercise paradigms are on the money.

What I have read about even legitimate doctors' drug biases is that they carry only one or two lines, and resist pts who want another fully approved drug for the same purpose. Try to buy a Pepsi in a movie theater that carries Coke.

[GARunner1]

I would advise caution when making statements about reimbursements to physicians and hospitals and other facilities. The payments are a very complicated matter and there are some providers and facilities that game the system. Things that do not seem right happen. I heard a prostate specialist's talk recently in which there was questioning about prescribing marginal treatments that may not be indicated. I heard on the news that some type of cancer drug (not for PCa) being used in Europe is coming here at 8 - 9 times the cost of what it is there. I understand being suspicious, but believe we have to be very careful not to paint with a broad brush.

I am also concerned that when costs for specific treatments are quoted that we also do not over generalize. Costs and payments, even by Medicare, vary regionally. My 8/14 robotic assisted radical prostatectomy was billed out by the surgeon at $5300 and my Medicare Advantage Plan paid $1750. The hospital charged $46700 for a one day stay, but was paid a total of $7250. The itemized bill showed a charge of $265 for 100 acetaminophen, of which I received two.

There is a lot to question about the economics of dealing with this disease. I am not disputing that. I am saying if we do not have facts to support the concerns, they will not be taken seriously. Thanks for the opportunity to respond.

[Hidden in reply to GARunner1]

Here's how Rothman Institute, in Philly, gamed the system using me. During my time in the AF, I was in having my shoulder chk'd a lot. I was always told it was Bursitis. I couldn't throw a baseball or anything, to play with my son growing up. About twenty years later, I tore my bicep tendon. Not torn, as much as detached from my shoulder. God-awful pain. When the surgery was done, they found that I had a tear in my rotar cuff, and repaired it while they were there.

A while later, I get a statement from these guys wanting me to pay a $1200 co-pay. I said, "WHAT?"! So, as I peruse the statement, I got more and more, freakin' pissed off. What they did was bill two separate surgeries, the same exact implements, tools, extra tendon material from dead guy, sutures, everything. I found it to be the most stupid bill I ever got. I never did pay the co-pay. Thieves with a Phd.

[Hidden]

I think Oz is a charlatan

[dmt1121]

Having experienced many types of treatment modalities over my lifetime (outside of PC), I can say that I believe everything is worth considering and there are certainly turf wars out there between corporate pharma, mainstream medicine and alternative treatments. I find the lack of cross pollination troubling but not out of the ordinary. The difference now is that many more people are considering alternative treatments that are not main stream. I think that the more that each group learns about the other and their treatment protocols and results, the more they can effectively utilize their own protocols to help patients. I don't think it is an "either" "or" set of options but a "what" and "when" to use them. Every protocol and modality does not have a place at the table for every illness, even when the illness is seemingly the same.

[Hidden]

A short visit ti "Dr" Mercola's website tells you more about what a loon he is.