Re: Why American Doctors Cringe - Setting The Record Straight

[Guest guest]

Dr. Kennedy is being very polite, but I don't agree.

The FDA, not the docs, are supposed to be protecting us from bad

devices. (Unfortunately, the FDA treats all meds and devices

equally so that we are protected from another thalidomide disaster -

whether the drug is for hemmeroids or cancer, the process is the

same; it is reasonable to wait for proof of efficacy for the

former and fatal for the latter; blind trials are great for make

sense for psychiatric illness and discourage participation in life

or death illness. In the case of the BHR - " annectodotal "

information from 25,000 BHRs is not acceptable. I'll get off my

soapbox!)

The OS's in everyday practice aren't even curious about hip

resurfacing, because they can't do it/get paid for doing it. All of

the everyday surgeons I visited tried to talk me out of it without

any valid information. The lack of intellectual curiousity about

the procedure on the part the OS's is frightening - they go to

national meetings where some information is presented, but somehow

they don't learn about it.

> I'm just trying to get the record straight here and am looking

> for verification or disqualification of this statement. I believe

> that the reason why American Doctors are so conservative about

what

> they want their patients to do or not do is NOT because they don't

> trust the devices but because they want to see the devices get

> approved so that insurance companies will cover all of us looking

to

> get a hip resurface.

>

> At least that is the impression that I got with Dr.

Kennedy

> and his group down in Sarasota, Florida. They loved the devices

but

> want to go easy until this thing is FINALLY approved by the FDA.

> The P.A. Mark in his office liked to share stories of people

pushing

> it past the limit even though he told me to go easy. One guy for

> example worked on a fishing boat and invited Mark to come see him

at

> work and go off-shore fishing for free basically. When Mark first

> got there he saw this patient who was 5 months after surgery slide

> down the mast of the boat and bounce off a cooler and jump on the

> deck, smiling all the time and saying " works pretty good, doesn't

> it? " . He told of another (a foot doctor) who went back to work

> only 4 weeks after surgery and I went back to work after 4.5 weeks.

>

> So once again I think the American doctors may be getting a bum

rap

> for trying to look out for our best long term interests which are

to

> get these things out there for all patients. Also, we have to

admit

> that the lawsuit frenzy in this country has some down sides.

>

> Jeff (01-03-03 C2K)

>

> P.S. I walked and jogged last night as I tried to imitate normal

> Americans trying to get back in shape after making a New Years

> resolution.