Doctors to withhold treatments in campaign against 'too much medicine'

[bananas]

Source: Guardian

Doctors are to stop giving patients scores of tests and treatments, such as x-rays for back pain and antibiotics for flu, in an unprecedented crackdown on the “over-medicalisation” of illness.

In a move that has roused fears that it will lead to the widespread rationing of NHS care, the body representing the UK’s 250,000 doctors is seeking to ensure that patients no longer undergo treatment that is unlikely to work, may harm them and wastes valuable resources.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges wants to bring an end to a culture of “too much medicine” in which “more is better” and doctors feel compelled to always “do something”, often because they feel under pressure from the patient, even though they know that the treatment recommended will probably not work.

<snip>

The academy – whose 21-member medical royal colleges represent different types of doctors such as GP, surgeons and hospital physicians – has decided to introduce a policy called Choosing Wisely, which is already used in the US, Australia, Germany and other countries. It aims to get doctors to “stop using various interventions that are not supported by evidence, free from harm, and truly necessary”.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/12/doctors-to-withhold-treatments-in-campaign-against-too-much-medicine

[Fearless]

1. OMG death panels!!L!!111!

[redruddyred]

2. they do this here b/c

$$$$$$$$$
anyhow, half the shit big pharma comes up with is hardly better than placebo, and about 1000 times more expensive.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Good. Today most doctors don't know how to diagnose illness, just test it to death. And they

give out antibiotics like candy. The more useless tests and drugs, the more money they bring in.

[treestar]

4. Doesn't sound like withholding treatment but

not giving unnecessary treatment.

That they gave in to patients undermines some right wing argument against national health care.

[Helen Borg]

5. And yet...

When the time for these doctors and their loved ones to be in that situation, most likely they'll find ways to access thise same treatments that ate not "likely" to work... That is the part that bothers me.

[Overseas]

6. K&R. Glad to hear it. We over-medicalize here too. Too many prescriptions.

And more prescriptions to counteract the side effects of the other prescriptions.

[Bigmack]

7. Several years ago, my elderly aunt was apparently dying

She had no children of her own, and after mom died, my brother and I sort of adopted her as a sort of "mom." And we had medical power of attorney. There came a time when she no longer recognized us, and was totally incoherent. With the agreement of the "home" that she was in, we called in Hospice. They took her off all but one of the medications that she was on, agreeing that she was probably at death's door. Within a few days, she was improving significantly, and she went on to live for another year and a half....pretty much her old, somewhat stubborn, self! The hospice folks and the retirement home folks agreed that her ex-pharmacist doctor had her WAY over medicated! Ms Bigmack

[llmart]

8. I am continually amazed.....

at the amount of prescriptions that people who are seniors (like me) take. When I was looking at the house that I eventually bought from a couple in their early 80's, I was opening cupboards in the kitchen and one entire huge shelf was filled with prescription bottles. My agent and I were just speechless. I can't imagine how my own grandparents lived into their 80's without having any of that stuff. Well, I do remember my grandfather drinking Geritol every day, but now I know it had a fairly high level of alcohol in it

[Vinca]

9. Good for them.

In this country "patients" are known as "customers" who will generate cash for the medical industrial complex. Just a day or 2 ago I saw a story about a guy who was billed $33 for "smoking cessation treatment." The office nurse told him to stop smoking. Ka-ching.