29 Aug The Dangers of Biological Drugs (Part II)
No Free Lunch
Paul Goldberg,MPH,DC,DACBN,DCBCN
See Part I of this article here:
https://www.goldbergtenerclinic.com/blog/the-dangers-of-biological-drugs
The new generation of TNF alpha blocking drugs, now prescribed widely by rheumatologists, dermatologists, internists and a host of other medical physicians presents a good example of a façade or illusion. An illusion that we can ignore the causes of ill health, that we can ignore the necessities needed to build vitality and hit the jackpot by taking an injection or infusion. A “Free Lunch.” How easily we are misled.
When we have a warning light flashing in our automobile indicating that the car is overheating or that it needs oil or gas, we are wise to address it specifically as to its need and do so quickly. If we put tape over the warning light or cover it with our hands we may think that the problem has been remedied. After all, the annoying symptom that the car is manifesting, the blinking light, is now gone. A few minutes, an hour or a few days later, however, we are dismayed to find out that the car will no longer run and indeed may now not even be amenable to being fixed, as the damage is too great. The opportunity to provide the right conditions for the car…the addition of lubricant, fuel or coolant, is now lost.
When we experience pain and inflammation, be it in our joints, our intestines, on our skin or elsewhere, it as a signal something is amiss. The pharmaceutical industry and their purveyors the medical profession, can easily write a prescription for a drug to suppress the symptoms and send us on our way (with the suggestion that we “try this.”) Inflammation and pain, however, are not the problems, they are but warning signs the body conveys through our nervous system, like the warning light on the car, telling us something is wrong. The medical physician treats this by putting his hand over the warning light i.e. by writing a prescription…ignoring why the pain or inflammation is present. He or she may name the symptom e.g. bursitis, arthritis, tendonitis, dermatitits, tonsilities, appendicitis, colitis buth the symptom is not the cause of itself. The danger is not only that we lose the opportunity to address what is amiss but also that we harm ourselves by allowing the problem to continue to fester. With the very popular tumor necrosis alpha drug family (TNF) e.g. Humira, Enbrel, Remicaide, we also risk the dangers of immunosuppression e.g. lymphoma (cancer), infections and ironically, further autoimmune symptoms such as multiple sclerosis.
With severe symptoms as commonly seen in “Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcerative Colitis, Systemic Lupus, Crohn’s Disease, Psoriasis”, and a broad number of other “autoimmune” issues, physicians are quick to engage these dangerous drugs. When they first arrived on the scene about fifteen years ago, they were used, due to their known dangers, as drugs of last resort. In Europe they are used more cautiously than in the United States. I predict that the many side effects we know about are not going to be the last we hear of as time will bring about more dangers regarding these toxic pharmaceutical agents.
It was only in the 1990’s that the new pharmaceutical darlings of the time, Celebrex and Vioxx were heralded as the wonder drugs of choice for those with inflammatory issues, particularly the arthratides. Many new patients asked me if they should take them. I cautioned that the dangers would become evident with time and urged patients to seek out causes of their diseases and adopt programs to rebuild their health step by step, rather than gamble on the latest pharmaceutical marvels.
After a brief run where millions of prescriptions for these drugs were written by medical professionals eager to give their patients the latest and greatest, both of these drugs were taken off the market and held responsible for causing a number of serious, even fatal side effects in patients. Celebrex was brought back but is considered a particularly hazardous drug today.
How do we “treat” autoimmune diseases? We don’t “treat” any diseases but rather seek to identify causes of ill health, address those causes, and create the right conditions for the body to evolve back into health. This has proven highly successful for most of our patients with a wide variety of “medical diagnoses” including those labeled with RA, SLE, Lupus, Ankylosing Spondylitis, etc., if they are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work necessary. It is never as easy as simply taking a pill or some injections but real improvements in health as opposed to cover-ups with toxic agents are the realized prize.
A medical physician who is a former rheumatologist scoffed at me recently, telling me that it is “impossible” for anyone who has been diagnosed with R.A., Lupus, Ankylosing Spondylitis, etc. to recover or “be cured.” Indeed, that is his experience with the way he (and other physicians) approach health and disease. No car ever recovered from an overheated engine by covering the warning light either!
Identification of Cause(s). Addressing the Cause(s) and Creating the right conditions for health to blossom. This is the way the Goldberg Tener Clinic has addressed chronic health problems for 40 years. Addressing causation rather than manifestation. People who have the will to get well can enjoy better health again through hard work and right actions. That is our experience.
Paul A. Goldberg,MPH,DC,DACBN,DCBCN
The Goldberg Tener Clinic
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