“Hopefully, one day, all of us who inhabit planet Earth will acquire species awareness so that fraternity will be a fundamental ethical imperative in the future of all humanity.”
There are people, without any scientific credential and the only knowledge of medicine happens to the patient (Pichel dixit), who has been given the task of saying that there are two types of professional exercise, one that is provided to the individual patient and another to the collective user. With all due respect, while highlighting the irresponsibility of his intrusion into an overly specialized field of neurons without academic training, he had never heard so much nonsense together. Leaving aside the monetary aspect and the comfort of the service, the practice of medicine must be identical both in the office and in the hospital, on the street or in the public sphere, that is, clinging to the best evidence currently available. Otherwise, the physician would demonstrate intellectual inconsistency and could fall into the category of imposter, by modifying his or her caregiving behavior according to appropriate interests.
Prior to global standardization on the practice of evidence-based medicine, Galen’s disciples made decisions influenced by different currents of thought: medicine based on experience (years of practice), on eminence (figure prestigious), in stridency (pride and arrogance), in eloquence (idiomatic rhetoric), in Providence (divine design), in complacency (adjusted to the desire and comfort of the patient) or in occurrence ( personal belief). Modern medicine, fortunately, has been nourished by the scrupulous scientific method of making preventive or therapeutic recommendations, weighted according to the rigor of clinical trials. These guidelines are periodically updated to be incorporated into global management protocols and thus ensure that health quality is similar in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America. Emphasis has also been placed on the need for all universities to incorporate research teaching into their students’ curricula. The pandemic, sadly, has stripped the shortcomings and deficiencies in medical knowledge of a not inconsiderable number of colleagues, especially in Third World countries.
This issue reminds me of my resignation from the Sunday column of the Press, after 22 uninterrupted years of autonomous opinions. Although I had previously had several displeasures over the volatile political impartiality in the journalistic line, my untimely departure was related to an unfortunate act of ethical incongruity. After a forceful editorial (Today for Today, November 2, 2020) on the harm posed by the promotion of spurious drugs, without proven benefit to alleviate COVID-19, where even the authorities were urged to apply sanctions to the irresponsible charlatans, the newspaper allowed, shortly after, the publication of an advertisement allegedly paid for by a related communicator, who prescribed pharmacological and botanical therapies to soon fight the disease, although none of these prescriptions had the support of prestigious associations scientific, national and international. In fact, all these mentioned panacea were quickly left in the world and kept in the trunk of the memories of the regional curanderismos. After my breakup, however, I continued to collaborate with exponents of good journalism in health (Aleida Samaniego and Ohigginis Arcia, among others) and enjoying the writings of doctors Marta Illueca and Néstor Sosa, who, in a way masterful, they occupied my previous media forum.
It is admirable how our health system, with its many weaknesses and often adverse conditions, has borne the brunt of the demand for services for COVID-19 care. We have come very close to saturating the availability of beds and fans, with the aggravating factor of having taken to the limit, physically and numerically, the hospital care staff. One hundred doctors, nurses and other workers in the sector have died during their arduous institutional tasks. The health team has put the commitment, above any other group in society, but incomprehensibly still has to tolerate that there are people who do not comply with the call to use masks, distance in crowded places or l vaccination requirement to try to mitigate the pandemic and give respite to depleted human resources. Therefore, one is overwhelmed to hear that two of the best bastions of Panamanian medicine, with fantastic international renown and who have selflessly left all their usual tasks for the welfare of the population, Dr. Eduardo Ortega and Julio Sandoval , have been sued for precisely defending scientific evidence. The country upside down. I trust that the Medical College, another time inoperative entity, will reject such an outburst and provide a resounding support for excellence in our noble and sacrificed profession.
In times of calamity is when social empathy is tested. As we move through the 21st century, we are concerned about the emerging and ruthless “yoism”, an inducer of intolerance, hatred and pernicious individualism. It is worth applauding, therefore, that in order to combat the scourge of COVID-19, many rulers have insisted on solidarity as an indispensable strategy. Using the mouthpiece, keeping away and seeking mass vaccination is an act of solidarity with ourselves, with otherness and with the whole community. Group immunization should find an analogy in other official guidelines that look after the common good, such as banning smoking in public places, drinking alcohol while driving, or washing hands to handle food in public places. food consumption. The Government must not spare any effort in its task of ‘proximity’, despite the noise of unsupportive, libertarian and petty radicals who roam the environment. Hopefully, one day, all of us who inhabit planet Earth will acquire species awareness so that fraternity will be a fundamental ethical imperative in the future of all humanity.
Excelsa is the reward, when many share the sacrifice …
Doctor and researcher.