Hapless states in medicine

"Mental States": How the healthcare industry invents diseases for profit

02/10/2012

The new book by the medical journalist dr. med. Werner Bartens. In his work "Horrible states" he denounces the inability of physicians to acquire a differentiated opinion. Rather, many doctors trust the lobbyists of the pharmaceutical industry and go for the principle of profit. Bartens goes so far in his book, claiming that some diseases do not exist at all and were only invented to maximize profits. „If the German health service were a patient, he would probably be in intensive care“.

„Holy states“ prevail in Germany: the medical journalist, doctor and author of the „Doctors Hater book“ Werner Bartens has written a new book. In this he denounces the health industry in Germany. Risky breast implants, excessive cancer screening and expensive drugs with no added value are just a few examples that show how the focus is no longer on the patient but on the money.

More profit everyone loves in capitalism. „But as the health industry grows, more people need to be sick“, the author writes in the preface. So that the profit can be increased, superfluous medicines are conceived without delay and even new illnesses are invented. In addition, time-consuming examinations are often not dependent on the course of the disease, but on the availability and the write-off requirements of the expensive equipment purchased. „One thing is clear: a good health system is not available at a bargain price, but who actually clears up in this self-service shop of the lobby groups? And where is the lobby group of the patients?“ Frank Plasberg also recently asked himself in the ARD program „Hard but fair“.

According to Bartens, medicine in Germany is seen primarily as a profit-oriented growth industry. For them to grow, you always need new offers. This automatically creates a new demand. And sufficient controls and regulations in medical practices and clinics hardly exist.

Mourning turns into depression, increased bludder hypertension
Bartens also has a number of examples as a doctor. Medicine makes the natural menopause of women appear as a kind of disease. A normal mourning is fast to „Depression, the disease made. "Slightly elevated blood lipid levels or borderline blood pressure would continue to be lowered and about 80 percent of the X-rays for back pain were also questionable.Also, in the opinion of the medical journalist knee joints mirrored much, as it would be necessary.

Fictitious diseases for profit
Bartens is not just about unnecessary diagnostics, superfluous remedies and exaggerated treatments. The author even claims that many diseases are simply invented. The ABC of the invented diseases look like this: "Alzheimer's, burnout, cellulite." Especially children would be exposed to excessive surveillance. So even screaming ambulances, experts for sleep problems or partial performance weaknesses are actually often superfluous and would only make life difficult for the parents. They would not know that noise, argument and confusion is normal for children.

In his opinion, doctors would often do what is profitable. They would not always have a medical benefit for the patient. „If the system provides financial incentives that rely on expensive treatments and lucrative patients, the doctor becomes a seller. Time for attention is lost.“ In many cases, the doctors are also not up to date because they inform themselves too little. "80 percent of doctors in Germany do not read English-language journals“, complains the author. Rather, they would rely on regional opinion leaders, who are often paid by the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmaceutical industry manipulated some study
For example, the medical journalist testifies to this with studies that the pharmaceutical industry has manipulated in their favor, taking advantage of the lack of transparency in the healthcare system. In addition, the author is dedicated to the lobbying of the medical and pharmaceutical industry and the inability of the health politicians to ensure lax regulations in the health care sector. For example, new high-tech medical devices would have no real benefit to be later approved. It is enough that they work.

After reading the five-chapter book, patients sometimes remain at a loss. Because a quick change of the system does not seem to be in sight. Nevertheless, can „Holy states“ To stimulate thought-provoking experts and laypeople, thus contributing to a small contribution to the recovery. Because what Bartens writes, has hand and foot when it comes to the disclosure of the dubious machinations of „profit-hungry actors in the health system“ goes. If the criticism is louder, cost-effective treatments of naturopathy find more approval and doctors also renounce the greed, can change a lot. After all, rethinking has also made people in nutrition much more critical and more and more often „Bio“ instead of „Cheap“ to prefer. A good doctor and a critical patient are the first steps in the right direction. Predicate worth living. (Sb)