A unique thing about synthetic drugs is that they are produced from toxic petroleum and are thus inherently toxic, as well as brand-new to our planet, including any of their impurities present. Not so with traditional herbs or herbal formulas; any impurities therein have already been there since time immemorial with which we have continuous or continual interactions. Hence, they are a unique feature of traditional medicines.
Modern drug therapy started only 150 years ago when the synthetic era began. Compared to the countless years of experience and wisdom with traditional medicines, the history of ‘modern’ synthetic drug therapy is no more than a grain of sand on a sandy beach. Our testing the brand-new synthetic drugs in vitro, in vivo, and in small animals, followed by clinical trials in humans represents human ingenuity, which we designed and consider scientific. However, only after mere decades (70 or 80 yrs) have we started to realize what these new modern drugs (mainly synthetic) have done to our health and environment. They have caused too many side effects and new diseases! I have been calling this phenomenon the vicious cycle (VC). The people who own this VC are too powerful. They include drug makers and those who sell the drugs. Exposing them would be hazardous to one’s own life and wellbeing.
This VC is now so well established in our society that any disturbance of its status quo can affect jobs or the safety of drugs which in turn, our health. From a manufacturer’s standpoint, the drug’s toxic effects and its safety and efficacy are all interrelated. Should we make it have more side effects to beget more new diseases? Or should he spend much more time and money to make the drug minimally toxic? I believe as things now stand, the decision is not easy. On the other hand, we can’t let our American modern drug-therapy system remain in their current miserable status quo.
Our nation is the richest country in the world, and we believe and claim to have the most advanced health sciences. Yet at least in recent decades, we have not even ranked among the world’s healthiest or happiest 30 or 40 nations. It’s a national disgrace!
I am always optimistic, and I never give up. Which is why I am back from retirement to try my best to do my part. Despite our country is ‘owned’ by a few billionaires, the recent election of New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani gives me hope for my country, so do billionaires like MacKenzie Scott and Warren Buffett.
We can start by trying to at least get our so-called democratic country to have free universal healthcare. Then, we can concentrate on bypassing using synthetic drugs with natural medicines, at the same time, using the latter to moderate the currently uncontrollable toxicities of synthetic drugs and additives. The government’s free universal healthcare will at least serve as a start to remove the current gouging of patients by groups like the ones who own the VC and insurance companies.