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Contents Page 1 |
Prejudice and RegulationsThe only problem in this tidy little world of ignorance and prejudice is those damn medical journals. Witch-burners in the "good old days" didn't have to worry about uppity scientists who continually confuse the issue with facts. The problem facing obese people is that scientists write in medical journals, while the public is fed slop like these "news" articles. Public opinion seems to have more effect on lawmakers and regulators than objective science. Perhaps this is a battle that obese people must fight alone: change enough minds and the laws will eventually follow. If we are going to make this world less hostile toward obese people, WE have to do what the media SHOULD be doing -- bring truth and science to the people. Reflect on the words of George Bray, a top obesity researcher who has written hundreds of medical papers over the past three decades:
My gawd, do you realize the full scope of what he's saying? Even if you manage to find a doctor that is not blinded by prejudice, you are still screwed because he is handcuffed by the FDA's "untruthful regulations" and the threat of "criminal prosecutions" by untouchable tyrants who "are not held liable." We suffer, we die -- SO WHAT! "Let the games continue." Life -- our lives -- take a back seat to the bureaucratic process. How can we allow the schools to teach our children -- who will likely inherit our obesity -- that they live in a free country when "criminal prosecutions can be based on untruthful regulations" and our children will be denied the benefits of scientific progress because "current regulations inhibit future developments"? (5-NA) We should teach our children that the real cost of excessive regulation is much to high to tolerate. |
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At the very least, doctors should be raising hell about this invasion of their "turf" but, unfortunately, only in the movies does the cavalry come to the rescue at the last moment. Although few have the guts to say it, the sad truth is that quite a bit is already known about obesity, but very little of this knowledge is being utilized. Countless obese people have their weight loss efforts frustrated by "low-normal" thyroid hormone levels, yet it is almost impossible to find a doctor that will treat this condition. This should come as no surprise. Indeed, read the quote from Bray again and ask yourself what doctor in his right mind would flagrantly invite the wrath of untouchable tyrant-like regulators? But obese people are denied access to more than just prescription drugs. For example, bodybuilders use a variety of fat burning and repartitioning drugs that could be used to help some (especially massively obese) people; however, the government routinely bans anything that athletes "abuse." What goes around comes around. If we remain silent while the government tells others what they can and cannot do with their own bodies, we should not be too surprised when this same type of tyranny "trickles down" on our heads. |
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1-NP.) Stolberg, Sheryl Gay "Drug to counter obesity approved. Pill prevents absorption of dietary fat, but some questions remain." Austin American-Statesman/Austin 360 1999 Apr 27. 2-NP.) Fox, M "U.S. FDA approves new diet drug." Reuters 1999 Apr 26. 3.) Hansen, DL, Toubro, S, Stock, MJ, Macdonald, IA, and Astrup, A "Thermogenic effects of sibutramine in humans." Am J Clin Nutr 1998 Dec, Vol 68 (6), Pg 1180-6, PMID: 0009846844. 4-NP.) "Wonder pill? Newly approved diet drug not for everyone." Associated Press 1999 Apr 27. 5-NA.) Bray, GA "Barriers to the treatment of obesity [editorial] [see comments]" Ann Intern Med 1991 Jul 15, Vol 115 (2), Pg 152-3, PMID: 0001760006. |
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