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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tbc on Sun, 03 May 2015, 19:54:36

Title: should doctors be drug dealers instead of caretakers?
Post by: tbc on Sun, 03 May 2015, 19:54:36
http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/34q1v9/who_keeps_track_if_your_surgery_goes_well_or_fails/cqxeb0k

a caretaker being someone who has authority to control aspects relating to your physical being.

a drug dealer being someone who you get drugs from.


thoughts?

Title: Re: should doctors be drug dealers instead of caretakers?
Post by: noisyturtle on Sun, 03 May 2015, 20:24:18
(http://wiiuforums.com/attachments/3ds-2ds/6347-rumor-paper-mario-ttyd-3ds-remake-coming-tumblr_inline_ngt1tyvozm1t67qit.jpg)
Title: Re: should doctors be drug dealers instead of caretakers?
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Sun, 03 May 2015, 20:45:36
Show Image
(http://wiiuforums.com/attachments/3ds-2ds/6347-rumor-paper-mario-ttyd-3ds-remake-coming-tumblr_inline_ngt1tyvozm1t67qit.jpg)


Title: Re: should doctors be drug dealers instead of caretakers?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sun, 03 May 2015, 21:14:28
You need to define that question more precisely for a meaningful discussion..


what kind of drugs  ?

what kind of doctor  ?

what kind of "care"  ?




for example.. 

You can answer those 3 questions in the following 2 completely different ways.


Tylenol
Pediatrician
Pediatric house calls..


OR

Heroin
Prostitute
Blowjobs..




You see how both sets of answers would be valid..
Title: Re: should doctors be drug dealers instead of caretakers?
Post by: user 18 on Sun, 03 May 2015, 22:16:06
I actually took a medical ethics class last Fall that dealt with a similar issue.

The position I found myself in is that I want my doctor to make recommendations for lifestyle changes and be honest with me about the potential impacts on my health, but I want to be able to judge for myself whether to follow those recommendations based on how much changing an aspect of my life would affect its quality.

The same goes for any medications. A doctor can recommend that I take a particular medication to help with headaches, for example, but if a side effect of that medication is incontinence, I might find the side effects to be less desirable than the medication, and stop taking it. In that situation, it is now my responsibility to speak to my doctor and say something to the effect of "This isn't working, what else can we try?"


Unfortunately, I can't read that reddit thread as it's been deleted. Can someone give me a summary of what it was saying?