Doctor Prescribes Prayer?!

Article being responded to - http://www.onmedica.com/newsarticle.aspx?id=0df25350-17f8-4c08-a6e5-8643249c635b
Source Video - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8526760/Christian-GP-Dr-Richard-Scot...

The General Medical Council's "Good Medical Practice" PDF - http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/GMP_0910.pdf
The General Medical Council's "Personal Beliefs Guidance" PDF - http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/Personal_Beliefs.pdf

Studies and News Articles into the effect of Prayer;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11142453
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11761499
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3193902.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4681771.stm

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[NewGenerationAnarchy]

Well when my dad was diagnosed with type 4 aggressive Cancer he really didn't believe in the whole faith/prayer thing to help him out along the way. But there was one point during his treatment where his doctor told him to perhaps he can try faith. I think it's cool if the doctor talks to their patient about possibly having faith or hope in general during treatment. But it's not cool to push their personal beliefs onto someone. I think this guy had the right idea he just didn't deliver it right.

[RyuOni1989]

@NewGenerationAnarchy No, he didn't have the right idea- he broke the GMC's codes to over 1000 patients, that's fucking dangerous. He didn't issue it on the placebo effect, he issued it regarding faith. He could've easily given the patient a "wonder pill" which would've healed em, but turn out to be nothing more than a sugar pill.

[TheKilgoretrout]

Recently in my local paper, someone wrote that pharmacists should have the right to refuse to fill prescriptions based on their religious/moral viewpoint. I pointed out that their code of ethics, like that of the doctors, puts the patient first and their religious/moral viewpoint second. If my doctors tried something like you described, they would no longer be my doctors.

[RyuOni1989]

@TheKilgoretrout That's half true, the GMC code on "Personal Beliefs Guidance" says that they can refuse to personally fill prescriptions which violate their religious beliefs, however- if that is the case, they must refer the patient on to a doctor who can fill that prescription. If a doctor isn't available, then their own personal convictions must be set aside and fill the prescription, even against their own religious beliefs.

[tattooskin72]

oh man... I was hoping the title was a joke... This isn't good medicine at all.

[RyuOni1989]

@tattooskin72 Nope, no joke- unfortunately...

[stathamajf]

Prayer isn't the issue here. Him breaching a code of effects taught to every doctor extremely early in their training is. Remember a certain old people killing doctor a while back. He was convinced he was in the right too. Personal beliefs like this have no place in a doctor's treatment of his patient.

[stathamajf]

Prayer isn't the issue here. Him breaching a code of effects taught to every doctor extremely early in their training is.

[Highlyskeptical]

@NewGenerationAnarchy Well here's the problem, you get people praying and some die and some don't.

Those that die typically don't complain much about how it doesn't work.

Those that do go on and on about the benefits of prayer, maybe going so far as to convince others, try to get elected officials to start including prayer in school or making national days of prayer.

You end with people claiming something works when it really doesn't, even if it gives hope.

I understand why though.

[NewGenerationAnarchy]

@Highlyskeptical I didn't say prayer works or didn't work. I simply made a suggestion, so don't throw your snippy comments at me. And you know what I think people pray not only to get better but maybe to have something to hope for, something to help them carry on through whatever shit they are going through in their life. Maybe some people don't wanna pray, they have some other strength to help them, but other people do pray and you know what I'm sure sometimes it helps them clear their mind.

[Highlyskeptical]

@NewGenerationAnarchy If prayer works, more people who pray should get better vs. those who don't.

Ask yourself...

-Do you think that people that don't pray don't get better for unknown reasons?

-If you and your dad were born in Ancient Greece, would you be thanking some other God?

-Why don't religions do studies to find out prayer survival rates?

-Shouldn't you both be praying for cancer to win so more time can be spent in blissful paradise forever and ever?

Or don't think about it.

[NewGenerationAnarchy]

@RyuOni1989 ohhhh

[barriepenman]

This man is in the wrong job and is dangerous.