Defending Chinese Medicine- part 1 was posted at the end of December 2007.
Yeah, took me a while to get part 2 going, I know, but better late than never, you know?
The best way to go is to read part 1 and then go on to part 2, this way you will know what on earth I’m on about…
*********************************************************************
Dr. Barrett goes on to write about a study that was healed in Germany, where they used  “a fake needle”, and they concluded there’s no difference between the effects of inserting a regular acupuncture needle and a fake one.
This study has a funny smell to it, if you know what I mean, even if just because Dr. Barrett tells us so little about it.
Maybe this will be a good point in time to say that research in general, when it comes to CM, pose a bit of a problem.
Being very scientific, I always feel that they miss on testing things that are vital in CM and in the interaction between doctor-patient (practitioners included). CM is not scientific, at least in the way that Western Medicine is, and right there and then, CM has the disadvantage. Granted, there are many studies that show CM works, but do they serve us as good as we think? What about the beautiful philosophy that CM is based on, how are we going to prove that?

Under the sub-category of “Risks Exist”, we found risks that Dr. Barrett mentioned as possible in CM, but he also forgot to mention they exist in Western Medicine too- whether in a simple test or a surgery. He mentions Chinese herbs were not effective, were not approved and are not safe to use- all lies. Not only are there many studies about different Chinese herbs (an easier aspect of CM to research than acupuncture for example), but all the Chinese herbs prescribed today are legal and approved by the FDA itself (let alone TCM!). He goes on to write about all the mistakes in diagnosis and treatment that are being done by different practitioners, but fails to mention that it is another part of the learning process- just as it is in Western Medicine.

All of Dr. Barrett’s conclusions, which are based on mistakes and lies, are misguided and false.
The whole article is based on the author’s absolute mis-trust  in CM, and also on the lack of understanding the author has in the philosophy that stands behind the CM.
Dr. Barrett claims that the theories of CM can not be understood in Western Medicine, while reality and history claim that the 5 Element theory is based on nature, and nature can certainly be understood by Western Medicine. All that has to do with the 4 seasons, the weather, the change in a person’s behavior according to these changes- CM has no claim on it all, they all exist in nature, no matter where we are. The world works according to these basic things from an inner instinct we poses as being a part of nature. Dr. Barrett finishes off with a “study” of a 40 year old woman going to 7 different practitioners. Surely one can not take this “study” seriously, and no one draw conclusion from it about the practitioners community in the world…

So what do we have here folks?
We have a person who says one must choose between Western Medicine and Chinese Medicine, when we know that many times, combining both is the best way to go.
To my humble opinion, this is just another example for the great (and not very clear) fear Western Medicine has of anything that questions the absolute truths WM has on various subjects. History teaches us of the role WM had in the place that women had in society at the beginning of the 20th century, and this is just one example of many of the power that the Western Medicine world has in our lives.
Dr. Barrett fails to mention that both medicines have different terminology, and one should not be forced on the other.
These 2 medicines can co-exist wonderfully, each person can choose a path to walk on, and when needed- these two can join forces to become a powerful force of healing.
Chinese Medicine should not be obligated in anyway to Western Medicine, and shouldn’t owe it anything.
Western Medicine has a lot of strong points- antibiotics is an excellent thing to have in this world, thanks to it we managed to over come diseases that ended the lives of many not too long ago. Advil is just another wonderful example, and we haven’t discussed surgeries yet, and all the tests a woman can take during her pregnancy, tests that can now save lives of both fetus and mother.
Add to that the best of what CM has to offer- and your patients are going to be really happy campers.

I would love to hear your notes about part 2, leave your comments and I will respond.