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Herbal Medicine
Western Herbal Medicine
What is a Medical Herbalist?
Furthering Your Knowledge
Herb Reference ~ English to Latin Name
Herb Reference ~ Latin to English Name
Herbs of the Month
Newsletter
Putting
Your Knowledge to Use
Selected Health Topics
Statistics
 The first instinct should be to see if an operation can be avoided, not to seek reasons for performing it. |
| — British Medical Journal, 1895 |
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 Herbal
Medicine
Statistics
In 1996, 34 of the 125 American Medical schools –
including Harvard, Yale and John Hopkins – now offer
courses in alternative medicine. — Life Magazine,
September, 1996
More than 16 500 people die in the United States each year
from non-steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAID) related gastrointestinal
bleeding. — Singh G.; "Recent considerations
in nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug gastropathy";
Am J Med 1998; 105 (1B):31S-8S.
Approximately 3% to 28% of hospitalizations in the United
States are caused by adverse drug reactions (ADR’s)
and 30% of hospitalized patients have such reactions. —
Lazarou, Jason, et al., "Incidence of adverse
drug reactions in hospitalized patients"; JAMA,
April 15, 1998; Vol. 279. No 15.
Keeping things in perspective…
On his website, Dr. Jim Duke’s, Ph D. has created
an excellent comparison and perspective on the concerns about
and safety of herbal medicine. When comparing botanicals to
other high risk procedures, the concerns about safety have
been largely blown out of proportion:
Table of Fatalities
(Rounded no. of fatalities /
no. people involved with procedure or medicine or herb) |
Bypass Operations: 1 in 20
Iatrogenic hospital infections: 1 in 80
Medical Mishaps: 1 in 250
Cigarettes: 1 in 500
Alcohol: 1 in 500
Angiograms: 1 in 1,000
Improper Use of Medication: 1 in 2,000
Car Accident: 1 in 5,000
Surgery in Hospital: 1 in 10,000
Murders: 1 in 10,000
NSAIDS: 1 in 10,000
Food Poisoning: 1 in 25,000
Mushroom Poisonings: 1 in 100,000
Supplements: 1 in 1,000,000
Herbs: 1 in 1,000,000 |
References and further commentary on the above can be accessed
from its source at: http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/syllabus/module15.htm
found in Dr. Jim Duke’s, PhD, website.
Additional Reading
- Death by Medicine by Gary Null PhD, Carolyn Dean MD ND, Martin Feldman MD, Debora Rasio MD, November 2003 www.NutritionInstituteOfAmerica.org
- Iatrogenic Illness: The Downside of Modern Medicine A White Paper by Gary Null, PhD & Debora Rasio, MD Copyright, 2000
Detailed, well referenced articles on iatrogenic (drug induced) disease in the United States, including statistics and studies on hospital errors, unnecessary surgical procedures, x rays and hospitalizations, adverse drug reactions, medication errors and safety, environmental pollution, the over medication of seniors and issues pertaining to women’s health.
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