FROM THE DESK OF JOURNAL EDITOR

Editorial
At the crossroads
The science of healing is at the cross roads.


Since time immemorial the science of healing had one objective in mind –to heal and to give relief to the sufferers. The suffering humanity always came first. Commercial considerations did not.

But those were the days when the healers looked upon the nature for cures.These healers depended basically on years of practical experience and knowledge to heal and cure the humanity.

Money was never the main ingredient (in place of ingredient it may be consideration). But as time is progressed these healers started facing the stumble blocks. And slowly evolved modern medicine with its scientific methods.

However modern medical science never came cheap. A single research consumed millions of dollars with no guarantee of success. It was not possible for governments to fund such. So, entered private individuals and even when they ran out of funds entered commercial medical organizations. These agencies were willing to fund research works but they demanded their pound of flesh. Because of their insistence, the patent laws came into being. Medical research was the winner, but the poor common people were the losers. To a small extent, welfare states started subsidizing the end products through the state-run health care systems. But ultimately the benefits of modern medicine remain confined to a privileged few.

Is medical science to be blamed for such state of affairs? Without persistent medical research, we would have been still treating patients with the herbal (mentioning herbal may hurt some people) preparations. Now, question is that how do we make the advances of medical science accessible to the masses? The answer is not so simple. The powerful people and companies will not let go their claws and teeth from the juicy pie so easily. But the Govt. could make a beginning by offering financial assistance to medical research, strengthen the public health system, starting discussions amongst other partner nations to challenge the patent laws and above all keeping a strict vigil on the pricing policies.

Let us make a beginning.
Let us bring healing back to the masses.
Let Hippocrates’s soul rest in peace.