Western Medicine

Western medicine; a term used in describing treatment of any medical condition with medications, by doctors, nurses and using conventional healthcare institutions that would thus employ methods that were/are developed according to Western medical and/or scientific traditions (Kshirsagar, 2002 p: 1005–19).

According to the U.S. Department of Labor in 2007, they assert that the main and major benefit with the use of Western medicine is that allopathic practitioners are all subject to rigorous effectiveness and safety protocols. Meaning that for any treatment and/or medication to pass, a strict review is carried out before any patient does receive the same. Over the years, some Eastern medicine treatments have been subject to vigorous clinical trials with some undergoing long-term studies but the same if considered closely are a small and almost negligible minority.

Western medicine is able to encompass available types of conventional medical treatments, such as radiation, surgery, chemotherapy, and physical therapy. The advantage of this is that Western medicine will be in a better position to deal with complex issues like heart surgery which might not be possible in other forms of treatment (Katherine, 1998 p: 2185–6).

One disadvantage of western medicine is the fact that before new treatment and/or drug is fully and dully approved for public use, it goes through very expensive testing process; in the laboratory and also in the many layers and years of several patients testing with some people becoming frustrated over time with Western medicine since the approval process is to long to even be of help to the dying in society (Whorton, 2004 p: 18-52).

The other disadvantage is with the fact that the western medicine trials have to be carried out on individuals not on any other form f medication meaning that the desperate in society who have tried very many forms of treatment are left out, the argument being that other medications would skew the new results on the drugs being tested. Linked to the same is the fact that most teaching and research hospitals will typically house the majority of the clinical trials, implying that the same will only be available to those within the proximity of the same and thus excluding those outside who may be in dire need for the medication than those inside the testing zone (Tschanz, 2003 p: 2).

Another disadvantage of western medicine is the fact that some of it is not even tested on humans first but on laboratory rats thus not a viable option for humans even if the same did work on the laboratory rats (Gabriel, 2008 p: 198).  So for those who are opting for Western medicine, the best alternative is to talk to your doctor about your serious condition and go through the facts about the condition taking into mind the success rates of Western medicine on the same so as not to be a guinea pig.  Any of your concerns about specific treatment should be addressed to your doctor so as to seek a second opinion whenever possible concerning serious ailment (Alan, 1998 p: 246-50).

In conclusion one can say that Western medicine has its pros and cons but the pros outweigh the cons in that like the case of surgery is best dwelt with only by Western medicine that has a higher survival rate (Cooper, 2004 p:  900-902).