One of the most notable changes in the doctor-patient relationship is that the doctor has been knocked off his pedestal. The public has lost respect for a traditional medicine with the arrogance and condescending attitudes that Relman displays. There is something wrong with the scientific process when bias and money control what is published. Medicine needs to get out of bed with industry. A recent study found that 100 percent of the authors who supported a drug in an article had financial ties to the industry.
Bias skews the integrity of every study, depending on who foots the bill and offers the perks.
Yes, medicine is no longer a profession. It is a business. The public is in the state of confusion because of the conflicting information about their health. They are looking for help and taking an active part in finding it. Hospitals all over this country now offer health centers that have a wide range of alternative practices.