Tuberculosis running rampant in some Peruvian villages- Dr. Sanjay Gupta

[KittyWampus]

October 2, 2008
Tuberculosis running rampant in some Peruvian villages

Video:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/10/02/gupta.peru.tb.cnn

Discussion on Gupta's blog:
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/02/tuberculosis-running-rampant-in-some-peruvian-villages/

[cali]

1. why bother? Those who want to be poutraged over this will hardly

pay any attention to salient facts. They've proven that with their stupid ass posts comparing Gupta to Hilton and Billy Mays.

[phleshdef]

2. I know, Gupta is an accomplished doctor and a hero in many ways.

I imagine some here are just not happy with anything Barack does while others are pissy because Gupta had a disagreement with Michael Moore. Other than that, Gupta has been more than just a tv personality. He has been a downright activist for causes of public health, not just in the US but abroad as well.

[Jennicut]

3. "Poutraged"! That is THE new word on DU in my opinion

[Danger Mouse]

9. Poutrage....yes, I think that's a word that needs more use.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. So tell us: Has Gupta recanted his outright (and thoroughly disproven) lies about Sicko?

No one denies that he is knowledgeable or lacks credentials for the position of Surgeon General. What is at issue is whether he will be an advocate for the people or a lobbyist for Big Pharma and the insurance industry.

[Barack_America]

5. If superficial knowledge of public health issues is all you demand, then fine.

Gupta's your guy.

But for those of us that work in these fields and take them seriously, don't fault us for being disappointed that a more qualified pick was not chosen.

[phleshdef]

6. Gupta has been hands on involved in many health causes.

Those are just the facts, whether you like them or not.

[Barack_America]

8. Please post for me a paper he's published regarding a public health issue.

I'd love to see how he's been "hands on" in contributing to the field of public health.

I haven't been able to find a community-based study that he's done so far.

Thanks.

[FrenchieCat]

11. It's the Surgeon General position......

where are the papers published by those who held the position prior to him before they became SGs?
Did you see his Aids article? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8066136&mesg_id=8066136

As of yesterday, one would think that the Surgeon General position became the most important appointment made by Barack Obama to date.

[Barack_America]

12. Here is Koop's 14 pages of peer-reviewed publications.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=DetailsSearch&term=koop+ce&log$=activity

So you can judge for yourself. Most of his early work dealt with the approach to surgically treating pediatric cancers, which I would argue is a public health concern. Although it was arguably his publications on abortion and the sanctity of life that caught Reagan's attention.

ETA: My professional passion is health care and public health. So, for me, Surgeon General is pretty important. And yes, I'm bummed that public health professionals and experts were just told yesterday that their expertise is less important than looking good on television.

[KittyWampus]

16. WOW! The public really must have eaten those Koop reports. Sure they reached a broad audience

Politicians won't have the guts to give money to many health issues unless the public demands it or at least made sympathetic to them.

That is how the real world operates.

[Barack_America]

20. What?

These studies are done to learn how to better manage disease, not to bilk money out of politicians.

[FrenchieCat]

19. Maybe I'm missing something, but those links appear to be

papers published once Koop became Surgeon General, and thereafter. AM I wrong? :shrug:

But certainly I can respect what you are saying in that for you and your interest in politics,
the Surgeon General position is important to you,
and you honestly feel that it is a position that will make a difference
in Obama's health Proposal roll out and presentation
for approval by the congress and the public at large.....
and that you strongly believe that it would take someone with Public health Policy experience
and published papers on the subject in order to get that done more effectively,
and that television telegenics should be the least of the concerns in reference to a Surgeon General.

I can't say that I agree with your position, but I respect you for holding such.
As you can tell, I'm not putting a premium on the Surgeon General,
as I'm placing importance elsewhere.
So we obviously come from different places on this.

I emphasize with your concerns certainly, as you have been a very strong Obama supporter,
But I'm just not putting a premium on any move Obama makes
until he is in the office and his policies enacted or not enacted start to affect the American public. Afterall, that is the bottomline that has been used in judging any President, and so, for me so it shall be in judging this one. But of course, that's from where I sit.

[Barack_America]

22. Thank you for understanding.

And I'm sorry that I forgot to mention the articles are listed chronologically, so page 14 will be Koop's first works (dating back to the 1940's).

[KittyWampus]

7. he's been to Rwanda, Chad and Haiti. Superficial? Please stop being foolish.

[Barack_America]

10. And?

Is every well-traveled MD an expert in public health?

And did he conduct studies in those countries or did he just stop by for a few days and file a report for CNN?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. You want a research scientist, or a public health advocate?

You're moving the goal posts and grasping at straws.

[Barack_America]

14. Would that be too much to ask?

For someone who has a degree of public health interest and knowledge evidenced by training and/or a publication record?

How is demanding competence "moving the goal posts"? Brown seemed like a perfectly fine pick until Katrina hit, after all.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. I'd rather have research scientists doing research.

I want somebody who's well informed in medicine, and is a strong public advocate.

An expert neurosurgeon and award-winning journalist fits that description. Gupta's qualifications are as good as Koop's and Elders'.

"How is demanding competence "moving the goal posts"? "

Strawman. You're not demanding competence. Yesterday, you were screaming about public health advocacy experience. Now you're applauding Koop, who had the same background in public health advocacy as Gupta, ironically. And talking about irrelevant publication history.

"Brown seemed like a perfectly fine pick until Katrina hit, after all."

Absurd. Brown was a thorough-bred horse breeder, with no qualifications for the job.

You're being very silly now.

[Barack_America]

25. Koop had dozens of publications to his name before becoming SG...

In which he evaluated how we practice medicine and how we can improve it. Koop also founded the first pediatric surgery department in an inner city hospital and being responsible for that bottom line certainly taught him a lot about access to care, making healthcare more efficient, etc.

If Gupta had any sort a similar, demonstratable committment to public health issues, I wouldn't be so critical of him (and no, I don't consider superficial reports on CNN to be sufficient).

And nowdays, EVERYBODY does research. It's a requirement for a position in an academic institution. A stunning number of regular ol' MDs spend a lot of time thinking and writing about how to best provide care for communities, Gupta just doesn't seem to be one of them, as his stated interests are in researching how to perfect the brain and spinal surgeries he performs.

ETA: About the Brown bit, given Gupta's superficial experience to public health and health policy thus far, can you imagine a scenario where a public health crisis develops that Gupta CANNOT effectively communicate to the American public? I can.

[K Gardner]

15. For every article you dig up and post in its own thread, I and others here can post transcripts

or statements from TEEVEE where Gupta hocks the corporate line, sells nothing but AMA and Big Pharma POV, blatantly advertises for Merck, Pozen, Smith-Kline, et al; ad nauseum; and superficially pursues his own glorification and fame.

I've already posted many of these. I won't do it again. It serves no point.

There are people who think he is a good pick. I agree with them, if all you want is a mouthpiece to sell something to the American People, who know no better than to believe everything they hear on teevee and haven't the initiative to take charge of their own health or make their own decisions.

There are people who think he is a disappointing pick. And I agree with them, as well.

There probably isn't a place in the middle to meet. We'll see how it goes, but the back and forth and repetitive posting like this really isn't going to change anyone's mind.

[KittyWampus]

17. So all the sudden you and other hypocrites are ANTI science and medicine? LOL!

Gupta is a doctor trained in western, allopathic medicine.

If ANY other medical doctor or researcher was chosen and had done segments on TV they'd have been pro-drug.

But how nice so many DU'ers have suddenly had an epiphany regarding allopathic medicine.

[K Gardner]

21. Listen.. you don't know me. Don't get on your high horse and start attacking

people personally when you have no clue who you are talking to.

I still work as a nurse, with "traditional medicine". I also refused treatment for breast cancer 10 years ago and chose a holistic course, when all my "western" doctors told me I wouldn't live a year. How dare you attack people as hypocrites when you know absolutely nothing about them.

I'm sorry you are upset that SOME PEOPLE aren't crazy about Gupta. It hardly warrants this type of behavior.

[Name removed]

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[Odin2005]

23. *SARCASM* OMG, he's shilling to help Big Pharma sell antibiotics! *SARCASM*

Who needs evil antibiotics when all you have to do to get better is to balance one's chakras? :sarcasm: