Thank you very much for your feedback. I agree with your statement--this drug is useful, even vital for many people, in ways perhaps we have not yet discovered. My post is not directed against the drug, but against dispensing it to patients who do not fully understand the risk. Doctors tend to operate from a position of authority and patients tend to accept that authority. Patients should be active participants in their care. Patients should decide if the risk/benefit ratio is acceptable. Once the decision is made, patients should be armed with information so they can defend themselves (as much as possible) against a negative outcome.

The philosophy that drives my articles about healthcare: in every decision a doctor makes, the patient has more to gain and lose than the doctor. Therefore, the patient should be fully engaged in the decision-making process.

I very much enjoy your in-depth articles. Sometimes the information is challenging, but always I learn something.

Warm regards,
AG