Q:  I appreciate your desire to help others with osteoporosis and the spectrum of bone loss. It is such an important issue! My question is, why do you have to blast doctors so much? I did not spend 12 years of my life to become a doctor to, as you said in your e-mail: “scare you by painting a grim picture of your future”. I, like the majority of practitioners I know, actually want to help our patients.

It’s also very sad that you glop all doctors together and make statements like ” there is a lot more to predicting future  fracture risk than a simple T-score, which is the only guideline  doctors use”. I don’t know many physicians that do only use them

Can’t you still get the word out without damning all physicians? I have had no problem recommending your book to my patients, because, like you, the more knowledge a person has the better. Maybe I should reconsider…..

Sincerely,

Dr. A.

A:  Hi Dr. A.,

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I’d like to clarify why I write about current medical protocol the way I do. I am highly respectful of doctors, as they not only devote many years of study and sacrifice, but also dedicate their entire lives to improve the health of their patients. There is no doubt in my mind that all doctors, like you, have the best of intentions.

But when I mention “doctors” I refer to current medical protocol, not the individuals. I am sure that many years ago, when doctors were recommending cigarettes to their patients to reduce anxiety and as a digestive aid, they had their patient’s best interest in mind.

My emails don’t warn against doctors, quite the contrary, they point out to the importance of using information properly, to have an open dialog with the health practitioner, and to not rush to treat non life-threatening disorders as part of a cookie cutter protocol. Your point is well taken, though, and I will make sure that in future emails there will be no room for error to make my readers think that I’m blasting doctors.

Several of my readers have sent me emails thrilled about having shared The Bone Health Revolution with their doctors, discussing the information, and agreeing to pursue the alternative plan in lieu of taking prescriptions.

As you write, knowledge is power.

Warmest regards,

Vivian