Bridging the Gulf

Abstract: Recent controversy within the learned medical journals and the popular press has focused attention on the activities of the Bristol Cancer Help Centre and as a result have challenged proponents of both orthodox and alternative medicine to define their aims, objectives and philosophies. Within this article I emphasise that apart from the rare charlatans who practice on both sides of the divide, practitioners of both persuasions should share the same objectives. It is therefore essential that we clarify in our minds the demarcation between alternative and orthodox medicine and emphasise where complementary care fits into the equation. As far as I am concerned, definitions on holism are inadequate to explain the division and furthermore any activity that makes the patient feel better should be welcome on all sides. The only feature that is shared by all modalities of alternative medicine is a common philosophy based on an inductive approach to knowledge dating back to Aristotle. In contrast if orthodox medicine is to claim scientific respectability its approach to knowledge should be based on twentieth century philosophy of hyperthetico deductivism. Attempts to dismiss this approach as reductionist demonstrate an ignorance of the modern scientific paradigm. Any practices emerging from the unconventional arm of health care that is subjected to this critical approach and thus demonstrates its worth should be adopted by orthodox medicine and therefore the very terms, alternative and orthodox, lose their meaning. It is more helpful therefore to use the term rational and irrational medicine, and recognise that much of what is practiced by so-called orthodox doctors has a large content of irrationalism which needs to be weeded out. Providing that everyone agrees that patients with serious conditions such as cancer need cure, palliation, rehabilitation, spiritual solace and hope, the debate can be conducted at a friendly and constructive level for the benefit of the patients as a whole.

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