Thank you very much, Sandee for posting this...very interesting.
Best regards...
Sandy
Live and let live...
--- On Wed, 8/19/09, Sandee George <oha...@juno.com> wrote:
From: Sandee George <oha...@juno.com>
Subject: Re: CS>OT - Transcript of Deepak Chopra on CNN/Campbell Brown - 18
August evening
To: silver-list@eskimo.com
Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2009, 11:07 AM
DEEPAK CHOPRA, AUTHOR, "THE BOOK OF SECRETS": It's good to see you, Campbell.
BROWN: You are calling, I know, for a public awareness campaign to try to sell
people on the need for health care reform in this country. But, you know,
President Obama's been out there talking about this every day for weeks now.
You don't think he's getting the job done?
CHOPRA: I think President Obama is doing a great job.
But there are special interest groups who are taking the attention away from
the facts. The facts are that we spend $2.4 trillion, more than any other
country in the world, on health care. We rank 32 in health performance. We rank
72 in health levels.
We spend $6 billion on advertising, $1.4 million a day on lobbyists in
Washington trying to influence people in government, who we have elected, to
work against us. Sarah Palin and Senator Grassley, when they talk about death
panels, they are fear-mongering. I think people should be aware that most of
the interventions at the end of life do not prolong life. They prolong
suffering.
They wreak unlimited, untold suffering and carnage on our people, while
benefiting special interest groups to the tune of billions of dollars. There's
something drastically wrong with our health care system, and unless we become
aware that 90 percent of the health care dollars that are spent are on
preventive illnesses.
BROWN: So, explain this to me, because I want to get into the specifics here.
You recently wrote that we need a health care system that reduces fear, as well
as cost. What do you mean by that?
CHOPRA: Well, you know, our health care industry is the only industry that
creates a demand when there is no need to create a demand.
You know, capitalism is built on a supply-demand theory, but we doctors have
the privilege of generating our own demand by writing a prescription or writing
a procedure. The most devastating and expensive health care technology is a
physician's pen and a prescription pad.
You know, 80 percent of the drugs we use are of optional or marginal benefit.
We spend $700 billion a year on unnecessary tests. The next time you go to a
doctor for a routine examination, there's a 43 percent chance that you will be
prescribed an unnecessary diagnostic procedure or a test.
You know that we spend 2.5 million unnecessary surgeries a year,
hysterectomies, spinal fusions, knee operations, CABG, angioplasty, which do
nothing to help the patient. So, unless we are honest enough to look at our own
self and how we're generating this demand -- we could be saving $1 trillion a
year.
BROWN: how much is also the individual's responsibility, taking responsibility
for your own wellness? I know you have talked about this as well.
CHOPRA: Well, it's very important, Campbell, but the individual has to be
aware. We have to create a public awareness campaign, which is the only missing
part.
If people would realize that they could prevent 80 to 90 percent of chronic
illness just by doing three things, exercise, diet, and stress management, and
you would regulate, help regulate the genes that are responsible for cancer,
for heart disease, for inflammation.
We know that the human body's not a structure. It's a process. And if you
understand the process, we can influence the outcome of illness and prevent
much of this illness at no cost whatsoever, just by being more aware.
BROWN: Individual responsibility.
Deepak Chopra making his case tonight, thank you so much for your time.
Appreciate it.
CHOPRA: Thank you. Thank you.
