When Doctors Feel Pressured by Patients
July 18, 2009 by Cherie Burbach
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Michael Jackson’s death reminded me a bit of Anna Nicole Smith’s in the fact that talk of his misuse of drugs came to light. I wondered why his doctors would allow him to use something to sleep that wasn’t even met for sleep, but rather for surgery.
A new article on CNN talks about doctors and inability at times to say no to a patient. I don’t know who these doctors are. I mean, I’ve never encountered one personally. I always like to work with my doctors as much as I can to discuss the best plan for me. But perhaps that’s the problem. Perhaps some patients just want what they want and the doctor backs down and doesn’t care enough to say no.
But when the Hippocratic oath starts out with “First, do no harm,” you have to wonder how these people get prescribed multiple medicines that might kill them or get access to drugs like Diprivan in the first place. Sources close to Michael Jackson say he even traveled with an anesthesiologist “who would “take him down” at night and then “bring him back up” again in the morning.
I wonder if it’s primarily celebrity patients that demand certain drugs, rich people, or who? I can’t see a doctor just giving a certain patient anything because they feel they can’t say no. There has to be something in it for them.
What do you think?
Image: Zuma Press
I think that it’s a cop out. It’s not hard to say “no.” It’s a one syllable word and that’s it. Now, if we’re talking about doctors who like living the life of a celeb tag-along and the perks that go along with it, then yes, saying “no” would likely mean an end to that life. Gee, what a tough choice. (as you can see, I have no sympathy!)