Letter: Much wrong with health care system

The World Health Organization rates our health care as the 37th worst system in the world. We rank 29th in infant mortality rates. Cancer and heart disease are increasing by over 15 percent. Obesity and tobacco smoking are the No. 1 causes related to death and worst in the world. Although our emergency and hospice rank No. 1.

The major problem is the fact that our billionaire pharmaceutical and insurance companies control over 80 percent of our present doctors and hospitals nationwide. Medical devices generate over $75 billion and pharmaceutical sales topped out over $643 billion and rising. The major control and influence on our medical system by pharmaceuticals is not what our citizens need. Pfizer spends 46 percent of their $20 billion profits on marketing and payoffs to influence doctors, from internship to graduation and cheats on so-called research.

The excess use of MRI, CT-scans and X-rays cause over 10 percent of cancer in patients. We need more general practice physicians who target diet, exercise and lifestyle influences instead of overdosing on statins, opioids and other narcotic drugs.

In 2000-02 the lobbyist from pharmaceutical companies gave congressmen over $60 million to hide doctor and hospital mistakes.

Read Dr. Andrew Weil's book 'Why Our Health Matters” and you will see what is the problem.

Dennis Burrier

Hiawatha