Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their
pharmakeia, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Revelation 9:21
"The true method for healing the sick is to tell them of the herbs that grow for the benefit of man. Scientists have attached large names to these simplest preparations, but true education will lead us to teach the sick that they need not call in a doctor any more than they would call in a lawyer. They can themselves administer the simple herbs if necessary. To educate the human family that the doctor alone knows all the ills of infants and persons of every age, is false teaching, and the sooner we as a people stand on the principles of health reform, the greater will be the blessing that will come to those who would do true medical work. There is a work to be done in treating the sick with water and teaching them to make the most of sunshine and physical exercise. Thus in simple language we may teach the people how to preserve health, how to avoid sickness. This is the work our sanitariums are called upon to do. This is true science." [S&M p. 137, Paragraph 2]
California: Long-Planned Pharmacy School Set to Open
Loma Linda, California, USA .... [Bettina Krause/ANN]
The opening of a School of Pharmacy at Loma Linda University this
September will mark a new era in the institution's 100-year history of
health education, says Avis Ericson, executive associate dean of the
new school.
"I look on the Pharmacy School as being the last key piece of the
puzzle in terms of Loma Linda being a total health professions
university," says Ericson. All the other schools--of Medicine,
Dentistry, Public Health, Nursing, and Allied Health Professions--can
only be enhanced by the presence of a full-scale pharmaceutical
teaching program at the university, she explains. "Pharmacy has grown
into a tremendous profession over past years, one which works closely
both with patients and other health professionals in providing a
collaborative approach to health care."
Classes are scheduled to start late September, with the size of the
first class capped at 30 students. Class size will increase with each
subsequent intake until reaching a maximum capacity of 60 students in
2006. "We want the first class to be small so we're able to be very
responsive to the needs of the students as we get this program off the
ground," says Ericson.
According to Ericson, an important characteristic of the school will be
its adherence to the mission of Loma Linda University--a mission,
grounded in Christian ethics, that "seeks to further the healing and
teaching ministry of Jesus Christ."
"This sense of mission will give our School of Pharmacy a different
'flavor' from any other school of pharmacy in the country," she says.
Ericson, who took up her position in August 2001, has been responsible
for drawing together a vast array of different resources and dealing
with the many administrative details necessary for making the program a
reality. She will also usher the school through its lengthy
accreditation process, working with the American Council on
Pharmaceutical Education, the nation's accrediting organization for
schools of pharmacy. The school's application for "pre-candidate
status" is almost complete, says Ericson, and full accreditation is
expected by the time the first class graduates in 2006.
Loma Linda's Board of Trustees voted in 1995 to establish a School of
Pharmacy and appointed W. Bart Rippon, dean of Loma Linda's Graduate
School, to also serve as dean of the new school. Since then, progress
had been delayed by a number of challenges, including finding an
administrator with an appropriate background in pharmacy to oversee the
process of setting up the school.
Established in 1905, Loma Linda University has become known as one of
the world's leading health education and research institutions. It has
an enrolment of some 3,000 students and employs more than 1,200
full-time faculty.
-------------------------------------------------------
Expert Warns Against Suspect Cancer Treatments
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA .... [Ansel Oliver/ANN Staff]
-------------------------------------------------------
As a new wave of alternate, "natural," cancer treatments gain attention
in the media, Seventh-day Adventist health leaders in North America say
that special diets and herbal treatments are no replacement for
conventional medicine.
In spite of what may seem like persuasive anecdotal evidence that a "natural cancer treatment" has worked, it is simply incorrect to claim that following a special diet regime can cure cancer, says DeWitt Williams, health director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.
"Some people with cancer are going on health diets instead of going to get treatment," he says. "And that bothers me, especially if it's aggressive cancer. If something is wrong with you, go to a reputable hospital and get treatment."
There are more than 1.2 million new cases of cancer each year in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer is the second leading cause of death following heart disease.
According to Williams, practitioners of alternate cancer therapies exploit a cancer victim's fear and vulnerability at a time when they are more likely than ever to grasp at straws. "There are people out there who are persuasive speakers, who appear to know medicine, who promote these sham treatments," says Williams. "They oversimplify and sensationalize and go on shows like Oprah Winfrey and 60 Minutes to teach this quackery."
Williams says that even within the Adventist Church, some people are susceptible to the lure of so-called natural cancer treatments, and fail to seek proper medical care for their condition.
"It is vital to remember that the Adventist Church's wholistic approach to health is a preventive measure--studies have shown that if you live a certain way it may reduce your chances of getting cancer," explains Williams. "But should you be diagnosed with cancer, you should go and get treatment. Modern medicine and our health message coincide; they are not mutually exclusive."
Williams says changing one's diet in conjunction with conventional medical treatment is fine--it is only the inflated claims of some regimes, which encourage people to refuse medical treatment, that are dangerous.
For those who have encountered claims that special diets can cure cancer, Williams recommends the Web site www.quackwatch.com, which is maintained by Stephen Barrett, M.D. "He's a well-respected doctor in health circles," says Williams. "He has done a good job of exposing health frauds like juice diets and garlic for treating cancer, and healing magnets."