World Medical Assembly: doctor-patient relationship and pseudotherapies

Prior to report physician-patient increasingly “distant”, the members of the Assembly seek to “obtain the most appropriate for patients based on scientific evidence, improve their health and physical and mental well-being and relieve pain”, states the General Council of the official medical associations (CGCOM), which is in charge of organizing this world event.

“It represents a great support to this project, initiated by the Spanish medical profession so that the doctor-patient relationship is considered an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.“, Explains Dr. Serafín Romero, president of CGCOM.

For this doctor, “there is a break in the relationship that has a lot to do with empathy and non-verbal language”.

“We must avoid the loss of humanization -Insert- and try to make this relationship last, despite the technological advances, which come to the aid, not replaced“.

Growing trends for …

Currently, professionals say, the doctor-patient relationship is constantly threatened by influences, both internal and external. Health systems.

They explain that, in some countries and health systems, these influences can alienate doctors from their patients and can harm them.

From CGCOM they indicate a growing trend towards the “technification” of Medicine, which sometimes leads to a mechanistic view of medical care.

In addition, experts point out a weakening of trusting relationships between people, “which negatively affects health relationships”. In addition to a primary focus on the economy.

This is why the association states that “the relationship between doctors and patients should never be subject to administrative, economic or political interference”.

Doctor-patient recommendations

According to CGCOM, reiterating its Geneva Declaration, the International Code of Medical Ethics and the Lisbon Declaration on Patients’ Rights, the WMA and its constituent members:

• They reaffirm that professional autonomy and clinical independence are essential components of high quality medical care and medical professionalism, safeguarding patients’ right to receive the medical care they need.
• They urge all agents involved in the doctor-patient relationship to defend, protect and strengthen this relationship, based on the quality of care, as a scientific, health, cultural and social heritage.
• They ask constituent members and physicians to defend this model of relationship as the fundamental core of any person-centered medical act.
• They also ask that these members and doctors uphold the medical profession and its ethical values, including compassion, competence, mutual respect and professional autonomy.
• They reaffirm their opposition to the interference of the government, other agents and institutional administrations in medical practice and in the doctor-patient relationship.
• They reaffirm their dedication to providing competent medical service, with full professional and moral independence, with compassion and respect for human dignity.
• They are committed to addressing emerging factors that may pose a threat to the doctor-patient relationship and to take measures to mitigate those factors.

Side effects of pseudo-practices

The “Córdoba Declaration” was not the only one approved by the World Medical Assembly. Experts believe that it is necessary to pass another one to regulate and raise awareness of pseudo-therapies and pseudosciences.

Some techniques, explained by CGCOM, which at first seemed harmless, but can now also cause death.

Experts point out that the practice of these “false” techniques can lead the patient to abandon medical care, have psychological trauma, economic losses or a dangerous delay and loss of opportunity in the application of drugs, among other effects.

Dr. Jerónimo Fernández Torrente, coordinator of the WTO Observatory Against Pseudosciences, Pseudotherapies, Intrusiveness and Health Cults, is the promoter of this Declaration, which urges health professionals to take legal action and denounce these practices.

Recommendations for pseudotherapies

Pseudosciences and pseudotherapies, according to the members of the assembly, constitute a complex system of theories, hypotheses, statements and methods erroneously considered scientific.

And while some are accepted by the scientific community and provide benefits to conventional medical therapy, experts explain that without proper regulation they can be dangerous and unethical.

Therefore, AMM makes the following recommendations:

• Adequate and rigorous regulation according to best practices is needed to address the risks and reduce the potential harm that pseudo-therapies and pseudosciences can cause.
• Pseudo-therapies and pseudosciences should not be considered medical specialties recognized by the scientific community or legally approved by an expert or subspecialty in pseudoscience.
• All acts of professional intrusion, pseudo-therapy and pseudoscientific activities that endanger public health must be reported to the competent authorities.
• The role of the general and specialized media for transparency and truthfulness in the critical scientific awareness of the public is fundamental.
• Physicians must continue to practice medicine as a service based on the application of current critical scientific knowledge, technical skills and ethical behavior.
• Physicians must keep their skills up to date with advances in their professional field.
• The patient must always be duly informed about the therapeutic options available, their efficacy and risks, and be able to participate in the decision on which treatments are best.
• Physicians need to be trained to identify pseudoscience / pseudo-therapies, logical errors and cognitive biases and advise their patients accordingly.
• Physicians should be aware that some patient groups are particularly vulnerable to the risks associated with the use of pseudotherapies.

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