Swine Flu

[Will]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

No this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8166444.stm

Note the words used... "could" "may" "might" "predicted"

[Will]

Why do we rely so quickly on prescribing drugs and pills? It's ridiculous - most pills just do nothing good for you apart from toxify your liver and endocrine system.

[Jhadur]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

No this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8166444.stm

I see nothing that says we ARE running out of ICU beds but that we MAY run out.

Some 840 patients are in hospital - 63 of which are in critical care -

If 63 critical care beds means we're running out then I have some real problems with this health service.

[Matblack]

I am concerned, I'm in a high risk group and my mother is on Methotraxate which seriously restricts the body's defenses and means that a slight infection can become very serious very quickly. But I'm not worried right now, the time that it will get bad if it is going to is the winter and we should have enough antivirals by then to keep it in check. Believe me working in a college probably puts me in a maximum risk area so I'll be taking precautions but I'm not going to let this take over my life and stop me doing things.

MB

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by Will

Note the words used... "could" "may" "might" "predicted"

True, and let's hope they are proven wrong.

[LeperousDust]

Originally Posted by Will

Why do we rely so quickly on prescribing drugs and pills? It's ridiculous - most pills just do nothing good for you apart from toxify your liver and endocrine system.

Agreed, we've evolved to naturally fight off a lot of thing that get given pills for little reason now days. Even Tamiflu doesn't actually do much but hide the symptoms does it? That with possible side effect of nausea? No irony there then...

[Matblack]

Originally Posted by Will

most pills just do nothing good for you apart from toxify your liver and endocrine system.

Sorry Will but that's balls

MB

[Fayshun]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

And you are clearly exaggerating there -

Really?

[Mark]

Yes, it's a Pandemic. But, in case you haven't noticed, it's summer. Flu generally doesn't fare so well in the summer. As we head towards winter, it will get worse. There is absolutely no question of this.

Also, while it is true it is currently milder than seasonal flu, if media reports are to believed then its distribution among age groups is also different - with more young people being affected than is considered typical. That's a classic pandemic trait.

And the reason for all the concern is not what is currently happening, but what might happen. For example - if, somehow, it combines with H5N1 then we certainly will have a problem.

And I agree with MB, Will. Direct that comment towards a diabetic, or a hayfever sufferer, for example, and you might get an even stronger reply (and yes, I know you said most). Yes, a large proportion of pills (may well be most) do have negative effects on the liver, but to say they do nothing good is frankly ridiculous.

[iCraig]

Originally Posted by Will

Why do we rely so quickly on prescribing drugs and pills? It's ridiculous - most pills just do nothing good for you apart from toxify your liver and endocrine system.

Can't say I agree with that, millions of people benefit from drugs every day which allows them to live a normal life. Without them, they'd be in pain, extremely ill, or even dead. Diabetics, people with heart conditions, bone and joint diseases, hormone and vitamin defficiencies, contraception, the list goes on. Some people probably take things like paracetemol too readily, or even use stronger painkillers that wasn't prescribed to them, such as codeine. I agree that those aren't neccessary to those who are too eager to take them, but they do "work" nonetheless.

Edit: Ah, you've already had a few replies on this, ignore this if you've already read Mark's response.