The fragility of life. (Editorial).As all physicians know, life is extremely fragile. The difference between life and death can be determined not only by the skill of a surgeon, or lack of it, and the accuracy of diagnosis, but also by being at the wrong place at the wrong time to be struck down by an accident or disaster. Those who lived in earlier times did not have the benefit of antibiotics and the surgical techniques of today and met death from infections that are now treatable. We expect that in the future, the things physicians do now will be unnecessary because of new and wonderful methods to prevent and cure disease. I have personally found preparation for this issue of ENT ENT ears, nose, and throat (otorhinolaryngology). ENT abbr. ear, nose, and throat ENT ear, nose and throat. ENT Ears, nose & throat; formally, otorhinolaryngology JOURNAL especially difficult, in writing the obituary of my friend Jean-Bernard Causse. In December 2000, one year before Jean-Bernard's death, he, Dr. Christian Deguine, and I, along with our wives, spent a wonderful evening in Paris to celebrate over dinner the publication of our Atlas of Otoscopy. Jean-Bernard was vibrant and full of life. He had written the complimentary preface to the Atlas, which Dr. Deguine and I had authored. Each of us inscribed in·scribe tr.v. in·scribed, in·scrib·ing, in·scribes 1. a. To write, print, carve, or engrave (words or letters) on or in a surface. b. To mark or engrave (a surface) with words or letters. the others' copies. In April 2001, we learned that Jean-Bernard had amyloidosis Amyloidosis Definition Amyloidosis is a progressive, incurable, metabolic disease characterized by abnormal deposits of protein in one or more organs or body systems. and in the next months agonized ag·o·nize v. ag·o·nized, ag·o·niz·ing, ag·o·niz·es v.intr. 1. To suffer extreme pain or great anguish. 2. To make a great effort; struggle. v.tr. as his condition grew worse. He was treated by excellent specialists, with regular consultation from the world's expert in this uncommon and generally fatal disease. A new drug manufactured in Japan, interleukin interleukin Any of a class of naturally occurring proteins important in regulation of lymphocyte function. Several known types are recognized as crucial constituents of the body's immune system (see immunity). 6 (IL-6), offered promise of controlling the disease. Although trials on IL-6 were being conducted in Europe, the officials in control denied this life-saving medication to our friend. European government bureaucrats, acting in much the same way as the FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. operates in the USA (the drug IL-6 is not available at all in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. ), acted to prevent Jean-Bernard from receiving this drug. We do not know whether IL-6 would have been of any benefit, but it seems difficult to believe that governments have not gone way too far in dictating what medical treatment can be used and to whom it will be made available. The need for government to be able to make exceptions to their directives, for humanitarian reasons, is emphasized in the case of Jean-Bernard Causse. JACK L. PULEC, MD Editor-in-Chief EAR, NOSE & THROAT JOURNAL |
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