The Lancet Climate Countdown paper (Romanello, 2021) carefully summaries the interwoven issues and healthcare’s future needs to create changes in the underlying social and environmental determinants of health as well. Obstetricians and Gynecologists also now recognize their role in climate change within “the context of women’s reproductive health as a public health issue, a social justice issue, a human rights issue, an economic issue, a political issue, and a gender issue.” (Giudice, 2021) The Perils of Ignoring History
Considering the state of the environment, with species loss, habitat degradation, extreme weather events and burgeoning epidemics of modern disease (especially in children), we need to rethink our strategy as humans on this planet in order to survive. We are now becoming experts in the law of unintended consequences. Widely adopting a meaningful version of the Precautionary Principle while including human rights, could fundamentally change our economy for the benefit of the environment and indirectly help all of the nine billion humans inhabiting our fragile earth. We can otherwise continue to collectively or individually decide to deny, delay and dismiss the problems. (“The Science for Profit Model”, 2021)
Medicine is Still an Honorable Calling
A unique bond of trust and caring is formed with each doctor patient interaction. To heal and see a life improve is immensely satisfying for both involved. This is a result of a long history of rigorous MD training along with a dedication to the profession of medicine and human kind. Pursuing medicine is a selfless act, but one that now only 10% of physicians recommend to their children. The “Business of Medicine” has now overtaken the “Joy of Medicine”, with crushing administrative burdens that are most obvious to private practitioners. Medicine is still an honorable and rewarding calling. Let’s reform the profession, so we can still “enjoy the journey” as Dr. Abraham Vergese wisely advises. The SCCMA like our sister organization, the CMA, will continue to pursue its mission “to promote the science and art of medicine, protection of public health and the betterment of the medical profession.” Join us in this endeavor. “I think we learn from medicine everywhere that it is, at its heart, a human endeavor, requiring good science but also a limitless curiosity and interest in your fellow human being, and that the physician-patient relationship is key; all else follows from it.” ~ Dr. Abraham Vergese, Stanford Professor and author of Cutting for Stone
REFERENCES: The search for animals harbouring coronavirus — and why it matters. Scientists are monitoring pets, livestock and wildlife to work out where SARSCoV-2 could hide, and whether it could resurge. March 2, 2021. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00531-z COP26: What was agreed at the Glasgow climate conference? Nov 15, 2021. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56901261 Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Workers Have Quit Their Jobs During the Pandemic Medical workers cited COVID-19, poor pay and burnout as reasons for layoffs, resignations. Oct 4, 2021. Morning Consult. https://morningconsult.com/2021/10/04/health-care-workers-series-part-2-workforce/ What we know about the Omicron variant. CNN. Nov 27, 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/26/health/omicron-variant-what-we-know/index.html The Perils of Ignoring History: Big Tobacco Played Dirty and Millions Died. How Similar Is Big Food? Milbank Q. 2009 Mar; 87(1): 259–294. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879177/ The Monsanto Papers: Poisoning the scientific well.Int J Risk Saf Med. 2018;29(3-4):193-205. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29843257/ For Decades, Polluters Knew PFAS Chemicals Were Dangerous but Hid Risks from Public. Environmental Working Group. Teflon Documents https://www.ewg.org/pfastimeline/ Exxon Knew about Climate Change almost 40 years ago. Scientific American. Oct 26, 2015. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/exxon-knew-about-climate-change-almost-40-years-ago/ The Science for Profit Model—How and why corporations influence science and the use of science in policy and practice. Legg et al. . PLOS One. June 23, 2021. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0253272 Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary principle: http://www.sehn.org/wing.html The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: code red for a healthy future. The Lancet. Vol 398, issue 10311. Oct 20, 2021. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01787-6/fulltext Climate change, women’s health, and the role of obstetricians and gynecologists in leadership. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Giudice LC et al. Oct 25, 2021. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijgo.13958
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The Bulletin | Fourth Quarter 2021 | 9
