Health

The Battle with Big Pharma

Recently, I was asked to write a piece on Big Pharma and to grill them for taking over the market of all natural medicine. I thought YES! This is my chance to drag them through the coals for how they had failed me in my life.

 A few days later, while preparing this piece I went to the dentist to have a small filling repaired. The dentist had damaged a nerve in my lower jaw, and this lead me straight back into the hands of Big Pharma. 

The Tooth Shall Set You Free

I’ve broken knees, ankles, my nose and had over 50 gallbladder attacks. Even suffered gangrene in my legs, yet nothing can compare to the pain of a broken tooth. Schedule 5 Pharma drugs was my only resolve. And it enabled me to be able to get up and walk around, and finally put pen to paper. 

“11 years ago I was given 6 weeks to live. Big Pharma couldn’t help”

Brett Austin

But first, let’s backup; 11 years ago I was given 6 weeks to live. Big Pharma couldn’t help, and I suspected, was even contributing to the decline in my health at that time. This is when I turned to natural medicine. A lifesaving decision that I am forever grateful having made. One might think that this experience would polarize my position on Big Pharma and “haul them over the coals”. But is that right?

We find ourselves in this current conflicted situation because we have allowed our peers, and the people we trusted, to make the rules.  These rules, some positive, many negative, affect all of us. And while a framework is needed, we should be asking – What are the underlying motivations for these rules?

Some would say, to line the pockets of Big Pharma. Others, to take away business from the small grower/medicine man. But in truth the rules are there to protect the general population.

Big Pharma is a powerful institution, but only because we, the population, allow it to be.

We support them on a daily basis.  The fault lies with ourselves and not with Big Pharma. We allow ourselves to become dependent on Big Pharma, and we don’t challenge the rules.

Size Counts

The establishment is a monolith, and not easily contested. When all the natural medicine practitioners band together under one roof, we would have the power to stand up to the giants and play them at their own game. Hippocrates said “let food be thy medicine” – when we all adopt this philosophy Big Pharma will be rendered powerless. Viva la Revolution!

In the meantime, Karma is a game where no one escapes the balancing forces of the universe. All those playing this ugly game will have to reckon, while those playing the good game will be given restitution in abundance. Or as the “Good Book” states – “What you sow so shall you reap”. 

I strongly believe that there is a place for everyone in this world, and that we should never go to war. Rather to learn, try to understand each other and work together, where possible.

To be the change you wish to see in the world, means giving up everything that no longer serves you personally, but not everyone has realized this concept yet and so we are given many lifetimes to prove ourselves to ourself, with grace and understanding this world can be an amazing adventure but each one of us has to create that for ourselves. 

Leave a Reply