In today’s high-tech medical landscape, it’s easy to assume that science has the answers to all our health problems. Modern medicine has made remarkable strides in acute care, surgery, and emergency interventions. Yet when it comes to the leading causes of death — such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer — the results are far less impressive. Despite decades of research and billions in investment, modern medicine primarily manages, delays, or alleviates symptoms. It rarely cures.

The Hidden Toll of Medical Harm

A critical yet often overlooked question is: How many people are harmed or killed by iatrogenic causes — that is, adverse effects resulting from medical treatment — and do the benefits of modern medicine outweigh these risks? Some studies have suggested that medical errors may rank as the third leading cause of death in the United States, potentially contributing to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. A widely cited 2016 study published in the journal BMJ, estimated that medical errors cause approximately 251,000 deaths each year in the U.S., placing them behind only heart disease and cancer as leading causes of death. Earlier, the 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, To Err Is Human, estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die each year due to preventable medical errors in hospitals. However, more expansive definitions of iatrogenic harm — including deaths from side effects of correctly administered treatments — have led some researchers to conclude that the true annual iatrogenic death rate may be significantly higher.

Conflicts of Interest in Medical Research

One reason for this gap lies in how medical research is funded and structured. An estimated 70% of clinical trial funding comes from the private sector, particularly pharmaceutical companies. This creates an inherent conflict of interest: the same entities that profit from treatments are often responsible for producing the evidence that justifies them. Even if individual researchers act ethically, the system is heavily biased toward profitable outcomes. Chronic diseases with large patient populations represent massive market opportunities — and long-term treatments generate ongoing revenue.

Profit Over Prevention

This economic model shapes which drugs get developed, how studies are designed, and even how diseases are defined. The system prioritizes medications that control symptoms rather than exploring root-cause healing or prevention. In this context, holistic and natural approaches — often dismissed for lacking a scientific basis — are more relevant than ever.

The Value of Holistic Wisdom

Critics of holistic therapies argue that many of these techniques lack rigorous scientific validation. But this argument overlooks a critical fact: medical science has barely scratched the surface in understanding the full complexity of human biology, especially the interplay between thoughts, emotions, and physical health. To assume that what science hasn’t yet validated isn’t worth knowing is not just shortsighted — it’s arrogant. Many holistic methods, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, and meditation, have been practiced and refined for thousands of years. They may not fit neatly into the current biomedical framework, but they are built on centuries of empirical knowledge and real-world outcomes.

A Corrupt Medical Establishment

Meanwhile, the conventional medical establishment — essentially controlled by the pharmaceutical industry — is deeply corrupt. While many doctors are ethical and dedicated, the broader system they operate within is deeply intertwined with profit motives that can distort priorities.

Major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson have been criminally convicted — not just sued, but actually convicted — for fraud, falsifying data, and covering up dangerous side effects. These criminal companies spend billions annually influencing politicians, regulators, media, and even healthcare professionals. And yet they continue to dominate the industry and shape the very policies that are supposed to regulate them. To give just one example, vaccine mogul Bill Gates is one of the largest non-governmental donors to the World Health Organization (WHO), contributing hundreds of millions of dollars annually, giving him disproportionate influence within global public health institutions.

The COVID-19 Narrative and Industry Influence

We saw this dishonest, profit-driven behavior play out vividly during the COVID-19 pandemic. While public health messaging emphasized trust in pharmaceutical companies, some of the same corporations with long histories of criminal misconduct were once again shaping the narrative — this time, on a global scale.

The Pfizer Transmission Controversy

In 2022, a Pfizer official stated that the COVID-19 vaccine had never been tested for its ability to prevent transmission. Pfizer explained that the clinical trials were not designed to measure this effect and that the company had never claimed the vaccine would stop the spread of the virus. While this was technically accurate, many TV hosts, journalists, public figures, and celebrity doctors — often affiliated with media outlets heavily sponsored by Pfizer — did make that claim. It was even used to justify mandatory vaccination policies. The public was repeatedly told that getting vaccinated would help prevent transmission. Pfizer never corrected this widespread misconception and allowed its sponsored voices to continue promoting it. Pfizer had two years to set the record straight, but opted not to do so. By not correcting the widespread misunderstanding — especially when that misunderstanding was used to justify vaccine mandates, public pressure, and life-changing social restrictions — Pfizer allowed a narrative to persist that allowed it to earn billions of dollars in profits.

The Promise of Holistic Health

This is where holistic health offers a compelling alternative. Rather than suppress symptoms, holistic approaches aim to restore the body’s natural balance and support its innate healing mechanisms. These include dietary changes, stress reduction, herbal remedies, physical movement, and mind-body practices. Holistic health isn’t anti-science — it’s pro-whole-person. It values prevention, lifestyle, and long-term vitality over quick fixes. Research continues to support the benefits of plant-based nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep, mindfulness, and strong social connection — all pillars of natural healing.

Empowerment Through Natural Healing

Importantly, holistic therapies often offer more affordable, sustainable solutions that empower individuals rather than making them dependent on long-term pharmaceutical regimens. While regulation and quality control are valid concerns, it’s also crucial to examine how conventional systems — supposedly “regulated” — are influenced by commercial interests.

Resistance to Alternative Medicine

Pharmaceutical companies — and the broader medical industry, which is heavily influenced by their interests — often view alternative medicine as a challenge to their market dominance. As a result, they have been known to lobby policymakers and regulatory bodies to impose stricter regulations on alternative health practitioners.

A Call for Integrated Care

Modern medicine will always have a vital role, especially in emergency and surgical care. But the growing interest in holistic health reflects a deeper truth: people want more than just to manage disease. They want to thrive. A truly transformative healthcare model must integrate the best of both worlds — combining rigorous science with the wisdom of natural and intuitive approaches to health and healing.

© Zak Martin 2025

Author: Admin