Sanders speaks out against the 'get a diagnosis and take a pill' mentality, shows support for alternative medicine

Friday, March 18, 2016 by: Daniel Barker
Tags: Bernie Sanders, alternative medicine, Big Pharma

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(NaturalNews) Whether or not you support presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders as your candidate of choice in the upcoming election, it's worth knowing his stance regarding alternative medicine.

In this regard, he seems to be by far the most open-minded of all the candidates left in the race – including both Republicans and Democrats.

Not only was Sanders one of the few in Washington to oppose the confirmation of drug industry insider Dr. Robert Califf as new head of the FDA, but he has also voiced support for alternative medicine and natural healing techniques in general, throughout his long career.

Bernie Sanders vs. Big Pharma

His comments regarding Califf's appointment reveal that Sanders is well aware of the strong-arm tactics employed by the big drug companies to exert control over the agency's regulation of the pharmaceutical industry:

"Dr. Califf's extensive ties to the pharmaceutical industry give me no reason to believe that he would make the FDA work for ordinary Americans, rather than just the CEOs of pharmaceutical companies."

If elected, one of Sanders' promises is to take on the pharmaceutical companies which unfairly hike drug prices.

From BernieSanders.com:

"Instead of listening to the demands of the pharmaceutical industry and their 1,400 lobbyists, it is time that Congress started listening to the American people, who overwhelmingly believe that the cost of medication is too expensive. More than 70 percent of Americans believe drug costs are unreasonable and that drug companies are putting profits before people."

The promise to address exorbitant drug prices has also been a talking point in Hillary Clinton's campaign – but her words tend to ring a little hollow when one takes into account the fact that Clinton accepted $164,315 in contributions from the drug and medical industry during the first six months of her campaign – far more than any other candidate. And in politics, dollars often speak louder than words.

To be fair, Bernie Sanders has also accepted money from pharmaceutical companies – $8,346 in his campaign's first six months – but he has made it clear that he draws a line regarding Big Pharma support.

Sanders campaign spokesman Michael Briggs said:

"We don't accept pharmaceutical PAC checks. Never have. Never will. But if you work as a drug researcher or hold another job and support Bernie, we welcome your help."

Sanders also rejected a $2,700 contribution from Martin Shkreli, the infamous Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO who raised the price of a cancer and AIDS drug to $750 per pill.

Sanders' history concerning alternative health and medicine

His voting record and comments made over the years seem to indicate that Bernie Sanders is sincere in his support of alternative medicine and holistic health practices.

From Fortune.com:

"As Sanders' medical records make clear, he's kept his good health through regular visits to the doctor for treatment of minor ailments. But he also has a long history of interest in alternative medicine, including a few ideas that are far outside the mainstream.

"From linking sexual abstinence to cancer to blaming disease on the 'ails of society,' Sanders has sometimes professed opinions on health as alternative as his political ideas. He penned essays in his twenties arguing that sexual repression causes cancer in women, and suggested through his late forties that the disease has psychosomatic causes."

Even if some of his views are (or were) "outside the mainstream," he appears to have a good grasp of the issues. As a member of Congress, he has "backed legislation supporting acupunture and other naturopathic remedies and held conferences on alternative health."

From a 2010 speech Sanders delivered to a Vermont alternative medicine conference:

"More and more people are not simply content to go to a doctor's office, get a diagnosis and take a pill. They want to know what the cause of their medical problem is and how, when possible, it can be best alleviated through natural, non-invasive or non-pharmaceutical means."

Sanders or not, it would indeed be refreshing to have a president in the White House who truly supports alternative medicine and has the guts to take on Big Pharma.

Sources:

TrueActivist.com

BostonGlobe.com

BernieSanders.com

Fortune.com

Science.NaturalNews.com