Running head: UNORTHODOX METHODS VS.

WESTERN MEDICINE 1

Are Unorthodox Medicinal Methods Better Than Modern Western Medicine

Telana Marlin

Waxahachie Global High School

Mrs. Casey

January 13, 2017

UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 2

Table of Contents

Abstract..3

Introduction....4

Effectiveness..4

Do Unorthodox Methods Work..4

Does Modern Medicine Work....5

The Effects on Bystanders..6

Humidifiers.6

Medicines are Everywhere..7

Cost Comparison.7

Conclusion..8

References..9
UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 3

Abstract

This paper explores the differences between unorthodox medicinal methods and modern

medicine. It will address the most obvious things a patient looks for in their medicine. It will

compare the effectiveness, dangers, and costs of both alternative medicine and modern methods.

By reading and researching many different doctors opinions and treatment center success rates,

we may be able to decide which method of treatment is better.

Keywords: unorthodox medicinal methods, modern medicine, treatment

UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 4

Introduction

Medicine is one of the fastest growing industries on the planet. We have had more

medical breakthroughs in the last decade than ever before. However, some people still prefer to

use unorthodox methods, rather than going to see a doctor and take a prescription. The question

now is, which methods are better? With every new modern technique that is established, there

are just as many unorthodox methods being created everyday. It has been a long going argument

over which methods are not only better for your body, but are most effective in their treatments.

Effectiveness

When anyone finds out that they are fighting a deadly disease, the first thing they want to

do is find the best possible treatment. What works the fastest? What has the best results? What is

the easiest treatment to access? In the battle between unorthodox medicinal methods and modern

methods, these are vital question that need to be asked and answered. Both unorthodox and

modern treatments have a lot of data and results, but it is hard to truly identify what works best

because of the uniqueness of every cancer case. Two patients with the same type and stage of

cancer can react to the same treatment in completely different ways. In order to find the most

efficient treatments you have to look at unorthodox or modern methods as a whole, not just

individual types of treatments.

Do Unorthodox Methods Work?

One of the most troublesome diseases that the world is trying to treat is cancer. There are

so many different unorthodox methods used to try and fight cancer. People flock to alternative

methods of treatment. In an interview Dr. Contreras talk about his success rate with natural

cancer treatments. Kevin Gianni had an interview with Dr. Contreras on his methods of natural
UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 5

cancer treatments. Dr. Contreras works in a small hospital in Mexico with no government

support. In talking about his success rates, he stated,

Now we did out study for five years, the cancer treatment centers are providing only for

one or two years. Again, because its very difficult to follow patients and very expensive

to do it for five years but we wanted to do the thing as the NCI. So if you see on our

breast cancer patients that were treated before they came to us. We have about 98% of

our patients are alive after five years. In comparison to 65% from the conventional

therapy, that is very significant. If you look at the next one, when the cancer comes to us

for virgin to treatment, without any treatment a 100% of our patients are alive after one

year. And so, obviously because there is Stage 4 cancer patients very complicated as

years go by the numbers start to drop. But at the end of 5 years we have, almost three

times as many patients alive that the conventional therapy.

In using the natural methods, Dr Contreras has shown incredible survival rates in all sorts of

cancer patients. The best results they have are in patients with lung cancer, but they have been

able to help people with varying types of cancer.

Does Modern Medicine Work?

Cancer Treatment Center of America (CTCA) have many results on survival rates on

patients with advanced lung cancer also. They took 91 patients who were diagnosed with

advanced lung cancer between 2004 and 2008 and as seen in Figure 1, they recorded the survival

rates for 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months.

Figure 1
UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 6

CTCA then decided to not only show their own results standing alone, but compare it to other

cancer centers around America. Figure 2 shows the comparison of CTCAs results and SEER.

The patients from the SEER sample were diagnosed between 2000 and 2003, which is the most

recent data available (Tide, R). It

shows that the CTCA has many

treatments that seem to work well

with patients and keep the survival

rate decently high.

Figure 2

The Effects on Bystanders

The effects of any medicines or treatments on the friends and family of patients is

something that need to be considered when deciding what the best treatment is. Sometimes, the

second hand chemicals can be extremely harmful to anyone close to the treatments.

Humidifiers

Humidifiers are machines that take a liquid, sometimes with a scent or herb, and

evaporates it and disperses it all around the room. There are many different scents and herbs that

can be used to try and treat not only different illnesses, but pains and aches as well. The most

common uses are for dry skin, sinus congestion, dry throat, nose irritation, bloody noses, irritated

vocal chords, dry cough, and cracked lips (Written, Moore, & CherneyMedically, 2005). The

most common injuries associated with humidifiers is burns (Written, Moore, &
UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 7

CherneyMedically, 2005). Children can find the humidifier and get burn if the water or machine

itself it too hot. If a humidifier is not cleaned properly, there can be bacterial growth, dust mites,

mildew, and mold.

Medicines are Everywhere

Over time, because so many people have started taking prescription medication, the

levels of different pharmaceutical drugs have gotten higher. The concentrations of these

pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the

levels of a medical dose. Also, utilities insist their water is safe (Donn, Mendoza, & Pritchard,

n.d.). So how to the drugs get in the water? People take the pills, and their body absorbs some of

the medication, and the rest goes into the sewer systems. The wastewater is treated before it is

discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking

water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug

residue (Donn, Mendoza, & Pritchard, n.d.). Scientists still do not fully understand what risks

come with having the medications in the water, but water utilities claim that their water is safe.

Cost Comparison

The costs of the treatments can vary wildly, for both unorthodox and modern treatments.

One of the most common unorthodox treatments, called The Cellect-Budwig Protocol. This

treatment starts at about $450 a month, but it can go higher depending on the dosage that any

given patient requires (Advanced treatments for stage IV cancer, 2013). There are some

treatments less expensive and some more expensive but this can stand as a sort of middle ground.

Modern cancer treatments start at a very high price. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 8

approved a treatment for melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, which shrunk tumors in 60 percent of

patients in a clinical trial.

The drugs manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, will charge $141,000 for the first 12 weeks of

treatment and $256,000 for a year of treatment (Elkins, 2016). Even though this is an extreme

price to pay for any treatment, the price of modern medicine for cancer is still on the rise.

Conclusion

Overall, both of these paths can be they way to a successful recovery. Medicine is

changing everyday and humanity is struggling to keep up. Whether it is unorthodox treatments or

modern medicine, it is almost always situational. The same treatment can affect different patients

in completely different ways, and some may have to go farther than others. Both unorthodox and

modern methods have proven some success, but there is always more to do in the world of

medicine.
UNORTHODOX METHODS VS. WESTERN MEDICINE 9

References

Gianni, K. (2012, March 26). Shocking cancer survival rates from natural treatments:

Special healing cancer week. Retrieved January 13, 2017, from Articles,

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2012/03/26/shocking-cancer-survival-rates-from-natural-t

reatments

Tide, R. (2017). SCLC lung cancer survival statistics | CTCA. Retrieved January 13, 2017, from

Cancer Treatment Centers of America, http://www.cancercenter.com/lung-cancer

/statistics/tab/lung-cancer-SCLC-survival-statistics/

Written, Moore, K., & CherneyMedically, K. (2005). Humidifiers and health. Retrieved January

13, 2017, from http://www.healthline.com/health/humidifiers-and-health# HumidityContr

ol4

Donn, J., Mendoza, M., & Pritchard, J. The associated press: Pharmaceuticals found in drinking

water, affecting wildlife and maybe humans. Retrieved January 13, 2017, from

http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/pharmawater_site/day1_01.html

Advanced treatments for stage IV cancer. (2013, November 19). Retrieved January 13, 2017,

from Treatments, https://www.cancertutor.com/advtreatments/

Elkins, C. (2016, March 17). How much cancer costs. Retrieved January 13, 2017, from

https://www.drugwatch.com/2015/10/07/cost-of-cancer/
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