Health issues, medical treatments and especially clinical trials of new cures are very controversial topics.
Almost everyone at some point in their lives has had to undergo treatment for a specific ailment. There are many who find alternative methods to traditional medicine to alleviate their ailments.
Our body is the physical part of our being and as such we must take care of it. Leading a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy, exercising, resting, not consuming toxic substances and other positive practices can help us to keep it in the best possible conditions, but if we still get seriously ill? If after exhausting all known avenues, whether traditional or alternative, there is nothing left but something totally new?
I am an extremely cautious person when it comes to taking medication. Some time ago I had an allergic reaction to Aspirin and later to other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, all of which are frequently used to relieve pain or reduce fever.Since then I only take medication when absolutely necessary. So imagining myself in a situation like Galen proposes, if I were invited to do a clinical trial of a new medical "cure" for a disease I had, but the possible side effects were totally unknown and there was no guarantee of improvement....I really can't say what I would do.
I suppose I would consider the possibility of submitting myself to an experimental treatment after exhausting everything known. I imagine that hope would be the reason for that decision. It may not be my cure, but at least it would serve to bring more knowledge that would help other people. Or who knows and bring with it my healing? Either way, to make such a risky and controversial decision I would have to be, without a doubt, in a borderline situation.
Text and image by me. I use DeepL for translation 馃き.
