Cancer: A Controversial Subject
Why Doesn’t CCRG Engage in Public Debates with the Detractors of
Complementary Medicine?
Much of the negative media portrayal of complementary medicine is based
on the personal accounts of just a few people for which, in our
experience, the full story is never accurately communicated. In past, we
have made best efforts to provide media with detailed information on
research, positive patient outcomes and the current positioning of our
clinical approach. However, most of the complementary medicine
detractors have their own unsubstantiated and unbalanced agenda and the
positive aspects of complementary medicine are rarely, if ever,
conveyed.
Because of patient confidentiality laws under Ontario’s Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
and the new
Health Information Protection Act,
CCRG is not able to publicly
disclose specific patient records or information. Any individual
discussing such cases publicly, without the proper patient releases, is
breaking the law. Many of CCRG’s patients are captains of industry and
government and other high profile citizens. CCRG adamantly defends their
right to medical privacy. Regardless of whether or not consent to
release for any given issue or patient may exist, CCRG’s general policy
is to release information only to the patient. It is the patient’s, or
their representative’s privilege for disposition of that information.
Why doesn’t CCRG or William O’Neill respond to questions about
individual patients?
The above mentioned patient privacy law prohibits us from doing so
without proper consent from patients or their guardians. The detractors
of complementary medicine typically highlight just a few CCRG patient
files. In order to have a fully open dialogue about these files, whether
it be on the internet or other media, we have asked the families to
directly provide CCRG with the proper full-disclosure waivers prior to
publicly discussing the individual case. These few families of patients
have refused to sign Consent to Release Information agreements that have
been provided to them by CCRG. The same families provided the media with
consent forms. However, the media releases are between the patient and
the media only. Under Privacy Laws, this is inadequate for CCRG purposes
since the consent must be directly between the patient and/or their
guardian and CCRG. We have been very specific about our patient privacy
policy to the media. CCRG policy when being interviewed is that NO
private patient information will be discussed without patient consent to
CCRG. In spite of this, web detractors and tabloid journalism often
tries to circumvent proper privacy protection. Media often aggressively
and negligently push for private information. It is an old media trick….
elicit a “no comment” statement from the interviewee and make that
individual appear uncooperative.
CCRG is very sympathetic to the families of patients who have lost
loved-ones. Throughout its history, CCRG has demonstrated the ability
to compassionately and effectively work with families and individuals in
the most difficult of circumstances.
Our view of many of the matters publicly raised by a few family members
is that these are individuals who are rightfully grieving and their
grief has been exploited by the detractors of complementary medicine for
the detractors own benefit (financial and ego). There is always much
more to the individual patient stories that has not been told and in
today’s world cannot be publicly told without proper releases.
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