Medical Malpractice

The health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids have been widely talked about by the media over the last several years. Among many things, omega-3 supplements like fish oil pills can reduce symptoms linked to ADHD, protect the heart against disease, and delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. It can even relieve joint pain and improve eye health. These benefits have been discovered not just through anecdotes and personal experiences, but through double-blind, placebo-controlled studies published in medical journals.

In Europe, doctors automatically prescribe fish oil supplements to heart attack patients; those living in Italy can actually sue their physicians for malpractice if they do not recommend omega-3 after a heart attack. In the United States, however, hardly any doctor recommends the use of fish oil for patients. This then begs the question - why don't more doctors prescribe omega-3 fatty acids? Why does the average doctor prescribe pharmaceutical medications that cause devastating side effects?

One possible reason is that omega-3 supplements are not licensed to treat diseases in the United States. This means that doctors have to be very cautious when it comes to recommending supplements, and that they cannot promote omega-3 as a treatment or cure for any disease. The reason behind this is to protect the consumer from false advertising and unscrupulous manufacturers. However, this also means that many consumers are left in the dark about fish oil benefits, or are skeptical about what these can do to their health.

Another reason is that pharmaceutical companies do not promote fish oil and other natural supplements because they cannot profit from them as much as they do from drugs. Pharmaceutical manufacturers invest hundreds of millions creating and patenting new drugs, which prevents other companies from copying these for over 20 years. However, only original substances are protected by patent law. Since omega-3 fats can be obtained naturally and have been consumed for decades, they are not covered by patents, which make them less profitable, especially if you consider the mandatory testing the company needs to do to license these as medicines.

The good news is that many doctors do follow the medical journal articles that demonstrate omega-3 benefits for patients, putting them in a great position to advice patients about fish oil. Chances are, if you ask your doctor, he or she will agree with the benefits of these supplements and can check if they do not interfere with other drugs you are currently taking. So if you think that you need omega-3 supplements in your life, don't be afraid to ask your doctor about it.