Amitan Pope

To sufficiently understand what was discussed in this course, we reflected on topics in both the class environment and on our own. I found the introspection to make the concepts learned in class truly meaningful. 

By discussing my viewpoints and having them challenged, I was able to grow and view issues from different perspectives. However, through the reflections, I was able to think critically about large-scale concepts and try to think of solutions to current problems. Although, it sometimes resulted in a bleak outlook as many pertinent issues cannot be solved easily, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to present my ideas and my thoughts about real-world issues presented by my acclaimed professor, Dr.Sarah McLean.

At the beginning of this course there was an activity to look at our preconceived notions of health issues. When the question of government supported funding of infertility was discussed, I was on the fence. I felt that it was an important issue but that adoption could solve the condition, whereas other illnesses currently have no solution and therefore should receive more funding. Furthermore, adoption could benefit all parties involved, especially considering the significant population of foster children. Although adoption is still a viable solution for hopeful parents, there are many impacts of infertility that I thoughtlessly overlooked. The personal stories shared about family and friends helped me realize the psychosocial impact of infertility that goes beyond the physiological impacts. The personal detriment felt when one can’t conceive can be devastating and can lead to inexplicable feelings of failure. Additionally, the OLM revealed symptoms of infertility disorders can cause further distress. For example, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often accompanied by hirsutism, which can have harmful psychosocial effects on sensitive demographics like the 12 year-old examined in the case study.

In previous weeks, we found that general healthiness was correlated to higher socioeconomic status (SES). However, SES can also affect fertility by increasing treatment options. Currently, the very expensive process of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is only partially funded by the Ontario provincial government and it only applies to the first round of IVF. Therefore, those with lower SES will have less access to the treatment. This brings the ethical question of whether this treatment should only be available to the wealthy to the forefront of many discussions. Canada's health care system has its flaws but universality is at its core. For many, the ability to have a child is a primary part of being human, and the inability to conceive is perceived as a failure. So should we let wealth with its exclusive access to privatised treatments determine whether one person is able to have children? Conversely, shouldn't someone who works for their money be able to spend it in the way they choose?

In the future, I will strive to consider psychosocial aspects beyond the physiological, as these are equally impactful aspects of disease on the patient. Additionally, I will continue to question the morality of current health practices in our health care system. Through this course, my opinions on infertility have changed and I hope government spending on infertility healthcare is significantly increased.

In my opinion, the biggest challenge in dealing with the opioid crisis is determining when it is appropriate to prescribe opioids. Excluding transport thefts and pharmacy thefts, the most effective way to limit drug diversion is to tightly regulate opioid prescriptions. Opioids should only be prescribed to those who are in moderate to severe pain and people with opioid addictions should instead receive addiction treatments. This made sense to me before class but after the class discussions, I began to wonder: how does one distinguish genuine pain from an addictive tendency in a patient? There is no decisive way to know if the pain is legitimate or if the patient is seeking out opioids because of addiction. As discussed in the module, pain is a subjective experience that is influenced by many factors. So how does a person objectively evaluate a subjective experience? Before we can help treat those with addiction, we need to first be able identify them. Therefore, there is a significant need for a system to effectively identify pain versus addiction in patient populations.

I found it very surprising that medical professionals like the doctor in the video would spread propaganda on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. Money is always a factor, but I thought they would have more integrity in terms of their medical position. Doctors have a responsibility to embody the health of people and by spreading false security about drugs, they are endangering people everywhere. People who are less scientifically or health literate may not question the words of someone who is versed in the field. Because of their position, they hold credibility, and this credibility was abused. For me, this solidified the importance of health and science literacy in the community. If the general public was able to critically evaluate the propaganda being spread by medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies, perhaps opioid use would have been lessened and alternatives formulated.

Before this lesson, I didn’t consider the impact my words may have on those around me. Among many of my friends and family, I have the largest science background and therefore my scientific claims are held in high regard. I therefore have a responsibility to improve the health literacy of those around me and to not impart unsubstantiated claims. Instead, I will encourage critical thinking and evidence-based statements.