Japanese medical establishment a complete joke

[cstaylor]

'Nurse! Help! I've rejoined the elbow upside down'

It's no surprise to hear some attribute the Japanese having the world's longest lifespan because of a widespread fear to seek medical treatment

And of course, the big bullshit in the article:

Yoshiro Shibata, of the medical malpractice information center, says slipshod surgery is rampant.

"If the United States is said to have anywhere from 40,000 to 90,000 cases of medical malpractice yearly, Japan must easily have more than at least 20,000 cases," he tells Asahi Geino.

Yeah, right. I'd say more like 100,000 cases.

And get this:

Nonetheless, little appears likely to change.

"You'll never get rid of malpractice," a pharmaceuticals company employee says. "Doctors would have nothing to laugh about when they have a few drinks."

[kamome]

I recently met a young doctor who admitted to me that he was glad he didn't have to study medicine in the States, because it's much easier to become a doctor in Japan. And I'm thinking, this is the kind of guy who's supposed to diagnose whether I have a serious ailment or not?

Sadly, many Japanese "doctors" apparently amount to no more than rookie quacks with a degree and a license to prescribe medicine for the purpose of making the pharmaceutical companies profitable.

[cstaylor]

Wonder if any of these voodoo quacks have heard of the Hippocratic oath: First, do no harm.

[befamfivh]

Uhh... that's scary as hell, and surprising considering all the doctors I've talked to in the States have told me how great the Japanese medical system is. Come to think of it though, they only mentioned the system, not the MDs...

[Mr. BIG]

I recently met a young doctor who admitted to me that he was glad he didn't have to study medicine in the States, because it's much easier to become a doctor in Japan.

A few months ago I was speaking with a Japanese PhD. student here in the states about why he came here to get his degree....he told me that medical school in Japan was terribly lacking when compared to similar US programs. From what I can remember (and I may be mistaken), it takes exactly 6 years to become a doctor in Japan....from freshman undergrad to doctor in 6 years--incredible!! Anyways, the student I spoke with said he wanted to learn how to cure people, so he came to the states to study.