Health improvement documentation

[pianoguy]

Quite often I see people mentioning that their physicians have been delighted with the improvements they've observed in their health after switching to e-cigs. I can't help but think that if there was some way for this data to be collected and reported in a credible fashion, that it would be helpful to the cause. It would be difficult for the AHA, ALA, etc. to refute real-world statistics reported by physicians.

 

[whiskey]

I think it would be great to get these doc's together & start e-mailing the correct people in albany NY who are in the process of banning e-cigs. There are main sites to go to on just about every place you look on here that give all the info to do this! Common people, if you have a doctors paperwork re: The op's post it would certainly help our cause!!!Thanks Pianoguy!!!

 

[D103]

I agree it would be helpful but I think it would be up to each of us to request that his/her personal physician put in writing exactly what health benefits they've observed, tested for, documented directly attributable to "switching to" electronic cigarettes. My guess is most doctors would not be willing to make this claim and probably rightfully so as the noticeable health benefits are obviously due to 'quitting smoking' and FDA and other naysayers would concede this but continue to ring the alarm bell about the "unknown, potential long-term health risks" posed by e-cigs and would twist this info around to say "...all the more reason we need to keep after smokers to quit smoking...but to do so using FDA approved and thus safe (in their minds) smoking cessation products...." I truly believe it will be hard to find a physician with enough hair on their peaches to come out publically in favor of e-cigs because of the enormous pressures brought to bear on most physicians by the pharmaceutical industry. Pharma Reps are constantly in doctors offices applying pressure to write scripts...write scripts....write scripts.

 

[pianoguy]

I agree it would be helpful but I think it would be up to each of us to request that his/her personal physician put in writing exactly what health benefits they've observed, tested for, documented directly attributable to "switching to" electronic cigarettes. My guess is most doctors would not be willing to make this claim and probably rightfully so as the noticeable health benefits are obviously due to 'quitting smoking' and FDA and other naysayers would concede this but continue to ring the alarm bell about the "unknown, potential long-term health risks" posed by e-cigs and would twist this info around to say "...all the more reason we need to keep after smokers to quit smoking...but to do so using FDA approved and thus safe (in their minds) smoking cessation products...." I truly believe it will be hard to find a physician with enough hair on their peaches to come out publically in favor of e-cigs because of the enormous pressures brought to bear on most physicians by the pharmaceutical industry. Pharma Reps are constantly in doctors offices applying pressure to write scripts...write scripts....write scripts.

My wife and I came to the same conclusion when talking about this last night. So maybe something that doesn't require the doctor to come out in favor of e-cigs - a simple form to just verify facts, such as blood pressure was reduced, lung capacity was increased, etc.

 

[D103]

Yes, I'll bet they would do that and I think you are correct that if we collect a boatload of these types of documents that would Hopefully make some sort of positive impression - if not on the courts and lawmakers, then maybe in the court of public opinion.