Monday, August 18, 2008 DOH to monitor, regulate iridology centers By Rimaliza Opiña
THE Department of Health (DOH) may soon regulate and monitor the operation of iridology centers nationwide following the recent pronouncement of Secretary Francisco Duque that the practice is quack medicine.
"We are glad the DOH already came up with a concrete pronouncement regarding iridology," Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, head of the operations department of the DOH-Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) said, echoing the statement of physicians at a convention on the Flagship Course on the Health Sector Reform held in Manila last July 28.
Pangilinan said the public should be wary when consulting at iridology centers because they could not present evidence the practice can cure and accurately diagnose diseases by just examining the eyes of a patient.
In particular, advertisements of iridology centers tend to deceive the public they can cure even the most complicated diseases. Ophthalmologists lead groups opposed to iridology.
The Ophthalmologists Association in Baguio and Benguet agree with this view of the DOH. Dr. Ricardo Balajadia, the group's governor and adviser, said he is not convinced mere examination of the iris can diagnose diseases.
The iris is the colored part of the eye.
Balajadia said the Philippine Medical Association or even international medical associations should come up with a move to stop the practice. He said testimonials attesting to the efficiency of iridology tend to give the wrong impression to the public that mere intake of medicines sold in these centers could cure certain diseases.
"How come the medicines they prescribe are bought only in their establishments, they charge far higher than physicians and issue prescriptions even if they are not doctors?" Balajadia observed.
But respecting one's right to free enterprise, Pangilinan said operation may only be regulated but not stopped.
The Osaka Iridology center took exception to the DOH's pronouncement. "We never claimed we are a diagnostic center," an employee of the clinic said, but asked her name not be mentioned for lack of authority.
The staff said what iridology does is only to determine the vulnerable parts and toxins in a patient's body. "We never tell patients they are sick of a certain disease," adding that what they offer is an alternative to the current medication being used on patients.
"Our patients come here already diagnosed with a certain disease. What we prescribe are those that complement medications already taken in by a patient.
We refer to physicians those (whom) we see need further medical attention," the staff said.
The nature of iridology and how diagnosis is done are explained to patients. The staff said medicines are priced higher than those sold in drugstores because these are manufactured abroad.
Their advertisements have likewise been screened by the ad board; no script was prepared when patients give their testimonials and the supplement medication has been approved by the Philippine Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).
The staff said the DOH should look into iridology centers that diagnose diseases and prescribe medications.
Wikipedia defines iridology as an alternative medicine technique which proponents believe patterns, colors, and other characteristics of the iris can be examined to determine a patient's health. Practitioners match their observations to iris charts that divide the iris into zones, which they correspond to specific parts of the human body. Iridologists see the eyes as "windows" into the body's state of health.
Physician Philippus Meyens is believed to be the founder of iridology in 1670. Dr. Ignatz von Peczely, a Hungarian doctor is believed to be the father of modern iridology.
