Sep 01 2007
(Italiano) Sulle spalle dei giganti
On the shoulders of giants…
Mauro Minelli
If I have seen further than others,
it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants
(I. Newton)
In june 2007, the very famous British Medical Journal (one of the most read medical-scientific pubblictions all over the world) published an unsual notice calling upon patients to write their own medical articles, for the first time. The purpose was to stress possible lacks or limitations in the ordinary Patients’ health curing methods, especially those applied to chronic cases.
British Medical Journal’s invitation rise from the motion recently carried by the British Government, whose purpose was, on the one hand, to stimulate a more direct involvement of Patients and laymen in strategic institutional decisions and, on the other hand, to promote a more effective interaction between Doctors and Patients. After all the British Medical Journal had already founded a first Patient Advisory Group in 2002, trying to help doctors in their job.
We are here to subduedly remember ourselves even before our readers, with a slight bit of pride, that the South Immunology Journal, in his goal of trying to look into the future, had already grown the same affirmation, with at least 12 months in advance before this very important realization, conforming coherently to the new theoretical preface, through directly involving the Readers in its own editorial committee. And the results of this challenge, played in the field of an untiring work of research and divulgation, showed up pretty fast. As a matter of fact, this “lay” readers take part to public meeting and sanitary discussions more frequently and appropriately, giving their competent contribution in talk shows with politicians and institutional figures and in exclusive inquiries, with the double goal of providing, on the one hand, the important informations they have gathered on their own about the most recent scientific-medical knowledge, and, on the other hand, the poor and contradictory report of the one who’s forced to deal with obsolete and partial sanitary models against his will, models that often carry the concept of that “systemic medicine” and “medicine of the effects” we have referred to more than once.
Therefore, a more widespread conscience, as well as the most influent figures in sanitary matters start to have a clear perception of an up-to-date competence reached by the Patients and of a precise awareness of their own needs which could often lead the ruling class. After all, the Patients know quite well what they want: the suppression of a single competence, the introduction of diagnostics and therapies oriented to control and regulate integrated systems instead of a single organism, biological therapeutic treatments: those wide-ranging, effective, compatible and free of iatrogenicity.
This is the auspicious of an efficient and effective sanitary, where “efficiency” and “effectiveness” are happily combined together and they don’t just represent a lucky and rare exception to the rule.
As earnest precursors of an integrated publishing project, which is deeply rooted in Immunology, it is helpful to us to underline, beyond every self references, an enticing comment expressed by Paolo Falagiani, the expert and appreciated Scientific Director of Notiziario Allergologico, one of the fewest spreading journals with references published by the italian medic press. The review, published by Dr.Falagiani in the issues 2 – 4 of the Notiziario (Vol. 25, june-december 2006) seems to promote South Immunology Journal for at least two reasons: first of all because it is able to communicate emotions, and then because it’s a recognized promoter of shared paths of knowledge and application; paths that has their point of strength in the interaction between Doctors and Patients.
At this point, it is appropriate to give a further explanation, as a new, unconventional sanitary model is rising. The Patients and the Associations they are represented by manifest a strong and constant tendency towards the same theorical and practical levels their Doctors have reached and expressed; considering that, as far as immune diseases are concerned, the anatomic point in which a certain inflammatory symptom appear could not have a particular meaning.
That is a certainty to them. And a certainty to us.
Thus, both Patients and Doctors have to communicate clear facts and to spread the message, in the attempt of extend the boarders of the shared knowledge to all the rest of the medical division, excluding complications and unknown (but not too much) side effects…
Mauro Minelli
Editorial
South Immunology Journal, 2007, Vol. II, Num. 4
Copyright © 2007 by South Immunology Journal – September 2007