Civilized people usually utilize good grammar and are aware of correct spelling.  When a company disseminates literature deficient in those areas, whatever statements they make, even should they be correct, will be suspect from the perspective of the intelligent reader.

It was with some concern therefore, when I recently saw a comparison chart of the effectiveness of a self-styled competitor’s product with the Meditech System.  The gross inaccuracies and disinformation contained in this chart stresses the imagination at every level.  The article actually provoked me into thinking that a law should be passed to prohibit this type activity, i.e. deception and distortion of facts to the nth degree.

First of all, it confuses the reader who is generally a professional healthcare provider interested in laser therapy and the public who are seeking healthcare solutions.  Second, it is fraudulent in the extreme.  Third, it provides no benefit to anyone and undermines the therapeutic industry, particularly those who are well intentioned and have some concept and knowledge of what they are attempting to accomplish.  

Recently, I commended Jan Tunér for exposing some of these deceptive practices in the laser industry in his article, “Confounders and Magicians.”  Personally, I found that this was an excellent dissertation and required a great deal of courage on Dr. Tunér’s part to name some of the companies whose motives are suspect.  It appears that many of these organizations are far more interested in selling their equipment, whether it works or not and much of their knowledge is based on plagiarism derived from the more advanced literature and technologies.

At Meditech, the founder and principals have always chosen the high road.  Our mission is to build better devices, promote education and training and deliver value to the therapeutic professions. Having pursued this course diligently of the past eighteen years, this equation is achieving significant therapeutic and some financial success. Unlike most companies however, we re-invest our profits in the development of advanced equipment and wider clinical applications based on the scientific research of our laboratories.

Generally, I do not comment on other products and feel the intelligence of the user will prevail, however, one cannot always be certain of this. 

In our activities, we incorporate the research provided by qualified professionals such as Professors Tiina Karu, Mary Dyson and others with of course, proper acknowledgement and permission.  This provides invaluable guidance with regard to the design of our systems and with direction of clinical research. With an expanding number of clinicians, engineers and research scientists on our staff, our work is structured to be both original and productive; in brief, our inclination is to be the “leading edge” in the field of Low Intensity Laser Therapy and not to repeat the work that has been performed in competent fashion by others.

The educational programs that we continue to offer with a particular focus on research, scientific data and clinical applications fill a vacuum in the Laser Industry that is currently not being met.  

It is my personal opinion that education, while it can be harmful to your economic health, is the pathway to greater knowledge and understanding.  At Meditech, we remain dedicated to science, progress and integrity in contradistinction to others in the marketplace. 

I continue to be astounded by insurance companies that consistently deny patients who are deserving the benefits due to them.

Yesterday, I saw a 39 year old individual who had been building bridges since age 18 and had sustained numerous accidents, had suffered multiple infections, fractures, and other serious injuries.

In 2004, he sustained fractures to the cervical spine and subsequently developed severe psoriasis over his entire dermis. An infection that occurred while draining a canal for rehabilitation purposes in 1997 led to his original psoriatic outbreak. There was no history of that disease on a genetic or other basis.

Following his cervical spine fracture, he developed a generalized outbreak of psoriasis which has become progressively more severe. Multiple therapies, including numerous topical applications, oral medications and a series of UV therapies failed to alleviate his symptoms.

I have considerable compassion for this type of patient who must incur massive expenses to attempt to find a cure, not supported by aid from the insurance carrier, WSIB , etc. Governments, unions, and other organizations extract premiums, voluntary or enforced on a continuing basis. These premiums appear to be utilized to benefit management primarily and unless the insured is sophisticated and retains proper legal counsel to pursue their rightful objectives, they are in many instances denied coverage.  

This patient requires therapy to the cervical and lumbar spine, in addition to the extensive psoriasis, a project not without cost and again, not supported by the insurer, which should be the case. The psoriasis can be attributed to either infections, stress, or presumably both. No one knows and if anyone has solutions, I would like to hear them.

At any rate, I have initiated a course of intensive Low Intensity Laser Therapy treatment for his problems and feel confident that he will be returned to the “land of the living” soon. He has not worked in about a year and wants to return as soon as possible. Without treatment this cannot happen!

This case once again illustrates one of my pet peeves i.e. the lack of support and treatment provided to the patient in order to obtain medical services to which they are be entitled. The government sustained by extensive lobbies and contributions from the insurance companies, does nothing to resolve these critical issues which adversely affect the lives of thousands of citizens. There is definitely a need for legislative change!

Last week in Edmonton, two seminars were conducted by Slava Kim and Mike Patterson. At one seminar, twenty-five therapists attended; at the other, fifteen. This coming weekend, June 1 and 2, we are hosting seminars at our facility in Toronto and another in Vancouver. Approximately fifteen attendees will be present at each of these meetings. Meditech finds these encounters rewarding, as do the attendees.

It certainly is a realization of our philosophy that much can be accomplished through education . Providing knowledge to the professional community permits us to disseminate knowledge to all sectors with the end result benefiting thousands and hopefully millions of patients who are not achieving relief through conventional methods.

Providing technology to larger groups of motivated therapists, we feel, will lead to advanced laser therapy system installations in an increasing number of clinics, hospitals, and other medical locations worldwide. Producing positive patient outcomes, replacing outmoded methodologies, and focusing on curing pathologies rather than symptom modulation is clearly the way of the future.

I recently reviewed an article titled "Polyurethane Dressing in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Scars in Comparison to Silicone Sheets." Currently, these are conventional approaches in the treatment of hypertrophic scars. Other therapies include intralesional corticosteroid injections, interferon, surgical therapy, radiotherapy, and cryotherapy. Without personally utilizing most of the conventional therapies currently in vogue, one might deduce that the reason for this is, that they are all equally ineffective. Whenever there are many different treatments for one condition, generally all are less than effective.

An overwhelming body of literature indicates that all these approaches are equally unrewarding with regard to results.

At Meditech, we find that scar ablation can be rapidly accomplished using the appropriate low intensity laser therapy protocols prescribed. Clearly, low intensity laser therapy, as in many other conditions, should be the treatment of choice for the ablation of scars and hypertrophied tissues in general.