Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Dr. STrangelove Lives (& works in the 'hood)


The St. Paul's Hospital Foundation has published an impressive, glossy multi-page insert in today's Vancouver Sun newspaper.

There is one small problem.

An article titled "Developing New Tools to treat Addiction" extols the work - most of it future boasts and promises - of Dr. Michael Krausz.

The good Dr. doesn't come cheap. Millions have been invested in departments and "chairs" for his glorification.

But listen carefully to who he is and what he proposes.

This is the man behind Mayor Sam Sullivan's CAST project.

Let's give addicts pills.

The man is a "world-renowned expert on drug addiction and mental illness" and he claims everything he will do is "science based." He is a German-born psychiatrist.

He will give addicts pills.

He is going to fix the DTES.

He will give addicts pills.

This is his science. This is his expertise. These are his new tools.

The greatest single positive response to addiction is treatment based entirely on abstinence. Millions have succeeded.

And millions have failed.

A reasonable estimate of the success rate for treatment is 25%.

If you bat .250, you're in Cooperstown.

The success rate for methadone, pills, free needles, safe injection sites, free crack kits?

There are no numbers available.

And you know why.

But the good Dr. Stangelove will continue to be hailed as the next messiah.

Have I mentioned that the world is quite mad?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe you are referring to Dr. Michael KRAUSS the correct spelling)...otherwise, your pithy comments on this issue are right on the mark, as per usual. He's just a 'legal' pusher...

David Berner said...

The correct spelling is KRAUSZ.

Anonymous said...

There is a saying. It goes something like - many (if not most) psychologists and psychiatrists enter the field because of issues *they* have. I've met a few. I concur.

(It's not polite to say nutbar, neurotic, sexually conflicted creep, etc. After all, these are professionals.... Heh Heh)

David in North Burnaby BC said...

A true heavy hitter of the addiction industry. He'll continue to grow it, tend it and defend it from what looks to be the depredations of a government in ottawa who are willing blind to the "truth" of his phoney baloney job.