JUDICAL MURDER IN FINNISH MEDICINE
RECENT SERIES OF EVENTS IN ITS ENTIRETY which started from Olavi Pärssinen´s review in the Finnish Medical Journal (6/2009)
(This text is translated into English from the original Finnish exchange)
Finnish Medical Journal’s discussion policy: “Public discussion refers to open discussion about material appearing in this magazine. Its purpose is to give fresh feedback to the editors and to provide our readers with an opportunity for criticism. The letters will not be published elsewhere without the express consent of the writer. On behalf of the Finnish Medical Journal, the Editors-in chief and Managing Editor will reply to comments sent in as necessary.“
1)
This letter was originally sent in February 12th 2009, by three patients of mine – which I have now read – to COMMENT on Olavi Pärssinen’s review “Pilaako lukeminen silmät?” (Will reading spoil your eyes?) (The Finnish Medical Journal 6/2009):
Ophthalmologist, DM Kaisu Viikari has been speaking for the prevention of myopia for more than thirty years.
As we have personal experiences of getting rid of the minus lenses, we have been actively following the progress of myopia prevention in the world at large.
We are thoroughly familiar with all of Viikari’s three works; for example, in her most recent book “jotta totuus ei unohtuisi” (2004, 2006) she refers to an article that appeared in Duodecim (2003;119:2475) “Likitaittoisuuden esto kanoilla ja ihmisillä” (Prevention of myopia in hens and humans).
In this article, Professors of Ophthalmology T. Tervo and L. Laatikainen from Helsinki state that slowing down of myopia development with plus lenses, which the article that they were discussing referred to (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2003:44:2818) was not a new idea. These are the very problems that Kaisu Viikari has been concerned about for more than three decades.
This is why we were surprised to find that among the 55 references of Olavi Pärssinen’s review that appeared in the Finnish Medical Journal 6/2009, (Pilaako lukeminen silmät?) he does not mention this Finnish article that essentially touches on the prevention of myopia.
It is difficult to think of a problem that would have such in-depth consequences for the wellbeing of mankind as increasing myopia – and in a wider sense, accommodation strain – in front of which, however, we do not need to throw our towel in and put our hands up.
Names withheld.
2)
The Finnish Medical Journal’s reply (6 March 2009):
Thank you for your comment.
I will pass it on to the writer of the article, Olavi Pärssinen.
We will not publish your comments in our Letters column, as we feel that in this connection, it would not be in the best interest of our readers.
With friendly greetings, N. N.
The Finnish Medical Journal
3)
The Finnish Medical Journal (Lääkärilehti), Helsinki.
I was just informed that a comment written by my patients – which I have read and find extremely appropriate – on Olavi Pärssinen’s review was not regarded as fit for publishing in the Finnish Medical Journal.
You promised to return to the reply that was sent on 12 February, and the sender, when he contacted you again (after 3 weeks), received a reply, a negative one, on the 6th of March! What kind of a magazine can exist on these premises!
If Olavi Pärssinen in his “R e v i e w” of the themes of myopia and its prevention wishes to overlook a Finnish reference which recognizes the decades of work I have put in for this valid cause (1), that cannot be helped, but the Finnish Medical Journal should not join in.
I have now had enough. I have nothing to loose, and this is why I am not going to make it easy for the Finnish Medical Journal or other indoctrinators.
To spare my offspring (even now, 10 of my close family members are in the field of medicine; my husband Sauli, my father Artturi Mikkonen and his brothers Hemmi and Aarne have already departed), I have reined myself in and kept my voice down, but since Providence has given me such a long life – and kept me in my senses – there must be a reason.
Besides, I believe that if Sauli were still alive, he would allow me to open my mouth, as he had plenty of opportunities to witness all my positive achievements and the personal feedback I received.
Starting from the times of Tapani Kosonen and Duodecim, attempts to suppress this issue have continued for over 36 years.
The wrongs done to me personally are nothing compared to what the Finnish people – and in a wider sense, the whole world – have lost in terms of their good health as my message has been silenced.
PANACEA is full of therapeutic “g e m s” – I am bold enough to say this – which are too difficult for dimwits to perceive, while they have benefited my circle of family and friends and hundreds of patients, but that’s nothing but a “voice crying in the wilderness”!
The Finnish Medical Journal is only too willing to give space for repetitions of the century-old mantra, such as Pärssinen’s review, which will not help anybody to feel better.
Who is responsible for a negligence of this magnitude?
Presumably the Finnish Medical Association, which should be working for people’s good health?
To this outburst I am attaching my response to the review, hoping that the Finnish Medical Journal will lack the courage to leave it unpublished!
With a collegial greeting
Kaisu Viikari
4)
The Finnish Medical Journal
R E P L Y to Olavi Pärssinen’s (1) review, The Finnish Medical Journal 6/2009, 495-8
To begin with, I will content myself with pointing out that in the 55 references of his review, Pärssinen does not see fit to include the statement by two Finnish Professors of Ophthalmology, which indicates that I have for several decades promoted the prevention of myopia by plus lenses (2).
The most aggravating part of the review’s message, however, was the firm belief in the hereditary nature of myopia, which has long since been found faulty by those who understand anything about these matters.
On page 78 of Tetralogia (3); and page 101 of Panacea (4), I write: “By means of suggestion, belief in hereditary factors has probably been the most harmful influence of all. What is indeed inherited is a set of general reactions to life´s situations, includin spasm of accommodation.”
A rapidly expanding group of professionals and lay people are beginning to understand how fateful this doctrine that has been prevailing for centuries is, especially to prevention of myopia. Parents have found comfort in thinking that there is nothing they can do about the fate of their children.
The parties who have been the most successful in promoting this cause are insightful lay persons, mainly physicists (even today, this applies to parents who contact me), who, concerned about the unexpected myopisation of their children, have been aroused to use their brains (in the front line, Ronald S. Rehm (5) and Klaus Schmid (6) to mention a few diligent ones), facilitated by the fact that they are not constrained by that belief in hereditary nature of myopia which has been repeated for centuries and which has caused immeasurable harm to prevention.
What has turned out to be the greatest obstacle is the lack of committed professionals having mastered the concept. When patients telephone me, their first question always is if there might be somebody they could turn to in their own area. But there just isn’t!
Klaus Schmid has compiled a “Myopia Manual”, (6) (first edition 2002) including over 1,000 references, page 20 (2004) of which contains the sentence “The conclusion is that myopia itself is not inherited”.
Attempts to stamp out this heresy of myopia’s hereditary nature have certainly emerged from time to time, but they have always been crushed by the overwhelming majority of those who are unskilled (and maybe a little afraid of taking trouble).
In this connection, I urge the reader to see on my website (7) the fifth paragraph under Feedback. It has a illustrative description of what examining a patient is all about, and the same information can be found nowhere in my writings.
Further, with reference to the serious global situation of today, the sixth paragraph of my website under “Miscellaneous”, is titled “A Cry for Help”, intended more than anything to wake up employers to see and realize what a great opportunity for improving their employees’ ability to work could be offered by relieving accommodation strain (= an attempt to reduce minus values in lenses and, on the other hand, strengthening plus glasses).
And thirdly, I would urge you to read case history nr. 306, which can be found both in Tetralogia (3) and Panacea (4). It shows how weaning off a patient who is fond of his minuses from the glasses may require such a level of presence and almost “violence” from the ophthalmologist that, in practice, this is not even possible with the great masses.
After visiting my new website, Schmid (6) has this year (2009) first of all added to his own site the following:
Other sites about myopia and related issues, which are especially worth visiting http://www.kaisuviikari.com/panacea.htm and http://www.kaisuviikari/books/PANACEA_by_Kaisu_Viikari_1978.pdf
The Internet article “The Secret of Myopia” (8) has, in the feedback under items 6) and 7), captured the essence of my message: “The problem is no longer “science” but rather to get the person to understand true-prevention BEFORE he/she even “starts” with the first destructive minus” and which I in my book (9), p. 43, on starting prevention as early as possible, have formulated as “should preferably been born with plus glasses on our noses!”
And further
“That website (www.kaisuviikari.com) pretty much sums up everything in one phrase.
Truly, the greatest hurdle to getting humanity off its addiction to the minus lens is going to the universal knowledge of prevention. And prevention, in terms of myopia, is described, as you often put forth, measures put in place BEFORE the first minus lens. The problem is that it isn´t usually the grown people who get their first minus lens, it is young children whose parents have no idea of the implications of their choices.”
What shows up the vagueness of Pärssinen’s message is expressions like
- For reasons that are so far unknown
- an obvious connection
- it has been assumed
- is, however, difficult to explain
- is apparent
- the results, however, indicate that
And what a brilliant conclusion to the review: “the only practical method of preventing myopia is outdoor exercise” – in which people are forced to cast their eyes further – if not even to the infinity (= the most efficient way of relaxing the accommodation spasm)!
We should ask if we can regard ourselves as having the rule of law in this country.
Personally, I have given up even questioning this since 2 July 1973 (7), but when I now read the description of the Finnish Medical Journal’s principles concerning their “discussions” (see Finnish Medical Journal’s discussion policy at the beginning), even the promises of that magazine – as they reject letters of pertinent criticism – seem rather false.
Kaisu Viikari
M.D., P.h.D., Specialist in Ophthalmology
References
1. Pärssinen O.Pilaako lukeminen silmät? Suom Lääkäril 2009; 64:495-8.
2. Tervo T, Laatikainen L.Likitaittoisuuden esto kanoilla ja ihmisillä. Duodecim 2003;119:2475-
3. Viikari K. Tetralogia. Turku, 1972.
4. Viikari K. Panacea. Turku, 1978.
5. Rehm D. http://www.preventmyopia.org
6. Schmid K. Myopia Manual, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008. http://www.myopia-manual.de/
7. www.kaisuviikari.com
8. http://avalonfalling.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/the-secret-of-myopia-near-sightedness/_
9. Viikari K. jotta totuus ei unohtuisi. Turku, 2004, 2006.
5)
Medical Editor-in-Chief
The Finnish Medical Journal
A week has passed since I sent in my comment.
I have had no response from you whatsoever; when can I expect to receive one!
Kaisu Viikari
6)
Dear Professor Viikari,
I forwarded your message to our Editor-in-chief Hannu Ollikainen last week,
but the processing of the matter was unfortunately delayed because of other
urgent issues. We will contact you as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
N.N.
7)
Dear Professor Viikari,
Editors of the Finnish Medical Journal have now dealt with your comment. I apologise for the delay in letting you have our reply.
References in a scientific article (!) are at the discretion of the writer and the experts having reviewed the article. In case an important and recent reference of great scientific authority is missed despite the evaluation process and the editors’ input, we advise you to send in a compact contribution to the discussion. These cases typically concern a randomized investigation or meta-analysis.
No inherent right of reply is associated with scientific articles, and I regret to inform you that we feel the references suggested by you do not complement the review in the manner described above. Should anything new come up in this matter, however, we will be happy to reopen the discussion.
Yours sincerely,
N.N.
8)
THE FINNISH MEDICAL JOURNAL’S BLIND FAITH IN THE INFALLIBILITY OF SCIENCE
I usually am a very happy child of coincidences.
This morning, for example, when I was drafting this text (in my small writing pad!) in bed, I happened to hear a rather interesting interview of director Jaana Vuoksenmaa concerning her film “Toinen jalka haudasta” (One foot in the grave”). In this review, she provided a very intelligent analysis of how awareness of death and the ending of life makes us understand what we must do.
I have for some time now been sorting this out in my own little head: I must once more bring this issue (prevention of myopia and accommodation strain) to the attention of the world – no one else will do it for me.
And neither could anyone do it, as only I have studied the question and worked it out.
I understand that it is difficult for my colleagues to believe that one woman in the rank and file, Kaisu Viikari, could be behind a significant discovery of this magnitude, but that does not justify their fanatic attempts to gag me, and it is indeed appalling that the medical profession, and particularly its leading members, should do so in their principal mouthpiece.
I will always remember the time when my husband (a surgeon) understood the idea; he said he could never have imagined that the status of ophthalmology in Finland, and the whole world, could be so substandard.
Even if there are legions of patients and others following this issue who understand the idea and have seen the results, they are not up to putting it into practice in every respect. The departure of my colleague Aune Adel was an irrevocable loss to the cause, as she had so fully embraced it and did her own share to enrich our experiences.
Unbelievably, the Finnish medical society Duodecim and the Finnish Medical Journal have managed to smother any possible aftergrowth; the media – excluding a few outstanding positive exceptions (= magazine Anna and newspaper Turun Sanomat) – have mainly joined in the chorus.
It is fateful that in the face of this global plight, it has not been possible to make use of the boost of strength offered by relieving accommodation strain, which would be within an easy reach.
The Finnish Medical Journal has now revealed its bigoted and outrageous resistance to myopia prevention, which presumably is evidence of shrinking in front of the money mafia, even in Finland? Myopia means, increasingly, frequently repeated, easily managed visits to an ophthalmologist or optician due to this complaint, profitable trade of glasses, plenty of contact lenses; and mutilation of healthy eyes that poses a risk to the eyesight and often needs to be repeated, as well as other surgical inventions, which keep an immense money-making racket going – a criminal abuse of the doctors’ knowledge, which is intended for the safeguarding of people’s health.
A great crime and tragedy, in the cogs of which a poor human being is nothing but a small pawn to be used.
Without shame, they prevent the facts from being made public to a wider audience, or even discussed within the medical profession. This issue is too explosive to be released in public, after all the negligences.
Personally I will not be here much longer to promote this cause, but fortunately there are intelligent people of all ages who have found help and who, as inspiring examples, see it as their duty to champion this cause, to say nothing of growing awareness abroad.
The immense range of symptoms of hyperopes who need plus dioptres is a problem that will be more difficult for the public at large to understand, as a major part of this deficiency is latent, but time will also help in this respect. The subheading of my book Panacea (“The Clinical Significance of Ocular Accommodation”), although efficient and exhaustive, has not been adequate as a wakeup call for clinics, but neither the book nor the cause will be any less topical as time goes by.
But myopia alone, as an important cause of blindness, is a large-scale catastrophe that could be prevented:
- In England, it accounted for 8.8% cases in the register of blind in 1966
- In 1972, it accounted for 18.2% of cases of blindness in the age group 50 – 59 (this is only exceeded by rhetinopathia in diabetics)
- in Europe and the USA, macular degeneration in myopes ranks seventh as a cause of blindness in elderly people, but in Taiwan it already is the leading cause.
Eye diseases due to myopia are numerous, not the least among these being glaucoma simplex, with its double figures compared to others (Schmid: Myopia Manual).
Without a care, the world of science still wallows in the same world that Galilei faced in the turn of the 16th century; dating back to that period, we have the adjective Copernican, which refers to a great revolution in a field of scientific research (Nicolaus Copernicus – Wikipedia).
How easy this could have been, if only the fully appropriate comment sent in by my patients on the references missing in Pärssinen’s review (which disprove his belief in the hereditary nature of myopia that has had such an immensely harmful impact on prevention) had been immediately published in the Letters column of the Finnish Medical Journal!
The decision by the editors of the Finnish Medical Journal to reject my “comment” (was that heading such an erroneous one?) was a hilarious, unrivaled example of how “a mob has many heads but no brains”.
This is another example of what I write about on page 61 of my book “jotta totuus ei unohtuisi”, and what has been a great source of strength to me: how I “feel a sadistic triumph when I see them demonstrating their stupidity to the whole wide world in black and white”, blinded by being considered, and considering themselves, smart.
If they had taken the trouble to read my book, which has been offered to them in many forms, they might have been able to avoid this blunder!
I am sorry to say I cannot have pity on Päivi Hietanen and temper justice with mercy. I have offered her enough opportunities to put things right.
This tragedy has no parallel, not even on the global scale. As a crime against humanity, it would be a case for the tribunals, such as the EU Court of Justice, but where could we find the necessary expertise in solicitors, when it cannot be found even here, among doctors that have had the opportunity to follow the cause closely; intelligence to understand a purely medical question. However, the Finnish people with common sense have grasped it.
Pärssinen is not the only one who’s life’s work for the patients, or study of myopia, has been wasted. He is only one out of thousands and again thousands.
And it is not even a consolation to say that “the most difficult thing to understand is the fact that you do not understand!”
Kaisu Viikari