This article is taken from Dr Vernon Coleman’s Health Letter. It gives general material and opinions for information only and is not to be considered an alternative to professional medical advice. Readers should consult their family doctors or other qualified medical advisers on any matter relating to their health and wellbeing.
Forecasts For The New Millennium
In the last thirty years Vernon Coleman has made more predictions which have been proved right than any other doctor or health writer in the world. Here are his predictions (and advice) for the first ten years of the millennium.
1. Cancer
The incidence of cancer will continue to rise inexorably. By the year 2010 one in two citizens in the developed world will develop cancer at some time in their lives. The billions of dollars spent annually on cancer research will make no difference at all to the number of deaths. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery will, in their different ways, continue to be as ineffective as ever.
You can reduce your chances of developing cancer by up to 80% by avoiding known carcinogens such as tobacco and meat and by enhancing your immune system.
2. Water
Clean water will be in increasingly short supply in the developed world. By the year 2007 clean water which is suitable for drinking will be as scarce as it now is in the developing world.
Investigate ways to ensure that you obtain a supply of clean water. Filters which can be fitted onto the mains water supply or used in the kitchen to help improve the purity of drinking water are well worth considering.
3. Genetically engineered food
GE food is mixed with non GE food. There is now no going back. The rules already allow food companies to include GE food in food that is labelled "free of GE ingredients". By 2003 politicians in the US and Europe will introduce rules allowing genetically engineered food to be described as 'organic'. Food manufacturers will also be allowed to describe food as organic when it contains chemical and drug residues. It will be illegal to sell food purporting to be 'better', 'purer' or 'healthier' than officially designated 'organic' food. Well before the end of the first decade of the new millennium evidence will be published showing that genetically engineered food may cause cancer in human beings. The first cases of cancer produced by genetically engineered food will be identified by the year 2010.
Short term buy organic food from reputable suppliers. The reliability of your food supplier will be more important than the labels on the food you buy. Consider making plans to grow your own food or get together with friends and neighbours and form a food growing co-op. Medium term: nutrient supplements will become essential.
4. Longevity
Life expectancy will continue to fall. By the year 2006 life expectancy in the US will fall below 70 years for white males and females (it is already at that level for black males and females).
VCHL readers can obtain protection from this trend by following our specific advice.
5. Food
Irradiated food will become commonplace by 2002. Lax labelling laws will mean that consumers will find it nigh on impossible to tell whether or not the food they are buying has been irradiated.
Short term: this problem can be avoided by buying from reputable local suppliers and, whenever possible, by growing your own food. Medium term: nutrient supplements will become essential.
6. Food
The quality of food will fall so low that by 2001 it will become necessary for most people to take vitamin and mineral supplements in order to maintain their immune systems at an effective operating level.
I believe that in theory we can and should obtain all the nutrients we need from the food we eat. But soon this will not be possible. I will provide advice about vitamin and mineral supplementation in VCHL. I have for many years been opposed to the widespread use of vitamin and mineral supplements. However, the changing state of the world – and the diminishing quality of the food we eat – is making this idealistic approach increasingly impractical. This is, I fear, yet another battle which we have lost to the powerful triumvirate of drug companies, medical establishment and politicians.
7. Mad Cow Disease and Sheep
It will become clear by 2002 that Mad Cow Disease is affecting sheep. Farmers will persuade politicians not to introduce a ban on the sale of lamb meat.
Do not eat lamb or mutton.
8. Asthma
The official incidence of asthma will continue to rise dramatically, although the increase in the figures will largely be a result of altered criteria for prescribing. (Encouraged by drug companies who want to sell their products in greater quantities doctors are already diagnosing asthma in almost any patient who wheezes once.)
Be careful about allowing a doctor to make a diagnosis of asthma. Avoid highly polluted areas, aerosol sprays, biological washing powders and other possible irritants.
9. Electricity
Evidence will become available showing that electricity is a major cause of cancer. By 2004 power lines and power stations will be recognised as a significant cause of cancer and other diseases. Workers in the electrical industry will bring action against their employers. The lawsuits will be settled without the companies concerned admitting liability. Consumers suffering from cancer (and other health problems) will start to take legal action against electricity companies by 2005. By 2008 the electricity companies will be making substantial payouts without admitting liability.
Try not to live, work or study within 150 yards of an overhead power line. Turn off electric blankets at night. Do not have electrical appliances next to your bed.
10. Arthritis
The alleged incidence of arthritis will rise throughout the first decade of the new century and drug companies will continue to introduce new drugs for the treatment of arthritis. These products will be promoted as 'safer than aspirin' . This lie will usually be based upon the fact that the new product will have been tested against non soluble aspirin (known to cause serious problems) rather than against soluble aspirin (known to be much safer).
Beware of anti arthritis drugs many of which turn out to have a high risk of side effects. Vegetarians are much less likely to suffer from arthritis than meat eaters.
11. AIDS
It will become clear by 2004 that AIDS does not exist as a separate disease, and has never existed. Nevertheless, by the end of the first decade of the new millennium those involved in the AIDS industry will still be in denial, rejecting the irrefutable evidence supporting this conclusion and continuing to raise (and spend) vast amounts of money on a fruitless search for a cure to a disease which does not exist. The AIDS industry will continue to raise (and spend) vast amounts of money until well into the second decade of the 21st century.
Do not be suckered into making donations to already wealthy AIDS charities.
12. Drugs
Cholesterol lowering drugs will become increasingly popular. By 2002 vast numbers of the population will be taking these drugs on a daily basis, despite the lack of evidence showing that the drugs are safe or effective. Patients will be encouraged to take these drugs to 'protect' them against heart disease and high blood pressure.
The best way to control the amount of fat circulating in your body is to make a real effort to cut down your consumption of fatty foods.
13. Slimming
By 2002 slimmers will clamour for a new drug which prevents the absorption of fat into the body.
The best way to lose excess weight and to avoid putting on excess weight is to eat wisely. Keep your consumption of junk food down.
14. High Blood Pressure
This problem will become increasingly common. Doctors and drug companies will reject clear evidence that in the majority of instances this problem can be dealt with effectively by life style changes. By 2007 it will become illegal to offer advice explaining how to lower blood pressure without using drugs. Drug therapy will be the only type of treatment allowed.
Learn now how to keep your blood pressure down. Many patients who are told that they will need to take pills for life to keep their blood pressure down could deal with their problem by making simple lifestyle changes.
15. Drugs
Many drugs currently available only on prescription (such as the oral contraceptive pill, tranquillisers, sleeping tablets and pain relievers recommended for use by patients suffering from arthritis) will become available over the chemist' s counter. After a long tussle governments will, in 2004, make antibiotics available without prescription.
Remember that over the counter medicines can often be just as deadly as prescription medicines. Don't take drugs, whether prescribed or not, unless you really need them.
16. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The alleged incidence of myalgic encephalitis will rise dramatically, despite no clear evidence showing that this disease actually exists. A new drug treatment will be marketed by 2003. It will become increasingly clear that many sufferers have post viral fatigue syndrome, a disorder which will inevitably become much commoner as viral diseases become commoner, while others are suffering from the effects of stress
Reduce your chances of suffering from post vital fatigue syndrome by doing everything you can to boost your immune system.
17. Depression
The incidence of officially recognised depression will rise dramatically as drug companies encourage doctors to make the diagnosis more often. As the incidence of depression rises so will drug company profits. By 2005 more than half of the population will have been diagnosed as suffering from depression.
(Re-read the special VCHL edition dealing with anxiety and depression VCHL Vol 3 No 2).
18. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis will become commonplace throughout the developed countries.
The best way to protect yourself against TB is to do everything you can to keep your immune system in tip top condition.
19. Travel
Infectious diseases will spread so easily among airline passengers that safety groups will recommend that passengers wear masks during flights. To avoid litigation airlines will accept this recommendation – though they could avoid this problem by installing more expensive air supply systems. (At the moment many aeroplanes constantly re-circulate second hand air.)
Avoid aeroplane travel when possible.
20. Big Brother
Throughout the first decade of the new millennium laws will constantly be introduced controlling the sale of alternative remedies – though these laws will exclude products (such as vitamins) which are manufactured by large pharmaceutical companies. Politicians will explain that the new laws are being introduced to safeguard patients' lives.
Whenever such new laws are suggested you should write to your political representative opposing them.
21. Alternative Therapists
By 2005 new laws will be introduced forcing all alternative therapists to take officially recognised examinations. These new regulations will dramatically reduce the number of alternative therapists and will reduce their powers to diagnose and treat their patient s without obtaining advice from a registered medical practitioner. Politicians will explain that these new regulations are being introduced to safeguard the public.
Some of these new laws will be useful and will protect patients from unsafe practitioners. But alternative practitioners should take care to protect their professional integrity.
22. Heart Disease
The official incidence of heart disease will continue to rise – with the incidence among women rising faster than among men. Doctors and drug companies will promote daily drug therapy to deal with this problem – and surgeons will continue to recommend expensive and hazardous surgical procedures as treatment for individuals who have developed heart disease. Artificial hearts and xenotransplants will become increasingly popular both among surgeons and their (wealthier) patients.
Minimise your chances of developing heart disease by lifestyle choices, – learn to relax, avoid unnecessary stress, take regular exercise, lose excess weight, eat vegetarian food, rather than by taking drugs.
23. Osteoporosis
The alleged incidence of osteoporosis will continue to rise dramatically.
Re-read the special VCHL report on osteoporosis, VCHL Vol 3 No 5.
24. Vaccines
New single dose vaccines (designed to provide protection against a number of diseases) will be introduced and used widely on children. Governments will make vaccination against diseases such as whooping cough, measles and meningitis compulsory by the year 2004.
Re-read the special VCHl report on vaccines, VCHL Vol 4 No 1.
25. Transplants
Surgeons will perform more transplants using organs taken from animals but will, by the year 2005, discover that they are introducing dangerous new viruses into the human population. Despite this evidence xenotransplantation (the use of organs taken from animals) will continue because of the huge amounts of money invested in breeding genetically engineered animals specifically for this purpose.
Avoid xenotransplants like the plague.
26. Infectious Diseases
The incidence of infectious diseases will go up dramatically during the next ten years. Infectious diseases such as flu and pneumonia will kill more people than ever.
Improve your resistance to infections by enhancing your immune system.
27. Mobile Phones
Evidence proving that mobile phones cause cancer will be published by 2002. This evidence will be suppressed.
Take great care if you use a mobile telephone. Whenever possible use an ear piece and microphone.
28. Medical Records
By the year 2005 medical records will be stored under the skin on silicon chips, along with financial information. To begin with this will be voluntary with citizens being offered financial incentives to co-operate. By the year 2007 the use of under the skin silicon chips will have become virtually compulsory, citizens wanting to claim benefits or to have a driving licence will have no choice but to co-operate. By the year 2010 silicon chips will be compulsory and anyone not having one will be liable to arrest and indefinite imprisonment.
Protest vigorously when these chips are first recommended. Refuse to have anything to do with them whatever inducements may be offered.
29. Mad Cow Disease and humans
By 2010 Mad Cow Disease will begin to emerge as a major health problem in humans. Tens of thousands will die a slow, agonising death.
The risk of contracting Mad Cow Disease through eating beef has not disappeared.
30. Designer Babies
Parents-to-be will, by 2004, use genetic engineering techniques to make sure that their child is born healthy and beautiful. It will, however, soon be clear that this technique is not fault free. Some of the disasters will produce a public outcry demanding an end to this type of genetic engineering. However, the power of the companies involved in genetic engineering will win through.
Have nothing to do with any medical technique involving genetic engineering.
31. Microwave Ovens
More evidence will be published proving that food cooked in microwave ovens may cause cancer. Some of this evidence will be suppressed. Nothing will be done to prevent the sale or use of these ovens.
Do not use a microwave oven. Try not to eat food cooked in a microwave oven.
32. Superbugs
The incidence of drug-resistant salmonella poisoning will be widespread by 2005. All chickens (and therefore all eggs) are already contaminated. The widespread use of chicken manure as animal feed will mean that salmonella will become endemic among cattle, sheep and pigs. The elderly, the young and pregnant women will be particularly susceptible. The absence of any drugs available for the control of salmonella will result in this problem becoming a major health threat.
Avoid eating chicken. Avoid eggs if your immune system is not in tip top condition. Make sure you do everything to enhance your immune system.
33. Drugs To Prevent Cancer
The use of drugs to prevent cancer will become widespread among men and women. For example, throughout the world doctors and politicians will, by 2003, encourage women aged between 20 and 60 to take tamoxifen (or some alternative) on a daily basis in order to 'protect' them from breast cancer. (In some countries such encouragement may be strengthened by the force of law). Such drugs will produce massive profits for the companies making them but will have no positive effect whatsoever on the incidence of cancer. Doctors, dru g companies and politicians will ignore the inconvenient news that tamoxifen causes cancer of the uterus.
Do not take drugs to stop you getting cancer. A much safer way to cut your cancer risk is to avoid known carcinogens and to boost your immune system.
34. Iatrogenesis
The number of patients who are in hospital specifically and directly because they have been made ill by doctors will rise dramatically during the next decade. At the moment it is generally recognised that my figure of 1 in 6 (cf. my book Betrayal of Trust for the supporting evidence) is accurate. By the year 2010 one in four patients in hospital will be there because they have been made ill by a doctor. There will no longer be any doubt that doctors are one of the three major causes of illness in our society (alongside cancer and circulatory disorders).
Be aware of the hazards of medical treatment.
35. Drugs
The incidence of drug side effects which do not cause symptoms severe enough to require hospitalisation will continue to rise.
Take drug therapy only when it is truly necessary.
36. Food Poisoning
The incidence of food poisoning will increase steadily particularly among meat eaters.
The best way to reduce your chances of suffering from food poisoning is to become vegetarian. You should also follow my simple advice about how to minimise your chances of developing food poisoning see my books Food for Thought and Superbody (published by the European Medical Journal).
37. Meat, Cancer and the Law
The suppression of advice about avoiding cancer will continue. The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK has already ruled that I am not allowed to advertise my book Food for Thought because it includes advice telling readers that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables will help prevent cancer. (There is, of course, ample evidence proving this point). The ASA is a voluntary body with no statutory powers. But by 2006 the meat industry will have been so badly damaged by the move against meat eating that it will be illegal to write or broadcast material drawing attention to the health hazards associated with meat consumption and by the year 2010 the consumption of red meat will have fallen so much that meat eaters will be segregated in public restaurants (much in the way that smokers are now). Meanwhile, by 2006, lawsuits against butchers' shops and companies selling meat will have reached court. Cancer victims will claim that their diseases were caused by the meat they ate and that those selling the meat failed to provide proper warnings. To help reduce the size of this problem meat and meat products will, by 2007, be sold with an official health warning. ('Warning: meat can cause cancer.' )
Make sure that you obtain all your health advice from sources you can trust. Your doctor, your government and your daily newspaper are not necessary trustworthy sources.
38. Smoking
The increasing cost of lawsuits will push tobacco companies into promoting their products ever more enthusiastically in the developing world. To replace the lost market for tobacco marijuana will become legal. Governments will overcome their squeamishness on this issue by the year 2006 because they will need to replace the lost revenue from the tax on tobacco.
39. Farming
The use of hormones in cattle (to help boost growth and reduce prices) will become widespread in Europe as European farmers attempt to compete with American farmers (who are already allowed to use hormones to boost cattle growth rates). Evidence showing that these hormones cause cancer (already available) will be suppressed or ignored.
Don't eat meat.
40. Happy Pills
Mood drugs will be increasingly widely prescribed for patients who feel unhappy or sad. Drugs will, by 2005, be widely prescribed for shyness, loneliness and other social problems. The side effects associated with such drugs may produce enormous problems for example, causing unexpected bursts of aggression among some patients.
Avoid mood enhancing or altering drugs.
41. Breast Cancer
The surgical removal of breasts to prevent breast cancer will become more widespread. Women will be offered an operation in which natural breast tissue will be replaced with artificial tissue.
Such surgery is barbaric and unnecessary.
42. Organs For Sale
The auctioning of organs on the internet will become widespread and the transfer of organs between developing and developed countries will become commonplace.
Most health problems allegedly requiring transplantation can be avoided or prevented or cured without surgery.
43. Ritalin
The alleged incidence of childhood mental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (aka. Attention Deficit Disorder) will increase. As a result, by 2006, in an average classroom in America, more children will be taking drugs such as Ritalin than are not.
I do not believe that ADA or ADHD exist. These are artificial pseudo-diseases. See VCHL Vol 3 No 6 for a lengthy article on this subject and on Ritalin. I described the prescribing of Ritalin as child abuse on a global scale.
44. Antibiotics
Because of over-prescribing by doctors, the abuse of antibiotics of genetic engineers and the obscene overuse of antibiotics by farmers, most antibiotics will be useless by the year 2008. The treatment of infectious diseases will become increasingly difficult.
The only real answer is to improve your body's immune system.
45. Diabetes
The incidence of diabetes will increase dramatically, partly through genetic influences but also through poor eating habits and widespread obesity. By the year 2004 eight per cent of the population will be diabetic.
You can reduce your chances of developing diabetes by avoiding overweight.
46. Ageing and Illness
As the population ages dramatically so the incidence of strokes, blindness and deafness will increase dramatically. A smaller and smaller number of people will be left with the problem of caring for a larger and larger number of sick and disabled individuals. Hospitals and nursing homes will be unable to cope. Many elderly people will either have to live alone (struggling to take care of themselves) or will have to live with their families. This will, inevitably, cause much disruption and resentment. Hospital waiting lists and waiting times will grow and grow. Hospitals will be unable to provide care for emergency patients. Organisations such as the NHS in the UK will be increasingly unable to cope. Insurance premiums will rise and insurance companies will be less and less willing to pay for treatment.
Make plans now for your old age. Re-read VCHL Vol 1 No 2.
47. Hormone Replacement Therapy
The use of HRT will become routine by 2005. All postmenopausal women will be given HRT – whether they have symptoms or not.
Women who do not want to take HRT will have to be prepared for a battle with their doctor.
48. Fertility
Fertility levels among males will fall steadily throughout the 'developed' world. This will happen because of the amount of oestrogen in drinking water. (The oestrogen comes from contraceptive pill residues and gets into drinking water because water companies take 'fresh' water supplies from rivers which have been polluted with waste water which has been 'treated' by sewage plants).
Men who want to retain their fertility should avoid drinking tap water.
49. NHS Charges
In the UK hospitals within the NHS will (by 2004) be given permission to start charging patients 'hotel' charges to cover non medical costs (such as food).
The NHS no longer provides an effective health service for routine health problems. By the middle of the first decade of the new millennium most sensible people will use the National Health Service almost exclusively for 'emergency' treatment only.
50. NHS On-Line
An Internet Health Service will be set up by 2003. Patients will be able to diagnose themselves by computer and order the appropriate remedy through a credit card on line facility. The IHS will be backed and supported by drug companies. An Alternative Internet Health Service (offering alternative remedies) will be set up but will falter through lack of funding, poor organisation and legal constraints.
Everyone should get used to finding their way around the internet now. Sites providing unofficial advice will increase in numbers but will face great opposition from governments keen to support official drug company sponsored sites.