Michael Moore's new film, SICKO, remains under heavy scrutiny and heated debate.

According to the Cuban doctors featured in the film, the three New York rescue workers injured in the September 11 attacks got the best treatment available in Cuba.

The American 9/11 responders were treated for 10 days at Hermanos Almejeiras Hospital--Cuba's top-of-the-line hospital for heart and liver transplants--with a view of the Caribbean Sea, unlike most other Cuban hospitals that are crumbling, poorly lit and lacking equipment.

Said Cuban medical director Dr. Nelson Gomez, "We can't say we did miracles in the few days they were here. What we did give them was the highest quality treatment. It was totally free."

Moore used communist Cuba as one of several examples of countries that are providing better health care to its citizens than the United States, even though their health care systems are 100 percent free.

According to the World Health Organization, 7 out of 1,000 children die in Cuba before the age of five, compared to 8 out of 1,000 children in the United States.

Reuters.com July 19, 2007

Dr. Mercola’s comments:

Arranging for 9/11 workers to get treated in Cuba (after they were refused at American Guantanamo Bay) was an absolutely brilliant move to expose how flawed our system really is.

I believe Michael Moore has done an excellent job of pointing out what's truly wrong and broken within our American health care system, even though I don't agree with his solution.

Since the vast majority of health care spending (which is now more than $2 trillion per year) is spent on chronic degenerative diseases, it would make logical sense to treat the causes of these diseases, rather than throwing money at symptoms. Socialized medicine will not cure this growing health crisis.

No matter what the critics say, there's no doubt that our current medical system is run with profit as its main objective, rather than your health and well-being. But whereas Moore just wants the US government to pick up the tab, I’m championing for a return to preventative medicine—essentially a complete overhaul of the entire medical system.

“Out” with dangerous drugs, and “In” with basic nutrition from healthy, organically grown foods, free of toxic chemicals and pesticides.

Yes, my recommendation would require more than an overhaul of the medical system, it would also require a change in food production, but it seems that’s really what needs to happen if we want to reverse this disease-ridden and deadly trend that we’re in.

Until the government realizes that a country cannot thrive on disease alone, or as its main form of industry, do what you can to Take Control of Your Health and reclaim your right to a healthy life.

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