Dear Sir,
In the Jewish tradition we read every Shabbat, Sabbath, a weekly portion from the Torah – the first five books of the Bible.
Last week’s portion Parashat Ki Tetze offers one of the first instances of a building code in human history. At a moment in time when houses had flat roofs, the Torah instructs us, “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it.” It’s a simple principle – a flat roof, where family and friends might hang out can be an inherently dangerous place. We should anticipate that danger and build a railing so no one falls.
Last Saturday, while “monumental paper balloons soared over Ajijic,” my remaining 14 teeth were soaring away, read extracted, by my excellent Guadalajara dentist prior to my receiving implanted supported bridges. Dr. Alfredo Aguero Gallo prescribed various medications, which I had filled at the local Farmacia Guadalajara.
Soon after taking the medications I became extremely nauseated and then weak, as if I had stomach flu. I knew something was wrong and fortunately made an appointment with my competent local physician. Perhaps, even more fortunate, I not only brought her the prescriptions but all the medications.
“This is a very toxic heart medication called Digitalis,” she proclaimed, examining one of the medicines. “How many days have you taken it?” “Three,” I replied. “I want you to see my husband who is a pathologist” Later that day he told me that my heart appeared to have tolerated the Digitalis without any serious consequences. More days of taking it, however, “could have led to serious medical problems!” However, he insisted on administering a Potassium IV and advised me to drink lots of juices and electrolytes. As I write this, I am much better and feel grateful for my competent caring doctors.
Metaphorically, building a parapet to guard against being given an incorrect prescription means that we patients must also be careful to compare the prescription with the medicine we are given. The command to build a parapet for our home or our business is not only essential for our own personal safety. Building one, like building a fence around a swimming pool is also an obligation to protect our fellow citizens, in this case from pharmacies in Mexico, like Farmacia Guadalajara, that dispense medications without making sure their customers know what they are receiving, as pharmacies do in the United States.
Whether in the United States or in Mexico the debate between unregulated capitalism and government rules and regulations to protect its citizens is constant. Clearly this beautiful country, in terms of helping people remain healthy and safe, needs to consider whether it is doing enough to ensure that pharmacies carefully dispense the correct medications. Otherwise others, perhaps many, may fall from their own or the roofs of others, with life threatening consequences.
Rabbi Philip Posner, Jocotepec