Regulation and the food industry

摘要

Describing the Care of Muslim Patients app (Feb 9, p 443),1 Aasim Padela concludes that it is a "resource for those seeking to learn about the intersections of Islam, Muslim patients' behaviours, and medical practice", and that is all it is. Regarding this app as an information source to help understand patient behaviour is fine. However, health-care quality and medical management options offered to patients should not be influenced by it. Even assuming the app information is trusted, the type of medical advice should not depend on patients' religion, or what their appearance suggests about their religious beliefs. It is up to the patient to discuss the options that suit his or her religious needs with the doctor, rather than the doctor selecting what he or she thinks is appropriate to offer. Both as a doctor and a Muslim, I find it alarming that the app suggests care-providers do not resuscitate Muslim patients with certain disorders.1 Padela argues that it does not provide citations to back its recommendation. But even if it does, this does not solely justify a decision to withhold life-support. Although each clinical decision should be uniquely tailored to the patient's needs, the process of clinical decision making should be uniform.