FIMA Year Book 2009 - Federation of Islamic Medical Associations

The ConceptIntroduction:Medical curricula, in almost all medicalschools in Muslim countries, have beenfollowing the Western-European stylesover the past century. (1)During the period of Westerncolonization and subsequently postindependence,educational institutionsin Muslim countries have copied andapplied Western curricula until thepresent time.In some countries, attempts wereexercised to add some courses in Islamicmedical ethics and the history of pastIslamic civilization.As a consequence there existed thisdichotomoy between the teachingof medical sciences and the properpersonality building along Islamic beliefsand guidance (Tarbiyah). This separationfeature of the curriculum has always beena cornerstone of the Western medicaleducation system . (1)This educational style has achievedsignificant innovations and progressin the prevention and therapy of manyillnesses, but failed in dealing withlifestyle-related dilemmas. The majorchallenge, however, being in the area ofbioethics.Over the past decades, the world enteredinto an era of globalization which carriedwith it a dominant monoculture. Inthe medical field, this Western culturebecame controlled by big business whichthrives on a culture of profiteering,domination and control, which notinfrequently impinges and violates moralnorms.Globalization of health governancehas its own philosophical background.Health is considered as a commoditywhich has a fiscal value.. (2) Disease and itstherapy becomes pivotal and the holisticcare of the person becomes peripheral.It marginalizes preventive medicine,healthcare promotion and only pays lipservice to the wellness paradigm.. Asa consequence, spiritual and culturalaspects of health are not consideredas priorities nor crucial in health caredelivery , instead, they only add to thecost of health care. (2)Inevitably, the medical profession,practitioners, researchers and healthcareleaders included, became increasinglyoverwhelmed and influenced by thisnew philosophy of big business inpharmaceutical companies, equipmentmanufacturers and insurance companies.Worldwide proliferation of medicalinventions and breakthroughs thattook place over the past decades, haveraised wide hopes and expectations forremedies to many unresolved humanailments. At the same time, they haveposed major dilemmas to the Westernbiomedical model. The medical andscientific world has witnessed a plethoraof complicated ethical, religious, socialand legal implications. Although codesof medical ethics have been adopted afterWorld War II, yet, unethical practicescontinued to proliferate.Humanity has suffered disastrousFIMA YearBook 200974