Doctors, Technology and Medical Lasers

The Times article discussing medical lasers and their early disappointment quotes Trimedyne President Howard Cooper as saying that “short-term expectations were too high. We had a lot to learn about the market. It is a matter of educating the doctors.” (“Controversy Dogs Tustin Firm’s Lasers,” Aug. 13.)

I agree that one of the main problems relating to laser disappointment is lack of education--but not for the reasons noted by Mr. Cooper. Doctors must come to the realization that they cannot abandon to the business community their role of direct involvement in the development and evaluation of new medical technology. Mr. Cooper’s arrogance regarding medical care, his juxtapositioning of business profits and medical efficacy, is all too common. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true--doctors making medical decisions based on economic factors (personal investments in health-care facilities, imaging groups, etc.).

Those of us who have been involved with the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease as part of our medical practice are not overly surprised at the relative failure of laser angioplasty as a panacea. The underlying pathology (mainly arteriosclerosis) is complex, the evaluation and treatment more so. What is clearly needed, and has been from the outset, are carefully controlled scientific studies of the clinical efficacy of lasers, prior to allowing the business community uncontrolled access to the eager but less knowledgeable public.

ELLIOTT C. MERCER, M.D.

Newport Beach