Very depressing! I’m sure your family members just want to help people with their knowledge and the skills they have learned. There lies the problem. For example, my husband and I believed in the benefits of fluoride for the 27 years we practiced dentistry. When patients asked us if they should drink fluoridated water, did we research it? No. We spouted off what we were taught in dental school which is fluoridated water prevents tooth decay. Why were we never taught that the fluoride used in water systems is not the pharmaceutical grade fluoride used in toothpastes and mouthwash? It is a toxic waste product from fertilizer production. Why weren’t we taught that and why did we just accept it without questioning?  I think healthcare providers tend to be smart and altruistic, but are rewarded for not questioning or being critical thinkers. 

 Damn, yeah I see your point. The amount of knowledge a medical professional has to integrate just to practice at all, plus the early practice financial pressures of debt, malpractice insurance and keeping a practice healthy and thriving… it doesn’t leave a lot left over in time, energy and freedom to look critically at the discipline, I’m sure.