Follow-up on Edgardo's post about "The Spirit Catches You"

While I have not read "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" by Anne Fadiman, I thought Edgardo introduced several issues which have been recurring throughout our ASB course.
First, there is the dual nature of the doctor. The medical profession has constructed a subculture with its own esoteric medical jargon which unfortunately seems to exclude patients from grasping the treatments that they are receiving as well as the cause of their symptoms. Many of the problems that I feel come up with cultural competency involve a disconnect between "western medicine" and a patient's native cultural values or beliefs. I do not think that the clash between the two needs to be a zero-sum game with one triumphing over the other. As we read earlier (in Dr. Glover's article? I don't remember exactly), many times compliance might be enhanced if doctors encouraged patients to engage in their herbal or homeopathic remedies in addition to what we consider "medically sound" treatments. If anything a patient might begin to feel better sooner via the placebo effect. Cultural competence is and will only become more important in the coming decade as minorities comprise a larger portion of the population. Medical schools should stress cultural competence and bilingualism as tools for better serving patients, and as Edgardo put it, to reveal the "humanity" of doctors.
Second, there is the role of government in assuring proper care for patients. While I believe the government should ensure access and affordability of health care for all, I believe there are certain lines which the government should be wary of crossing. The case of Teri Schiavo certainly comes to mind, but Lia, one of the characters in the novel seems to also fit this mold. At what point does the government become too controlling of individuals' ability to make personal decisions? Although I certainly agree that cultural health remedies which exacerbate conditions or are dangerous should be frowned upon, individuals have the right to express themselves. The issue of minors and adolescents is particularly tricky. I'm not sure if removing a child from the care of his/her parents simply because the parents aren't agreeing with the child's doctors is in the best interest of the child. No parents (or at least most parents) would not knowingly make decisions that would farm their child. It is at this point that education and cultural competence play such a large role. Are the parents making an informed decision based on all the facts? Do they know the risks of choosing to not accept "western" care? The doctors and legal experts must do their best to inform individuals and caretakers, but in my opinion should not overstep their bounds.