This article identifies and describes the helplessness of modern medicine. Helplessness arises when ambitions significantly embedded in identity and dignity exceeds the options of reality--whether persons or academic subjects are concerned. Medical helplessness will continue as long as the medical profession claims miraculous aims of diagnostic or therapeutic success. Another important source of medical helplessness is the obsession that subjective matters belonging to patients, are irrelevant and disturbing issues in medical science and practice. Medicine must acknowledge its own helplessness by listening to the needs of the patients. The helplessness of medicine may be treated by a medical reorientation provided by general practice, knowledge and science.