At the beginning of his struggle, the Elder was adamant regarding the disease and doctors. But later, at the end of his life, succumbing to the entreaties of his disciples, he received medical care and seeing the benefit brought by medication, confessed:

‘They came to me and asked for help and through prayer and fasting they were better. But now the Lord doesn’t want to listen me, in order for me to learn that both drugs and doctors are good. To be tolerant with others. I have read the epistles of such a great saint like St. Nektarios and saw how much attention he paid to medicine. I, a poor hermit, grew old in the wilderness and I wanted to become healthy again only by faith. But now I’ve learned that there is need for both medicine and Grace.’

(Translated from Arhimandritul Efrem Filotheitul, Starețul meu Iosif Isihastul, traducere de Ieroschimonah Ștefan Nuțescu, Editura Evanghelismos, București, 2010, pp. 105-106)