INFO - Twenty-five ways to spot quacks and vitamin pushers

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Points 18, 19, 21, 23 and 24 from " Twenty-five Ways to Spot Quacks and

Vitamin Pushers " :

18. They Use Disclaimers Couched in Pseudomedical Jargon.

Instead of promising to cure your disease, some quacks will promise to

" detoxify, " " purify, " or " revitalize " your body; " balance " its chemistry or

" electromagnetic energy " ; bring it in harmony with nature; " stimulate " or

" strengthen " your immune system; " support " or " rejuvenate " various organs in

your body; or stimulate your body's power to heal itself. Of course, they

never identify or make valid before-and-after measurements of any of these

processes. These disclaimers serve two purposes. First, since it is

impossible to measure the processes quacks allege, it may be difficult to

prove them wrong. Moreover, if a quack is not a physician, the use of

nonmedical terminology may help to avoid prosecution for practicing medicine

without a license -- although it shouldn't.

Some approaches to " detoxification " are based on notions that, as a result

of intestinal stasis, intestinal contents putrefy, and toxins are formed and

absorbed, which causes chronic poisoning of the body. This

" autointoxication " theory was popular around the turn of the century but was

abandoned by the scientific community during the 1930s. No such " toxins "

have ever been found, and careful observations have shown that individuals

in good health can vary greatly in bowel habits. Quacks may also suggest

that fecal material collects on the lining of the intestine and causes

trouble unless removed by laxatives, colonic irrigation, special diets,

and/or various herbs or food supplements that " cleanse " the body. The

falsity of this notion is obvious to doctors who perform intestinal surgery

or peer within the large intestine with a diagnostic instrument. Fecal

material does not adhere to the intestinal lining. Colonic irrigation is

done by inserting a tube into the rectum and pumping up to 20 gallons of

water in and out. This type of enema is not only therapeutically worthless

but can cause fatal electrolyte imbalance. Cases of death due to intestinal

perforation and infection (from contaminated equipment) have also been

reported.

19. They Use Anecdotes and Testimonials to Support Their Claims.

We all tend to believe what others tell us about personal experiences. But

separating cause and effect from coincidence can be difficult. If people

tell you that product X has cured their cancer, arthritis, or whatever, be

skeptical. They may not actually have had the condition. If they did, their

recovery most likely would have occurred without the help of product X. Most

single episodes of disease end with just the passage of time, and most

chronic ailments have symptom-free periods. Establishing medical truths

requires careful and repeated investigation -- with well-designed

experiments, not reports of coincidences misperceived as cause-and-effect.

That's why testimonial evidence is forbidden in scientific articles, is

usually inadmissible in court, and is not used to evaluate whether or not

drugs should be legally marketable. (Imagine what would happen if the FDA

decided that clinical trials were too expensive and therefore drug approval

would be based on testimonial letters or interviews with a few patients.)

Never underestimate the extent to which people can be fooled by a worthless

remedy. During the early 1940s, many thousands of people became convinced

that " glyoxylide " could cure cancer. Yet analysis showed that it was simply

distilled water! [1] Many years before that, when arsenic was used as a

" tonic, " countless numbers of people swore by it even as it slowly poisoned

them.

Symptoms that are psychosomatic (bodily reactions to tension) are often

relieved by anything taken with a suggestion that it will work. Tiredness

and other minor aches and pains may respond to any enthusiastically

recommended nostrum. For these problems, even physicians may prescribe a

placebo. A placebo is a substance that has no pharmacological effect on the

condition for which it is used, but is given to satisfy a patient who

supposes it to be a medicine. Vitamins (such as B12 shots) are commonly used

in this way.

Placebos act by suggestion. Unfortunately, some doctors swallow the

advertising hype or become confused by their own observations and " believe

in vitamins " beyond those supplied by a good diet. Those who share such

false beliefs do so because they confuse coincidence or placebo action with

cause and effect. Homeopathic believers make the same error.

21. They Display Credentials Not Recognized

by Responsible Scientists or Educators.

The backbone of educational integrity in America is a system of

accreditation by agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or

the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a

nongovernmental coordinating agency. " Degrees " from nonaccredited schools

are rarely worth the paper they are printed on. In the health field, no

nonaccredited school can qualify people to give trustworthy advice.

Unfortunately, possession of an accredited degree does not guarantee

reliability. Some schools that teach unscientific methods (chiropractic,

naturopathy, acupuncture, and even quack nutritional methods) have achieved

accreditation. Worse yet, a small percentage of individuals trained in

reputable institutions (such as medical or dental schools or accredited

universities) have strayed from scientific thought.

Since quacks operate outside of the scientific community, they also tend to

form their own " professional " organizations. In some cases, the only

membership requirement is payment of a fee. We and others we know have

secured fancy " professional member " certificates for household pets by

merely submitting the pet's name, address, and a check for $50 [3]. Don't

assume that all groups with scientific-sounding names are respectable. Find

out whether their views are scientifically based.

Some quacks are promoted with superlatives like " the world's foremost

nutritionist " or " America's leading nutrition expert. " There is no law

against this tactic, just as there is none against calling oneself the

" World's Foremost Lover. " However, the scientific community recognizes no

such titles. The designation " Nobel Prize Nominee " is also bogus and can be

assumed to mean that someone has either nominated himself or had a close

associate do so.

Some entrepreneurs claim to have degrees and/or affiliations to schools,

hospitals, and/or professional that actually don't exist. The modern

champion of this approach appears to be E. Caplinger, who claims to

have acquired a medical degree, specialty training, board certification, and

scores of professional affiliations-all from bogus or nonexistent sources.

Even legitimate credentials can be used to mislead. The American Medical

Association's " Physician's Recognition Award " requires participation in 150

hours of continuing education over a three-year period and payment of a

small fee. Most practicing physicians meet this educational standard because

it is necessary to study to keep up-to-date. Accredited hospitals require

this amount of continuing education to maintain staff privileges, and some

states require it for license renewal. However, most physicians who do this

don't bother to get the AMA certificate. Since the award reflects no special

accomplishment or expertise, using it for promotional purposes is not

appropriate behavior.

23. They Claim They Are Being Persecuted by Orthodox Medicine

and That Their Work Is Being Suppressed Because It's Controversial.

The " conspiracy charge " is an attempt to gain sympathy by portraying the

quack as an " underdog. " Quacks typically claim that the American Medical

Association is against them because their cures would cut into the incomes

that doctors make by keeping people sick. Don't fall for such nonsense!

Reputable physicians are plenty busy. Moreover, many doctors engaged in

prepaid health plans, group practice, full-time teaching, and government

service receive the same salary whether or not their patients are sick-so

keeping their patients healthy reduces their workload, not their income.

Quacks also claim there is a " controversy " about facts between themselves

and " the bureaucrats, " organized medicine, or " the establishment. " They

clamor for medical examination of their claims, but ignore any evidence that

refutes them. The gambit " Do you believe in vitamins? " is another tactic

used to increase confusion. Everyone knows that vitamins are needed by the

human body. The real question is " Do you need additional vitamins beyond

those in a well-balanced diet? " For most people, the answer is no. Nutrition

is a science, not a religion. It is based upon matters of fact, not

questions of belief.

Any physician who found a vitamin or other preparation that could cure

sterility, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, or the like, could make an

enormous fortune. Patients would flock to such a doctor (as they now do to

those who falsely claim to cure such problems), and colleagues would shower

the doctor with awards-including the extremely lucrative Nobel Prize! And

don't forget, doctors get sick, too. Do you believe they would conspire to

suppress cures for diseases that also afflict them and their loved ones?

When polio was conquered, iron lungs became virtually obsolete, but nobody

resisted this advancement because it would force hospitals to change. And

neither will scientists mourn the eventual defeat of cancer.

24. They Warn You Not to Trust Your Doctor.

Quacks, who want you to trust them, suggest that most doctors are " butchers "

and " poisoners. " They exaggerate the shortcomings of our healthcare delivery

system, but completely disregard their own-and those of other quacks. For

the same reason, quacks also claim that doctors are nutrition illiterates.

This, too, is untrue. The principles of nutrition are those of human

biochemistry and physiology, courses required in every medical school. Some

medical schools don't teach a separate required course labeled " Nutrition "

because the subject is included in other courses at the points where it is

most relevant. For example, nutrition in growth and development is taught in

pediatrics, nutrition in wound healing is taught in surgery, and nutrition

in pregnancy is covered in obstetrics. In addition, many medical schools do

offer separate instruction in nutrition.

A physician's training, of course, does not end on the day of graduation

from medical school or completion of specialty training. The medical

profession advocates lifelong education, and some states require it for

license renewal. Physicians can further their knowledge of nutrition by

reading medical journals and textbooks, discussing cases with colleagues,

and attending continuing education courses. Most doctors know what nutrients

can and cannot do and can tell the difference between a real nutritional

discovery and a piece of quack nonsense. Those who are unable to answer

questions about dietetics (meal planning) can refer patients to someone who

can-usually a registered dietitian. Like all human beings, doctors sometimes

make mistakes. However, quacks deliver mistreatment most of the time.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/spotquack.html

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org