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Ian has an MBA and is a real estate investor, former health professions educator, and Air Force veteran.
Jane's sister Betty is one of those people who seem to hang onto every word and promise made about the latest health fad out there. Betty is the kind of healthcare consumer who tends to distrust doctors and is on the lookout for alternative treatments. Every year, new health claims are made outside of the peer reviewed medical community and marketed to consumers like Betty. Jane, who is a registered nurse, knows that many of these claims are nothing more than quackery, but what does that mean exactly? Let's help Jane define quackery and identify instances of it so that she can help her sister be better informed.
Dr. Stephen Barrett, the editor of Quackwatch.org, defines quackery as 'the promotion of unsubstantiated methods that lack a scientifically plausible rationale.' Promotion includes trying to sell a product or idea for a profit. Unsubstantiated means that the claim has neither been proven nor disproven by science. Plausible means that the claim makes scientific sense given the established facts already out there. So, to 'lack scientifically plausible rationale,' would mean that the claim is implausible, improbable, or doubtful.
Quackery doesn't necessarily mean the same as fraud. People may genuinely, though mistakenly, believe in the product. Distributors, or those who sell products through multi-level marketing, may become convinced of the claim through strong marketing or persuasion. Unfortunately, belief in quackery can cause someone to avoid getting actual medical treatment from a legitimate professional.
Magnet therapy, homeopathy, and vitamin C megadoses are just a few of the methods Betty has tried at one point or another. She believed that a magnetic shoulder wrap helped reduce inflammation and speed the healing of her sprained shoulder. A homeopath sold her an onion-based solution that in reality is effectively indistinguishable from plain water as a hay fever remedy. The clerk at the nutritional supplements store suggested she take large doses of vitamin C to fight off the common cold during flu season.
Each of these products was sold with vaguely scientific sounding jargon and promises. For example, the ad on TV said that the magnets in Betty's shoulder wrap interact with the iron in her blood and promote blood flow and increased oxygen, which, in turn, helps improve healing and provides a rejuvenation of health.
Homeopathy sells the idea that what causes a problem can also cure it when given in minute amounts. Vitamin C megadoses begins with the idea that we generally don't get enough of it in our diets and that this supposed deficit leaves us vulnerable to disease.
Jane recognizes in these situations a few of the hallmarks of quackery. The first is that the products aren't prescribed by a doctor, but sold directly to consumers over TV. Although at first glance it makes some sense that blood could react to magnets, there is no established scientific proof that this is the case. We know from peer reviewed medical studies that the small static magnets used in these devices aren't able to relieve pain or treat disease. Medical science has well established that extremely dilute solutions do nothing to treat disease and we have a very sound understanding of basic nutritional needs, including vitamins. Any benefit that an individual perceives from these methods are psychosomatic, or placebos, rather than actual treatment.
Other concerns are that the ad uses vague claims like 'rejuvenation of health.' Since this claim isn't measurable, it is ultimately meaningless. Quackery uses these sorts of terms to avoid being accused of outright fraud.
Some of the warning signs for quackery also include:
Ultimately, any health claim made by some person or company without a strong scientific research backing should be treated skeptically.
Quackery is the promotion of unsubstantiated methods that lack a scientifically plausible rationale. Plausible means that the claim makes scientific sense given the established facts already out there, while unsubstantiated means that the claim has neither been proven or disproven by science. These products and services take advantage of the ignorance of the general public by promising unrealistic results with scientifically wrong ideas. Often these ideas involve other agendas such as a mistrust of the medical establishment or an easy solution to a problem. Any benefits from these methods are at best a placebo and at worst can cause someone harm by convincing them to avoid actual treatment. Examples of quackery include magnet therapy, homeopathy, and vitamin megadoses.
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CSET Health Science Subtest III (180): Practice & Study Guide7 chapters | 60 lessons | 5 flashcard sets
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