'False' Science Hurts People

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/23/2550810.htm

Wow.

I've always considered myself a fairly open minded and liberal person. I don't mind what people do generally, as long as they aren't hurting others... like in this story. This is a pretty damn clear case of someone selling false hope to incredibly vulnerable people, something that is pretty close to unforgiveable in my books.

There are lots of opportunities and ways that people sell hope - most natural remedies rely heavily on the placebo effect and it can be an incredibly powerful tool for motivation and healing - but sometimes this hope can come at a very steep cost. In our society, that cost is often financial (homeopaths, who believe that water retains memories of what was in it despite a number of scientific papers to the contrary, and can therefore sell 'medicalised water' to those with too much money are an excellent example) but in this case, and whenever vulnerable people are looking for help or answers, that cost could be health, family or lifestyle.

Take the case of HIV medication - Ben Goldman has done some great research on the impact that vitamen salesman Matthais Rath has had on addressing the massive health problem that HIV poses in South Africa - check out http://www.badscience.net/2009/04/matthias-rath-steal-this-chapter/

I could say more. I think I need to think about it all a bit more and provide a more cohesive arguement agains bloody naturopaths and homeopaths - except to say that if it worked as well as they say it does, we'd all be using it because it wouldn't be called 'alternative medicine.' It would be called 'medicine'.