CHAPTER 16: Frauds and Quackery Flashcards
What is health quackery
promises cures, cures which are false but which a man in pain, unhappy or afraid would accept without question
deliberate misrepresentation of the ability of a substance or device to prevent or treat disease
quack
pretender of medical skill; an ignorant and/or dishonest practitioner
trickery specifically confined to the medical field
eyes of government: form of fraud
- targets people who are struggling with health problems as their reactions would be different to a miracle cure compared to a healthy person
5 kinds of evidence found supporting the practice
- scientific medicine
- investigational medicine
- unproven treatments
- home or folk remedies
- quackery
the cure all is promoted by 2 types of people
- the unskilled or ignorant healthcare practitioner searching for financial gain
- the person who truly believes their product can help but is promoting something that is useless
The truth about quackery - Lydia Kang TED TALK
why can all of be be susceptible to fraud
- dont know everything about human body, dont have a cure for everything that can go wrong with it
- bias - affects everyone
- hope - intoxicating, alter ability to critically evaluate cures that are out there
- health is an emotional and physical process, we want so much to get it to a normal or new normal after finding out bad news
what can hope do to us
why would someone promote a fraud item
- financial gain
- many people actually believe in their item
- different from existing research and mainstream medical community
- have failed with other experiments
Cancer fraud
Hoxsey cancer treatment
- herbal procedure that promises to draw cancer from out of the skin
- NOT shown to be affective
most common types of health fraud today
- HIV/AIDS fraud
- arthritis fraud
- dietary supplements
- weight loss fraud
- sexual enhancement fraud
- diabetes fraud
- influenza scams
how to avoid quackery
- look at testimonies, ask questions, seek proof
sus stuff:
- promises quick or painless cure
- secret formula
- cure for everything
- undocumented case histories
- advanced payments
- offers free gifts
what can i do if i feel i have been duped
YOU are responsible for protecting yourself
- states attorney general
- file complaints to FDA or FTC
Dr Oz 3 biggest weight loss lies - video
- metabolism boosters
- belly fat - blast away by going on diet or taking supplements
- miracle pills - supplements
Dr. Wilhelm Reich
- psychiatrist in 1950s who promoted a product called Orgone Energy Accumulator
- central life force and responsible for creation of universe
- energy could heal any illness known to man
- FDA arrested in 1957 for fraud
- still carries work today
Deepak Chopra Video - nailed by Richard Dawkins
- disease can be caused and cured by a shifting consciousness
- shift in biology
- quantum theory, observer effect
- healing may be a biological phenomenon that relies on biological creativity
Mylan Brych
- claims for curing cancer first surfaced
- injecting patients with a serum (found to be steroids and chemicals) some showed positive results
- determined he was not a doctor, fled to US to practice
- arrested - 6 yrs in jail
- released and practicing in switzerland
