A Salutary Tale

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Hi All,


http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/Healer-dies-after-failing-to.4699316.jp

 

Behold.

The difference between ALTERNATIVE medicine and COMPLIMENTARY medicine.

With tragic consequences. How may stories with less dramatic outcomes go on every day?

Much like our own "snake oil" orthotics, the tragedy is that people feel the need to promote alternative/complimentary medicine by denigrating "conventional" medicine.

Very sad.

Robert

 

Hi Rob

"Much like our own "snake oil" orthotics, the tragedy is that people feel the need to promote alternative/complimentary medicine by denigrating "conventional" medicine."

Just a little to generalist for my liking Rob.

Agree that some folks in the camp may well be so biased against conventional approaches as to not see the shortfalls of their own but there are plenty of others who would not fall into that mistake. Except me of course.... I was just discussing this with the fairies at the bottom of the garden earlier....

Ian

 

I think the message in this sad tale is that many patients are misguided and at the mercy of unregulated professionals.

Robert, I dont think an orthotic ever killed anybody?

Cornmerchant

 

There seem to be countless people in the world that suffer (and cause others to suffer) due to indoctrination and deeply engrained belief systems, but this man has sadly paid the ultimate price. I wonder where he obtained his belief in ‘healing therapy’ … the internet? religion? a trusted friend?

Maybe the best protection society can offer is an engaging and uncompromised science education in schools. I’ve read that ‘intelligent design’ is getting a foot-hold in the science classrooms of UK secondary schools … not to mention the US. I would expect sad stories such as this to become more common in future if this is the case.


Andrew

 

Definitely a candidate for the Darwin Awards.

Those who failed to act on his behalf should be charged with criminal negligence. They could probably plead permanent insanity.

 

I'm not sure, carbon fibre does take quite a wicked edge! I beleive Q is supplying a pair as covert weapons in the next James bond film.

I wasn't trying to imply that all complimentary medics do this, only that some do. Beleive it or not i'm alll in favour of complimentary medicine. For headaches, for eg, more than a few studies have shown placebo rates of 40% or better! Far to effective a modality to ignore. I just struggle with the idea that it is appropriate to replace conventional treatment, which by definition need to be scientifically shown to be effective, with complimentary / alternative ones which by definition are not. In particular i think that there should be clear demarcations where alternative medicine should never be used exclusivly (cancer, HIV and obviously diabetic foot ulcers. sping to mind)

Regards
Robert

 

A good definition Robert. Alternative medicine is often the alternative to the medicine that works... rather than the alternative to "Western" medicine. Perhaps that is why there was a change to complimentary medicine as a term for the same thing. Although in this case it would have not been such a problem if he used conventional medicine and then complimented it with his psycho ideas. Going the alternative route was obviously not a successful strategy.

 

That sent me off on an interesting tangent!

My understanding of A/C medicine is that once it had been proven by clinical trials to be effective it ceases to become alternative.

However when i did a websearch the variety of definitions i found was astounding and very varied! Here's a few, you would'nt know they were talking of the same thing!

Instead of??

alongside?

Not accepted by. Does not mention why it is not accepted!

Interesting wordplay there for anyone who has studied NLP.

And again

ouch!

So what is the definition of CAM? It would appear nobody agrees. Perhaps it defies definition due to its sheer breadth! But for me the defining characteristic is the point at which it ceases to become alternative medicine. If it cannot be described by what it IS then perhaps it can be descibed by what it is NOT. Consistantly supported by scientific trials.

What say you?

RObert

Off to get my chen ballanced

R