Snake Oil Science: The Truth about Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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By: R. Barker Bausell PhD
(25 customer reviews)
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EDITORIAL REVIEW

Millions of people worldwide swear by such therapies as acupuncture, herbal cures, and homeopathic remedies. Indeed, complementary and alternative medicine is embraced by a broad spectrum of society, from ordinary people, to scientists and physicians, to celebrities such as Prince Charles and Oprah Winfrey.
In the tradition of Michael Shermers Why People Believe Weird Things and Robert Parks's Voodoo Science, Barker Bausell provides an engaging look at the scientific evidence for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and at the logical, psychological, and physiological pitfalls that lead otherwise intelligent people--including researchers, physicians, and therapists--to endorse these cures. The books ultimate goal is to reveal not whether these therapies work--as Bausell explains, most do work, although weakly and temporarily--but whether they work for the reasons their proponents believe. Indeed, as Bausell reveals, it is the placebo effect that accounts for most of the positive results. He explores this remarkable phenomenon--the biological and chemical evidence for the placebo effect, how it works in the body, and why research on any therapy that does not factor in the placebo effect will inevitably produce false results. By contrast, as Bausell shows in an impressive survey of research from high-quality scientific journals and systematic reviews, studies employing credible placebo controls do not indicate positive effects for CAM therapies over and above those attributable to random chance.
Here is not only an entertaining critique of the strangely zealous world of CAM belief and practice, but it also a first-rate introduction to how to correctly interpret scientific research of any sort. Readers will come away with a solid understanding of good vs. bad research practice and a healthy skepticism of claims about the latest miracle cure, be it St. John's Wort for depression or acupuncture for chronic pain.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Pub. Date: 31st October 2007
Catalog: Book
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 352
Ean: 9780195313680
Isbn: 0195313682

ABOUT THIS BOOK

USER REVIEWS

Not so fast!
~ Written on Sep 30, 2009. 3 out of 6 users found this review helpful.

As a practicing allopathic physician (MD), I would like to add a perspective. First of all, the author does make many valid points and there is no question that more quality research is needed. I would agree that some of CAM is operated by greedy charlatans. Clearly there is a lot of work to be done, and not much money with which to do research unfortunately. As the author is a teacher at the U of Maryland, I'm sure he is aware of the U of Md's Center for Integrative Medicine program in Baltimore, and what they are trying to do to help in validating some of these techniques. NIH should be applauded for its research efforts also.

My problem is lumping virtually all of CAM under one "placebo umbrella". I believe that there is ample research examining certain practices such as homeopathy, acupuncture, and remote prayer to make a strong case for unexplainable, non-placebo mechanisms. Interestingly, these practices have been shown to work for very young children and animals where belief and "power of suggestion" are not placebo-based explanations.

Finally, what's wrong with a little placebo effect anyway? And is CAM the only thing that utilizes the placebo effect? Absolutely not! This potent healing placebo effect is a mainstay of the way most of us successful medical practitioners practice effective medicine everyday. I would say it is an essential component of what is commonly called the "art of medicine" and "bedside manner". I believe the emerging field of psychoneuroimmunology will validate that things like hope, generosity, gratitude, and other positive emotions are extremely helpful in the healing process, at least in part due to the endorphin and placebo factors. Meanwhile, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

BIAS as could be
~ Written on Sep 19, 2009. 3 out of 12 users found this review helpful.

I am 25 year old Pharmacy student, I'm an advocate of drug therapy but in no way shape or form do I believe ALL Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is worthless like the author does. The book uses very long stories and tons of explanations to try and rationally explain why CAM therapy is one giant placebo effect. Let me give you an example of how our author refers to CAM therapy chapter 4, page 67 "In other words, what we really have here is a blueprint for a most wondrous, myth-perpetuating machine."
Go read you're own clinical trials and do you're own research; don't accept anyone else's conjectures just because they have Dr in front of there name.

CAM's are on the increase, for a reason? They Work!
~ Written on Sep 1, 2009. out of 13 users found this review helpful.

Click on the following link for a clear and concise discussion on the current hot button subject in the press; health care reform in the U.S. and in particular: "Ten Things That Are Missing from Obama's Health Care Reform Debate". Big Pharma and the AMA don't get a lot of praise but CAM and Natural approaches are not only a wonderful option, but indeed may be the only long term, sustainable possibility! [...]

He nails the CAM coffin shut
~ Written on Jul 23, 2009. 2 out of 2 users found this review helpful.

As a former Chiropractor, I can say that this author puts together a killer argument backed with logic and data to kill the idea that CAM is superior to standard medical care. Better yet, CAM hasn't even be proven to show any effect apart from placebo and lots of researchers have looked and spent lots of your tax-payer dollars in the process.

This book is laid out in a very logical manner and even sprinkled with some humor.

My prediction is that reviewers of this book will be at either extreme, they love it or hate it. I love it because its shows the best of science; how we separate the sense from the non-sense. Those that have a vested interest in CAM will, of course, hate it.

Good oil
~ Written on Jun 7, 2009. 1 out of 9 users found this review helpful.

I'd rather be an exception-to-the-rule healthy anecdote than be a reliably miserable statistic. We owe it to ourselves to break out of statistical distributions. Distributions tell you what will become of you if you do what the masses do. Of course, sometimes it is good to belong to the curve but when sickness strikes, it often is not.

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