Medical Humbug

It can be properly stated that there is not really any such thing as "alternative medicine" recognized in science. There are alternatives in medicine, and there are as yet undiscovered or untested methods and treatments. But once something becomes accepted into the ranks of scientific knowledge, it's no longer an "alternative" treatment.

For example, there are currently several alternative therapies or "cures" for cancer. Indeed one of them MIGHT be true, but it would be folly for any doctor to prescribe it as anything other than experimental, until it can be tested under properly controlled conditions.

On the other hand, there are some alternative medicines that are absolute frauds, such as homeopathy, which has been sufficiently tested under proper conditions, and fails to hold up scientifically.

It is worthy of note that the James Randi Educational Foundation has deemed homeopaths eligible for the $1million prize (see here), which to this day has not been collected by anyone for homeopathy (or anything else, for that matter).

With that much medical humbug out there (and that doesn't even count the faith healers and psychic surgeons), the topics to discuss in this section become seemingly endless. Let's get to it.