Cancer Quackery

1. Current Health Topics Cancer Quackery

2. the promotion of unproven, disproven, and/or unsafe health methods that lack a scientifically plausible rationale. • "Quackery" derives from the word quacksalver(someone who boasts about his salves). • Charlatan-one who talks pretentiously without sound knowledge of the subject discussed. What is quackery?

3. It should not automatically be applied to methods that are labeled "natural," or “alternative," or nonstandard. Legitimate researchers do not promote unproven but engage in responsible, properly-designed studies. Most promoters are unwitting victims who share misinformation and personal experiences with others. Folk medicine, even when known to be erroneous, is not generally considered quackery so long as it is not done for gain. Quackery Defined cont

4. Clinical Trials Treatment studies in which patients are carefully monitored and the effects of the new therapy are documented thoroughly. These studies are designed to answer scientific questions and to find out whether the new treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease.

5. How To Spot Quackery? Has the treatment been evaluated in clinical trials? Do the practitioners of an approach claim that the medical community is trying to keep their cure from the public? Does the treatment rely on nutritional or diet therapy as its main focus? Do those who endorse the treatment claim that it is harmless and painless and that it produces no unpleasant side effects? Does the treatment have a "secret formula" that only a small group of practitioners can use?

6. How Quackery Harms? Loss of time Loss of money Direct injury from misdiagnosis Opportunity to receive the effective treatment