Thanks.I'm just commenting to put this thread back up at the top of the list, so you can increase your chances of baiting proponents with it.
I'm just commenting to put this thread back up at the top of the list, so you can increase your chances of baiting proponents with it.
Thanks.
Thanks (chuck?) I found the report very surprising, which is why I posted.I found the article disturbing, but as I'm not well-versed in the benefits or dangers of alternative medicine, I can't add much to this discussion. So I liked malf's post for bringing up a new subject to my attention.
I'm curious about research into the effects of combining medications that are approved separately by regulatory bodies.
I imagine this isn't just a problem for alternative medicine?
I dunno. The alt-med industry lobbies very hard to avoid any regulation or need to perform safety and efficacy studies. It's not about the science, but about the politics. And so far, they have been very effective at getting the lay-public on board by making this about freedom of choice, and by promoting the general anti-science agenda which many movements make use of. In the US, as long as the republicans control the congress, you won't see any of the anti-science programs overturned.Thanks (chuck?) I found the report very surprising, which is why I posted.
Unfortunately, there will always be unscrupulous scam merchants and well meaning cranks waiting for us when we are most vulnerable... This sort of report (& replications) may influence how we police these areas I guess.
I dunno. The alt-med industry lobbies very hard to avoid any regulation or need to perform safety and efficacy studies. It's not about the science, but about the politics. And so far, they have been very effective at getting the lay-public on board by making this about freedom of choice, and by promoting the general anti-science agenda which many movements make use of. In the US, as long as the republicans control the congress, you won't see any of the anti-science programs overturned.
Linda
Much research, especially for cancer treatments, involves testing drugs by adding them to pre-existing treatments. The difference for alt-med drugs is that they don't have to be tested, so these kinds of problems will be missed unless non-alt-med researchers test them after the fact.I'm curious about research into the effects of combining medications that are approved separately by regulatory bodies.
I imagine this isn't just a problem for alternative medicine?
Mostly accurate. The problem is that information for alt-med drugs is scant (since they don't have to test, why bother?).Linda, was my comment above accurate?
Mostly accurate. The problem is that information for alt-med drugs is scant (since they don't have to test, why bother?).
Linda
I don't understand... there is no reference to specific supplement, substance, dosage, detail of which potentially negative interaction...
In the context of cancer treatment I would suppose that the vast majority of patients will talk to their doctors about supplements or other active substances they may be taking. It's in their best interest.I think this could be part of the problem. Often CAM users have little idea what they're taking, labelling can be incomplete or misleading, there's no written record of it, and as for dosage...