A CME article in American Family Physician misrepresents the evidence, claiming acupuncture has been proven safe and effective. An accompanying editorial gives despicable advice on how to manipulate patients to accept this theatrical placebo. The flagship journal of my specialty of family medicine is the American Family Physician. Each issue contains a quiz… read more "American Family Physician Endorses Acupuncture"
Mainstream Doctors Actually Do What CAM Claims They Don’t
Alternative medicine proponents criticize mainstream medicine and think they can do better. Evidence from medical journals shows that their criticisms are not valid. Advocates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including naturopaths and functional medicine practitioners, constantly criticize mainstream medicine. The recurrent themes are: And of course, CAM advocates present themselves as… read more "Mainstream Doctors Actually Do What CAM Claims They Don’t"
Zombie Criticisms of Conventional Medicine
Alternative medicine, by definition, is medicine that is not supported by good enough evidence to have earned it a place in mainstream medicine. Some people insist that modern medicine is not evidence-based either! Not long ago I got an email from a man who said that and tried to prove… read more "Zombie Criticisms of Conventional Medicine"
Effectiveness of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis
TO THE EDITOR: This article repeated a common misconception about the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), interpreting it as showing that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin is effective for treating moderate to severe osteoarthritis.1 The study found that glucosamine and chondroitin, separately or in combination, were not more effective… read more "Effectiveness of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis"
More Evidence of Green Tea’s Effectiveness Is Needed
Letter to the editor: In this article’s Strength of Recommendations Taxonomy (SORT) table, three of the recommendations said “results are mixed,” “studies are inconsistent,” or “the evidence is conflicting.” When conflicting results are found in small controlled studies and epidemiologic studies, the most likely explanation is that there is no… read more "More Evidence of Green Tea’s Effectiveness Is Needed"
Is Kava Safe?
Kava is a plant that grows in the western Pacific. It was traditionally prepared as a drink and used for its psychoactive properties, including sedation, relaxation, and relief of anxiety. It is intoxicating but not addictive. It has become a popular supplement in the US, used to treat anxiety, depression,… read more "Is Kava Safe?"