Edzard Ernst

A fascinating book. I've often felt I would like to be more drawn to the treatments of alternative and complementary therapists. I've had a few experiences over the years but few of them have been really positive.

This account, written by experts on both sides of the fence, is the well-researched and thoroughly readable story of the development of mainstream medical science and of some of the main alternative therapies. The book gives a clear and fascinating account of the history of medication in particular and of the rigorous testing now required for any new drug, and contrasts it with the lack of rigour to which many alternative theapies have been exposed. Its conclusions are shocking. I shan't choose homeopathy or acupuncture again any time in the future.… (mais)

Как препарат, в котором уже нет действующего вещества, выделенного из сердца и печени одной-единственной уточки, может приносить $20 млн прибыли? Задумайтесь об этом, когда в следующий раз будете покупать «Оциллококцинум» от простуды. Популяризатор науки Саймон Сингх и его соавтор, первый в мире профессор комплементарной медицины, 15 лет разбирались, какие альтернативные методы действительно работают, а какие нет, и для гомеопатических средств лестных слов они нашли мало. Под пристальным вниманием также акупунктура, хиропрактика и траволечение, а бонусом идет научная оценка многих других методов. Что помогает, а что нет? Как отличить тайну от лжи? Что заслуживает доверия, а где на вас цинично зарабатывают? Ответы находятся на пятистах страницах самого «честного и тщательного исследования нетрадиционной медицины», результатов которого мы, признаться, заждались.… (mais)

This comes across as a extensive catalog of what trials have been made, and their result. Thus it comes across as a little tedious at times. Yet without such an in-depth listing of the many trials, advocates of alternative therapies might not be convinced of the scanty benefit and harmful effects of their favored treatment.

Evidence based medicine is the theme of this book. Until now, I was rather tepid to evidence based medicine, but after reading this book, I see the dangers of the failure to use it as a pillar of finding truth. Truth is often ignored in favor of what we hope is true, and truth seems to take decades to take hold. To establish the basis of this conversation, it starts out with a chapter:
"How do you Determine the Truth", followed by
"The Truth About Acupuncture"
"The Truth About Homeopathy"
"The Truth About Chiropractic Therapy"
"Does the Truth Matter" is another very meaningful chapter, as the authors [a:Simon Singh|10894|Simon Singh|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1263127928p2/10894.jpg] and [a:Edzard Ernst M.D.|4315368|Edzard Ernst M.D.|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-4df4c878d4149c45fac159e88cb784ad.jpg] build beyond the lack of effectiveness to delve deeper into the dangers of 'alternative' therapies.

The bottom line is that the major alternative therapies lave little or not therapeutic benefit beyond the placebo effect. The one exception is a few of the herbal remedies. I like how the end of the book summarizes it.

"Yet, alternative therapists continue to wear the name 'alternative' as a badge of honor, using it to give their substandard treatments as an undeserved level of dignity. They use the term 'alternative' to promote the notion that they somehow exploit alternative aspects of science. The truth, however, is that there is no such thing as alternative science, just as there is no alternative biology, alternative anatomy, alternative testing, or alternative evidence." (Page 287)

… (mais)