Don’t believe medicine’s wizards of Oz ( Dr. Oz )

[OKNancy]

Full title: Steve Hoffman and Julia Belluz: Don’t believe medicine’s wizards of Oz

Steve Hoffman and Julia Belluz, Special to National Post | Jan 24, 2013 12:01 AM ET | Last Updated: Jan 23, 2013 4:54 PM ET

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/01/24/steve-hoffman-and-julia-belluz-dont-believe-medicines-wizards-of-oz/

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In a four-part series, contributors to Canada’s C2C Journal explain how pseudoscience is undermining our health.

The popularity of TV talk shows in the 20th century gave rise to a new kind of doctor: the celebrity TV doctor. Each broadcast tells us about new health products, cutting-edge treatments and scientific discoveries in chatty language we can all understand.

......snip..........

Oz also interviews special guests who, outside of the daytime TV universe, are widely viewed as outright quacks. Take Dr. Joe Mercola, an anti-vaccine campaigner who warned people that the H1N1 vaccine would cause widespread Guillain-Barre Syndrome (which did not happen), and who advocates using coconut oil to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease (which clinical studies do not support).

In keeping with Mercola’s anti-science stance, Oz’s series on alternative therapies took on a conspiratorial tone when discussing the medicine other doctors apparently do not want us to know about. “You’ve shown you’re not afraid to test the time-honoured traditions of alternative medicine, so why is your doctor?” Oz asked, suggesting that physicians are colluding to keep patients away from effective treatments.

[riverbendviewgal]

1. be wary of national post

They lie blantantly. They have a right wing slant. I never buy the paper.

[OKNancy]

2. yeah, I know but these authors have also been

published in Slate on the same subject

[riverbendviewgal]

5. I read the article

And disagree with a lot of it.

My own GP recommended many of the same things Dr. Oz has. I was a fraud analyst before retiring. I am always on look out for misinformation and Fraud. The authors should go after those actors who promote reverse mortgages which is real fraud on old people.

I watch my health and find much of Dr Oz quite enlightening, especially for Americans who don't get much science in their education or do not have health insurance. Dr. Oz is much better to watch than Boo Boo or those stupid "reality" shows.

[obamanut2012]

7. I doubt your GP/Internist agrees with Mercola

[GoCubsGo]

9. I always do a search on the research behind his claims.

Some of what he preaches is woo, but most of it is backed up. I watch his show occasionally. and I recommend taking him with a grain of salt. That being said, much of what he preaches is just common sense, like diet and exercise to lose weight. And, I, too, like how he brings science into it. I like how he uses cadaver organs to illustrate various diseases, especially the life style-related ones, too. He has encouraged millions of people to take better care of themselves, and I can't fault him for that. He's also a supporter of the Free Clinics, BTW.

[riverbendviewgal]

12. i agree

Completely with what you wrote.

[CanSocDem]

3. OTOH....

...believing in the American model of for profit healthcare and lifestyle maintenance, an individual might find him or herself depressed, over-weight and ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Or dead should you fail to read the small print disclaimers on many supposedly "life-saving" potions. Or bankrupt when a catastrophic illness strikes...

From your link:

Another problem is that the incentives and professional cultures of the media, industry, research and medical communities are not always aligned to promote our health and often contribute to the problem. For example, newspapers sometimes feature sensationalized and potentially harmful headlines to attract readership, just as health product companies naturally promote their wares to anyone willing to take them. Researchers are not rewarded for explaining their findings to patients or journalists, and doctors are not usually compensated for public outreach activities.

and this:

They, like TV doctors, are all part of a long history of celebrity involvement with science and the health product industry. Schuyler Colfax, vice-president to Ulysses Grant, spoke well about a throat lozenge. Vin Mariani — wine laced with cocaine and marketed to treat a range of ailments from insomnia to the flu — was endorsed by Pope Leo XIII, light bulb inventor Thomas Edison, author H.G. Wells, Nobel Prize-winning writer Anatole France and French composer Charles Gounod.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

4. Here's a good rule of thumb...

If it relates to science or medicine and it's on television, chances are it's a crock of shit.

[riverbendviewgal]

10. I disagree

I enjoy watching shows like 60 minutes destroy the pharmaceutical industry.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

14. Chances are it's a crock of shit...

Seriously. In order to "package" their news, they overlook a lot of significant, but subtle issues.

[obamanut2012]

6. Dr. Oz is a respected cardiologist, too

I have been appalled at his quackiness and woo woo on his show.

[hlthe2b]

8. There is a line between being open to results of new studies & discussing hypothesis-driven, yet

unproven possibilities that have shown some merit based in biologic plausibility, animal models, initial findings, etc. versus promoting of self and fad-driven woo.

Oz moved into commercial exploitation for self benefit-- with minimal deference to medical and scientific justification-- long ago. When I see the litany of new supplements move from the health food store section to Costco or Sam's Club shelves, you just know Dr. Oz or some other "expert" has promoted it. And these fads all appear to be costly. Unfortunately those desperate to lose weight or who have no health insurance and a litany of painful or related chronic health complaints will give them a try.

Yet, there are alternative therapies (acupuncture being one) that have been studied and found to rival or be superior, in some cases, to other standard therapies for a given condition (e.g., lower back pain) when delivered by well trained professionals. So, I'm not one that casts all alternative therapies in the same pot with the "woo".

That said Oprah's promotion of Oz and "Dr Phil" and others is surely a mixed blessing, at best. Ariana Huffington's promotion of Mercola is a real travesty.

[riverbendviewgal]

11. huffingtonis a right wing owned website

Arriana sold out for profit. I do not trust her the blog sold. What a sad disappointment she turned out.

[MineralMan]

13. Dr. Oz seems to have been duped by the dark side.

I don't give him much credit these days.