Alternative Medicine: A Skeptical Look

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Many reports tell us that "alternative" methods are popular, but few examine whether using them makes sense. My weekly columns on Canoe.ca can help you decide. Some reflect information on Quackwatch, whereas others present new information. -- Stephen Barrett, M.D.

General Information

May 2002

May 23: The dark side of massage therapy
May 16: A higher level of nonsense
May 09: What can acupuncture accomplish
May 02: Acupuncture's mystical roots

April 2002

April 25: Dubious naturopathic practices
April 18: Naturopathic education and licensure
April 11: The nature of naturopathy
April 04: Can testimonials be checked?

March 2002

March 28: Diet not the answer for cancer
March 21: Quackbusters attack U.S. Presidential commission report
March 14: Benefits of full-body CT scans questionable
March 07: Insiders blast chiropractic brochures

February 2002

February 28: Can reflexology cure illness?
February 21: Are HealthPrints like fingerprints?
February 14: Salves worthless against cancer
February 07: Neck manipulation may cause strokes

January 2002

January 31: The dark side of multilevel marketing
January 24: Glucosamine for arthritis
January 17: Magnetic device won't cure cancer
January 10: Health Canada hits ephedra products
January 03: Antioxidant supplements may be harmful

December 2001 (Four-part Series)

December 27: What does homeopathic research tell us?
December 20: Laws of chemistry work against homeopathy
December 13: Homeopathy's "laws" are unproven
December 06: Notes on Homeopathy's History

November 2001

November 29: Dubious claims for "Biostructural Medicine"
November 22: Phony breast enlarger facing court action
November 15: New book raps "alternative" cancer treatments
November 08: Dubious "yeast allergies"
November 01: Contour analysis is a dubious screening test

October 2001

October 25: Why spam should be ignored
October 18: Be wary of "holistic dentistry"
October 11: Can a low-fat diet reverse atherosclerosis?
October 04: Examining advertising claims

September 2001

September 27: Be wary of disclaimers
September 20: Mail-order fakery
September 13: The grape cure
September 06: Alternative healer faces legal action

August 2001

August 23: Be wary of "enzyme deficiency" claims
August 16: Craniosacral therapy
August 09: Vulnerability to quackery
August 02: "Psychic" hotlines

July 2001

July 26: "Bulking" agents and weight control
July 19: Kirlian photography
July 12: Cellular therapy
July 05: "Personalized vitamins"

June 2001 (Five-part Series)

June 01: Introduction to chiropractic
June 08: Chiropractic's elusive "subluxation"
June 15: Overselling the spine
June 22: Dubious chiropractic nutrition
June 29: How to choose a chiropractor

May 2001

May 25: Secretin found ineffective for treating autism
May 18: Contact Reflex Analysis is nonsense
May 11: Live blood cell analysis is bunkam
May 04: How to live forever

April 2001

April 27: Strange healing systems unproven
April 20: Where to get professional nutrition advice
April 12: "Wilson's Syndrome": A bogus diagnosis
April 06: The Internet helps to foil a cancer quack

March 2001

March 30: "Miraculous recoveries" from cancer
March 23: Negative reports on some "alternative" cancer treatments
March 16: Some notes on "Therapeutic Touch"
March 09: Be wary of "fad" diagnoses
March 02: Juice Plus+ doesn't live up to claims

February 2001

Feb. 23: Many mercury tests are scams
Feb. 16: "Invisible forces" flunk tests
Feb. 09: Beware of multilevel marketing
Feb. 02: Low-carbohydrate diets

January 2001

Jan. 25: Why homeopathy makes no sense
Jan. 19: Hydrazine sulfate
Jan. 10: Oxygen hype is hot air
Jan. 8: Colloidal silver: Risk without benefit

December 2000

Dec. 27: Who will "organic" certification protect?
Dec. 20: Dubious urine/saliva testing
Dec. 14: The allure of multilevel marketing
Dec. 6: "Health freedom"

November 2000

Nov. 29: How cancer quackery fools people
Nov. 27: Laetrile spammers ordered to stop
Nov. 16: Muscle-testing for "allergies" and "deficiencies"
Nov. 8: What does the HONcode mean?
Nov. 3: The mercury-amalgam scare

October 2000

Oct. 25: Iridology is nonsense
Oct. 18: Don't buy "anti-cellulite" pills
Oct. 12: The cellulite and body wrap scam
Oct. 4: Hulda Clark's "cure for all cancers"

September 2000

Sep. 27: Aromatherapy flunks "court test"
Sep. 20: A phony magnetic cancer cure
Sep. 13: Weight-loss product makes impossible claims
Sep. 6: Be wary of "calorie-blockers"

August 2000

Aug. 30: Questionable treatments for learning disabilities and autism
Aug. 23: Be wary of multiple sclerosis "cures"
Aug. 16: Quackery by mail
Aug. 9: The Florsheim magnetic shoe story
Aug. 2: Vitamin C Is not effective against cancer

July 2000

July 26: Ten ways to avoid being quacked
July 19: Ear candling
July 12: Herbal treatment
July 5: Hair analysis: What can it tell you?

June 2000

Jun. 28: Is there a conspiracy to suppress cancer cures?
Jun. 21: Endorsements don't guarantee reliability
Jun. 14: Back pain: Does VAX-D therapy make sense?
Jun. 7: Nutritional credentials questioned

May 2000

May. 31: Chelation therapy: long on claims, short on evidence
May. 24: Be wary of phony "electrodiagnostic" devices
May. 17: How quacks can fool people
May. 10: How vitamins may protect your heart
May. 3: Who might need vitamin supplements?

April 2000

Apr. 26: Can vitamin C help fight colds?

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