# What is Oriental medicine doing to my wife? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-oriental-medicine-doing-to-my-wife/384961 "2006-12-20T20:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-oriental-medicine-doing-to-my-wife/384961/101 "2006-12-28T15:32:58Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] This is the classic _tu quoque_ comeback from alties when one of their nostrums is questioned. [/quote] No, it’s in reply to statements that condemn all of alt medicine in one fell swoop. > [@](#): > > And it heavily misses the point. First of all, noting a problem with a pharmaceutical agent does not let a dangerous alternative medication off the hook It does, however, point out that blind faith in modern medicine is equally unwise and that the stamp of approval conferred by current testing practice is no guarantee of safety, either. > [@](#): > > And the comparison falls down elsewhere - mainstream meds which are tested for effectiveness are much more likely to be potent than alternative meds Which then means that alt medicines aren’t nearly as scary, doesn’t it? > [@](#): > > There is no such system for alt med remedies Yes. So set one up. Given that they were developed in non-traditional ways, whence was this reporting agency to originate? > [@](#): > > which generally are accepted without question based on either tradition or the mindset that they are “natural” and therefore automatically safe. By some people. Don’t mistake me for someone who buys and believes in everything that claims to be ‘natural’ and ‘safe’. I am cautious of all medicine but I don’t think it’s a very smart idea to dismiss all of alt medicine summarily. > [@](#): > > Nowhere have I damned all of alt med out of hand. Good! Lots of people do, though. > [@](#): > > To cling to a remedy based on the idea that somehow, someday it might prove effective is illogical Again, people are not noted for being exceedingly logical beings. In most cases, these treatments are harmless so taking them isn’t doing any damage. But some become amazingly effective. I’ve been really surprised, myself, by the effectiveness of the ginseng preparation being marketed (after having been subjected to standard clinical testing) for cold prevention/symptom reduction. It has stopped colds dead in their tracks three times for me. There’s an example of a trad medicine which was refined and tested by modern med and has proven valuable. > [@](#): > > This is a good point. There are only so many researchers and research dollars available to test potentially valuable drugs. It’s simply not feasible to run large clinical trials on every remedy - so naturally the most promising ones get attention. Exactly. > [@](#): > > Now if the supplement industry with its multibillion dollar annual income would kick in a small percentage of profits to research, we’d get answers to some of our questions about alt med drugs. But as long as they’re raking in the dough and the customers are unquestioning, what’s the incentive to perform studies that might invalidate their top-selling products? Have you proof that none are? Look, I don’t disagree that there’s a big scam industry around this stuff but there are umpty-zillion big scam industries around diets and exercise, too. Buyers have to educate themselves, of course. But that smarms take advantage of people’s naivete isn’t the fault of alt medicine. I seriously doubt there’s many wealthy shamans or witch doctors. It’s good ol’ Western capitalism that’s polluting the alt industry that way. Clearly, if everybody who went to the Chinese herbalist ended up dead shortly thereafter, the remedies would’ve been abandoned long since. At best, they might work. At worst, a small percentage of them are harmful. Other than that, they may be useless but aren’t, for the most part, causing serious harm. So modern science will do testing and eventually we’ll find out how many of these cures are of worth to us - so long as we don’t toss the idea out that some may be. But lots of people consider alt medicine to be all quackery and I don’t think that’s a useful position. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-oriental-medicine-doing-to-my-wife/384961/102 "2006-12-28T16:30:50Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] I’ve been really surprised, myself, by the effectiveness of the ginseng preparation being marketed (after having been subjected to standard clinical testing) for cold prevention/symptom reduction. It has stopped colds dead in their tracks three times for me. There’s an example of a trad medicine which was refined and tested by modern med and has proven valuable. [/QUOTE] You have some good points in your overall post, but this proves you may have missed the whole boat: “It has stopped colds dead in their tracks three times for me.” Unless you were part of some clinical trials where all other factors were absolutely eliminated, that statement is just wishful thinking. I don’t doubt that you had a cold, or that you took some medication, or that you got over the cold afterwards. But if you claim that one caused the other, you don’t understand the scientific process, and this is the problem with alternative medicine. I can cure a cold with chicken soup, motor oil or a magnet. Just give me a week. “I don’t care, it works for me!” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-oriental-medicine-doing-to-my-wife/384961/103 "2006-12-28T17:50:10Z")
Suppose i go to one of these quacks-i have advanced cancer, and he prescribes a regimen of herbal medicines, acupuncture, chanting, whatever. My condition worsens, so I see a real doctor. he tells me, sorry, I you had come 6 months ago, i could have saved your life-now, it is too late. Can you sue? Or are they covered by the fine print disclaimers on the “medine” bottles " NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE OR TREAT ANY DISEASE". seems like a problem! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-oriental-medicine-doing-to-my-wife/384961.md?page=5)