Why Almost Everything You Hear About Medicine Is Wrong
I didn’t say that, Newsweek did. In this super interesting article, check it out.
It argues that most medical studies are flawed (and the very framework of medical investigation is off-kilter) leading to findings that are at best unproved and at worst dangerously wrong. The result: a system that leads patients and physicians astray and incurs huge costs for regimens that don’t help and may even harm.
Basically, it’s shoddy statistics, and the fact that with billions of dollars on the line, companies are loath to declare a new drug ineffective and are desperate to find new uses for approved drugs.
I’m not for promoting unhealthy skepticism about medical research, nor am I anti-science. In fact, I love seeing well done scientific studies. I just think it’s important to be educated about the realities of our current healthcare system so that we can make better choices.
To quote from the article: “The upshot for consumers is that medical wisdom that has stood the test of time (and large, randomized, controlled trials) is more likely to be right than the latest news flash about a single drug.” Yeyah!! I’d like to emphasize the stood the test of time part (acupuncture, herbs, nutrition! ).
-Katie