General Discussion

cui bono

(19,926 posts)

54. If there is an aversion to testing I think it's more about regulating and control than fear

Mon Apr 14, 2014, 03:09 PM

Apr 2014

of being found useless.

Big Pharma wants to either control or get rid of alternative medicine. They don't want to lose profits to them. If alternative medicines become part of the system that Big Pharma controls then the consumers lose.

I'm pretty much speculating here from what I've heard about Big Pharma wanting things labeled or not allowing them labeled. Same as when the big food companies didn't want things labeled as organic or cattle ranchers being told by the govt to not test for mad cow disease because the big beef companies didn't want them to be able to label their beef as tested and free from mad cow disease.

If the huge companies don't want to look bad they can make a better product.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

92 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

How "woo" graduates to "not woo". [View all] Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 OP

That's sort of a eurocentric version of declaring what 'woo' is. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #1

No really it is only "eurocentric' if one thinks that the scientific method is simply a cultural Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #3

I'm not running anywhere. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #71

yeah but jollyreaper2112 Apr 2014 #7

If it works effectively, then it was never woo in the first place. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #13

I agree. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #69

We don't have to understand the method of action to say it works. jeff47 Apr 2014 #16

I bet you subsribe to "Social Text" and believe everything it prints psiman Apr 2014 #30

I have no idea what 'Social Text' is. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #67

The Chinese, themselves, discarding a lot of things that didn't stand up Warpy Apr 2014 #37

Which is fine. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #70

K&R n/t X_Digger Apr 2014 #2

Perfect example markbark Apr 2014 #4

Slight correction: Nevernose Apr 2014 #5

By rational people, sure. By big-pharma? Not a chance. tridim Apr 2014 #6

depends on your claim jollyreaper2112 Apr 2014 #8

Just what do you claim your blended greens do? cleanhippie Apr 2014 #9

Same thing non-blended greens do for anyone's health. tridim Apr 2014 #14

I've never seen "eating liquid kale" classed as "woo" Scootaloo Apr 2014 #51

There is anti-woo, woo all over the place... tridim Apr 2014 #58

That depends on the claims about them. jeff47 Apr 2014 #12

If you are drinking those greens for good nutrition it is not woo hack89 Apr 2014 #26

What about drinking it to ~prevent~ cancer and for general health? tridim Apr 2014 #34

It is medically proven that the right diet can prevent certain cancers hack89 Apr 2014 #39

Well yea, there is no "cure for cancer" tridim Apr 2014 #43

debunk jollyreaper2112 Apr 2014 #10

I wouldn't class herbal medicine as 'woo' muriel_volestrangler Apr 2014 #11

I won't nit pick. I was using the term generically in the way it is being used in DU's "woo-war". Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #18

And then there are these fine products of science: Skidmore Apr 2014 #15

Yes indeed. Which is why the scientific methods used for evaluation are not static. Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #20

Herbs have been used by healers to treat illnesses and wounds successfully for Zorra Apr 2014 #17

which is why alternative medicine should embrace testing not run away from it. Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #19

If there is an aversion to testing I think it's more about regulating and control than fear cui bono Apr 2014 #54

Mother Nature had 4.5 billion years to get ready for us. DeSwiss Apr 2014 #21

Mourning Dove's statement is religious in nature, and a denial of evolution cthulu2016 Apr 2014 #25

Indeed. It seems that if a claim is old and non-European, it's automatically valid and true. arcane1 Apr 2014 #32

I'm afraid Mourning Dove's theory of existence is nonsense. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #27

Prove it. n/t DeSwiss Apr 2014 #28

Prove it does and tell us what herb cures Alzheimer's. eShirl Apr 2014 #46

You'll need to ask the source. n/t DeSwiss Apr 2014 #49

That's what I thought. eShirl Apr 2014 #63

The source is dead. Dr. Strange Apr 2014 #77

Yeah if she'd only eaten more Dandelions, she'd be 130 today. n/t DeSwiss Apr 2014 #78

You can't prove a negative. That's impossible. chrisa Apr 2014 #50

If it is impossible to prove a negative.... idendoit Apr 2014 #85

Well, she didn't have a profit motive. Atman Apr 2014 #35

Of course She has a motive. DeSwiss Apr 2014 #40

I agree...but different kind of profit. Atman Apr 2014 #42

While Mourning Dove's quote is nice feel good stuff, its also BS I'm afraid... Humanist_Activist Apr 2014 #47

You're off by about 9.3 billion years. greyl Apr 2014 #87

All. Are. One. DeSwiss Apr 2014 #89

Just gimme some Rhino horn powder for my Johnson. progressoid Apr 2014 #22

+1000. THAT woo is making rhinos extinct--and tigers--and many others. ErikJ Apr 2014 #29

Much of China is still and "ancient" culture. Atman Apr 2014 #36

If it's stiff and cylidrical, it MUST be good for erections! arcane1 Apr 2014 #44

Woo: chiropractic, homeopathy, reiki, healing crystals, antivaccine nuttery. Spider Jerusalem Apr 2014 #23

I'd buy into this psiman Apr 2014 #33

I've generally been leary of chiropractors, and I had a bad experience callous taoboy Apr 2014 #61

Actually, I ready a study about 20 years ago that said chiropractic tblue37 Apr 2014 #64

Chiropractic claims that illness is caused by pockets of negative energy... Spider Jerusalem Apr 2014 #68

My chiropractor pushes no woo. callous taoboy Apr 2014 #73

Subluxation PADemD Apr 2014 #79

... Spider Jerusalem Apr 2014 #82

... PADemD Apr 2014 #84

Not Woo: Reiki PADemD Apr 2014 #80

Just because there is some observable placebo effect doesn't mean it's not woo. Spider Jerusalem Apr 2014 #83

I think it's suspicious that they don't name the plant. mathematic Apr 2014 #24

Are placebos woo? They can be very effective. n/t A Simple Game Apr 2014 #31

That is why we need to be careful psiman Apr 2014 #38

I was thinking mostly about medication for depression. Quite a bit of evidence there. A Simple Game Apr 2014 #41

A Danish study debunked the placebo effect. tblue37 Apr 2014 #65

Or are they all placebos? A Simple Game Apr 2014 #72

"Placebo Effect Debunked" sounds like an Onion headline. :) (nt) Nine Apr 2014 #74

Some of these establishment types are sceptics that water is wet. Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2014 #45

A skeptic should be open to new evidence about, well anything... Humanist_Activist Apr 2014 #48

Some of these guys are bought off by Big Pharma. Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2014 #52

Here's the deal. I have problems with the arrogance of those who present 'science' as a Bluenorthwest Apr 2014 #53

There's only one thing in your post that I have a problem with... cui bono Apr 2014 #56

You bring up discredited science, that is all you are doing, people are flawed and biased... Humanist_Activist Apr 2014 #57

it is a process, not a static set of beliefs. Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #81

Who says herbal medicine is woo? cui bono Apr 2014 #55

Yes. What do we call 'alternative medicine' that's been proven to work? Medicine. Electric Monk Apr 2014 #59

When The Miz takes Ric Flair's Gimmick. Shoulders of Giants Apr 2014 #60

Our judicial system would never allow woo testimony. callous taoboy Apr 2014 #62

Old medical traditions are in no sense "woo" eridani Apr 2014 #66

So how do you know which traditional remedies are bullshit and which arent? Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #76

Controlled experiments are the best test eridani Apr 2014 #86

no shit. But the role for anecdotal experience is to identify what to test. Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #90

Relativity Octafish Apr 2014 #75

And when should longstanding "medical treatment" be demoted to "woo"? pnwmom Apr 2014 #88

Absolutely. Your point illustrates that it is Warren Stupidity Apr 2014 #91

You can have my phrenology mannequin when you pry it from my cold, dead hands Orrex Apr 2014 #92