From the reading file: The gold rush

Medical professionals are often asked by consumers why, if alternative modalities don’t work, do doctors continue to promote them? As we’ve noted, the alternative bunny will keep on going as long as there’s money to be made.

But an article today at Science Blogs gives a glimpse at just how staggering the amounts of money can be, and why so many continue to stay in business even after receiving warnings from government officials.

Orac’s article is especially timely, since we’ve recently examined the lack of scientific support for many of modalities mentioned in his piece: such as chelation, anti-aging medicine, environmental medicine, homeopathy, detoxification, energy medicine, etc.

Thar's gold in that thar chelation!

One of the common refrains you'll hear from alties about "conventional" medicine is that it's a business, that it's all about money....all "allopathic" doctors live in mansions, drive only the priciest BMWs, Mercedes, and other luxury cars, own yachts, and eat caviar every night. (OK, that last one is an exaggeration, even in altie-world.)

In contrast, the poor, dedicated naturopath or alternative medical physician seeks only to bring his or her healing to the masses. Money doesn't matter, and they only charge enough to make a modest income. At least, so the cliche, which I've heard over and over and over, seems to go. Apparently Dr. Kalpana Patel didn't get the message: ... $200 million...she believed was in her portfolio. In court last week, Dantzler described the investor as a woman "on the cusp of retirement" from a lucrative career.

I'll say!

So, you may wonder, how could an allergist manage to amass that much green stuff to be able to lose? Here's one indication: ... Homeopathy, chelation therapy, detoxification, energy medicine, it's a veritable cornucopia of woo. There's even a type of woo that I'd never heard of before, and, knowing my interest in these topics, you probably are amazed that there's any woo that I hadn't heard of. ...