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By Nathan Wei
The federal watchdog that guards against rip-offs in any commercial venue is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). One area that is particularly filled with claims for unproven treatments is arthritis.
The FTC and the Arthritis Foundation report that quack remedies for arthritis can be harmful in two different ways. First, one in every ten people who try these unproven remedies report side effects. Second, any remedy, even if it contains no harmful can be detrimental if it stops or delays someone from seeking an effective treatment program from their physician.
Why do quack cures appear to work for some people? There is a scientific term called the "placebo effect." This refers to the ability of the mind to create the belief that a sham treatment- a sugar pill- is really working to make symptoms better. How does this happen? It has been proven that when people believe strongly in a treatment, endorphins and other natural pain mediators in the brain are produced. This placebo effect can be deceptive. It can cause people to believe a treatment has true value. Another factor to consider is that arthritis characteristically has periods of flares and remissions. People may think that they are feeling better because of a remedy when it is actually just the disease going through its natural cycle.
So if you're a patient with arthritis, how do you spot a potential quack cure?
First, pay attention to the words used to describe the remedy. These words have emotional power and impact and are used by clever marketers to heighten desire.
Examples: "magic", "exclusive", "astonishing", "secret", "proven", "miracle"," breakthrough", "special", "overnight", "works while you sleep", or "cure".
The use of testimonials from satisfied users is an age-old tool used to provide proof of effectiveness. Often, these are not people who have used the product but are paid actors. Beware of celebrity endorsements because these are, in almost all cases, paid endorsements. The only time you can rely on the use of testimonials is if the person's full name, address, and occupation are provided. If a phone number or other means to contact the person directly is given, that is also a sign that the testimonial is a real one and not a fake.
Another ploy that is used is to make the medical establishment the bad guy. It's the age-old "conspiracy theory" tactic. A variant of this is when the arthritis treatment is touted to be "natural" and described as a sensible alternative to dangerous drugs and surgery.
There is no cure for arthritis yet so if the product makes the claim of a cure, stay away.
The words "no side-effects" are another tip off to a bogus cure. In controlled scientific trials, even patients receiving placebo get side-effects.
There is the temptation to believe that something developed in a far-away locale may be better than what we have here. This is a version of the "grass is always greener" phenomenon. Just because a "mystic healer discovered an arthritis miracle lying under a rock in Borneo", doesn't mean it is effective.
Use caution when buying products online. The Internet has created an arena where products marketed with fraudulent health claims are legion.
Another tactic is the use of confusing terms couched as "scientific explanations". This is often used to lure the unsuspecting buyer with what is termed "pseudoscience." Any arthritis treatment that can't be backed up with proof through testing with well-designed scientific clinical trials is probably not worth buying.
There is one website that may give you an example of what I've been talking about.
The FTC has created what it calls a "teaser page." This is a page with examples of bogus ads that help to alert consumers to distinguish unproven medical treatments.
Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR is a rheumatologist and Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland ( http://www.aocm.org ). He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and consultant to the National Institutes of Health. For more info: Arthritis Treatment.
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This page created 14 Feb 2011 21:44
Last updated 21 Apr 2012 19:13
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