Is social media clamping down on alternative healthcare ideas?

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Specializes in ER.

Some of yesterday's "disinformation" is now accepted as truth.

I've noticed a plethora of threads here lately, full of angst about alternative ideas about health maintenance available on the internet. They don't want "disinformation" disseminated. 

I find this concerning. I've lived long enough to see that yesterday's "evidence-based" advice from the medical community is now in disfavor, in light of new evidence. Yes Virginia, butter is healthier than margarine. And, sugary, fat-free foods lead to obesity and diabetes. 

Some of yesterday's "disinformation" is now accepted as truth. 

And, as cliche as it sounds, Big Pharma would like to continue peddling their wares, making trillions. Of course, the autoimmune disease market is on the rise thanks to some of our healthcare policies. Honest research that is agenda-free is probably not the best way to obtain lucrative grants and advance ones career. ??

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Specializes in OB.

While I agree that lots of yesterday's EBP is now debunked, I'd have to disagree with you overall.  I think the amount of disinformation circulating on social media that is definitely harmful to one's health vastly outweighs any info that is helpful but outside the mainstream of western medicine.  That being said, I agree drug companies are generally pretty awful entities, and overall Americans' health is in the toilet.  But I feel pretty staunchly that social media as a whole has contributed to an exponential rise in disinformation and conspiracy theories that are baseless. 

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I've noticed that I am unable to find some specific health information on the internet that to my knowledge is still applicable.  I first found this information when I completed a CE course some years ago.  I've tried searching the internet but have not yet been able to locate this information.  I am wondering about this.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
On 11/29/2022 at 1:59 PM, Emergent said:

Of course, the autoimmune disease market is on the rise thanks to some of our healthcare policies

Can you elaborate?? I have 2 Type One kids and also have an autoimmune disease. What policies have affected autoimmune market?

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mmc51264- I think the poster is referring to certain medications used to treat autoimmune diseases (eg methotrexate) can be used as abortives and therefore it's getting hard to get methotrexate due to current policy/ law. (just a guess)

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Which is silly because I would think any medication could be dangerous if taken incorrectly. smdh. And if this is the case, the biologics would only available to men and post-menopausal women?? ?

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Specializes in ER.
On 11/30/2022 at 1:57 PM, mmc51264 said:

Can you elaborate?? I have 2 Type One kids and also have an autoimmune disease. What policies have affected autoimmune market?

In depth article about causes of dramatic rise of autoimmune disorders and allergies in first world

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

This isn't a policy discussion. They are saying the rise in allergies and autoimmune diseases (which I am not sure is accurate, we have just become more global) are related to over "cleanliness" 

I don't agree. I do think that one can be too much of a germaphobe, which I am not, but don't believe this has anything to do with allergies/autoimmune. 

I also think that we may not have increased cases of things, I think we are diagnosing more and sharing information more. 

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