Horrifying medical quack info on the Internet

There is no way the FDA has the manpower to monitor the internet. Not to mention, the FDA is only an American regulatory agency, which has no power internationally.

Pretty sure those guys only regulate food and drugs, not compost and lawn clippings. Or fairy dust.

Looks like the Federal Trade Commission might have something to say, though.

"For the vast majority of OTC homeopathic drugs, the policy statement notes, "the case for efficacy is based solely on traditional homeopathic theories and there are no valid studies using current scientific methods showing the product's efficacy." As such, the marketing claims for these products are likely misleading, in violation of the FTC Act."

Thanks, something good came out of this. I am running out of books to read. I will probably still see Meg when it's on Netflix. I love disaster movies, even though most of them are pretty bad.

The cheesier the better when it comes to disaster movies. The more outrageous the scenario the more fun it is. If it's combined with horrible acting, well that's just a plus!

I love the awful medical mistakes, the crazy medical advice from TV doctors, the impossible saves and the over the top dramatic death scenes in any movie or TV show though. The more unrealistic it is the more I seem to like it. No wonder non medical people think every CPR is successful and anybody can be saved.

And that's just tv and film media where at least most people are aware that it is fiction. I haven't even touched on the craziness that is the internet. It astounds me what an otherwise intelligent adult will believe just because some loony-tunes posted it on some pseudo medical site with an official sounding name. Dr Google must drive the real medical providers to the edge of insanity.

Because an Allnurse posted about medical bloopers on the movie Meg..."the patients gases were dropping"...."what all of them?" the poster responded.

I got to thinking about ABG's. I've been out of acute care for about 17 years. That, plus getting old, I was embarrassed how little I remembered about ABG'S, pH, etc.

So I look it up on the Internet. I got about 20 bogus hits for every one medical scientific answer.

There were articles about how critical your pH is to your health. Selling test strips to check your urine or saliva's pH. Then of course diets or supplements to buy to adjust your pH.

I could not believe all this s**t was out there. Shouldn't the FDA be shutting these down?

Thankfully there were a few valid articles so I could refresh my memory.

My ex-husband's mom swore by alkaline water because "It alkalizes the body and cancer can't grow if you make yourself alkaline!"

Another woman on a different forum was telling folks to take dewormer because apparently the small vibrations they felt around the incision site post-op were worms trying to escape. (google Hulda Clark Parasite Protocol if you want a good laugh, or cry, or mix of both)

A little off track,but...

While in the supermarket, I heard a woman, in all seriousness, explain to another that putting a cut onion in a jar will "absorb all the bacteria in the air" to keep from getting sick. She stated this as factually as if she was reporting, well, a fact.

Apparently this made the rounds on Facebook

While I was a postpartum CNA, I had a patient bring in a massive red onion and slice it open in their room to "keep the baby clean." OMG it smelled so bad and no one took them serious.

There was someone on the radio in my neck of the woods. He was a chiropractor, but one who treated everything--with homeopathic treatments. I don't want to get into a debate on homeopathy, but things he said: "warfarin is a poison. There is not reason you need to interfere with you blood's natural clotting mechanism." "Your a fib will respond to [insert wacky supplement]. You can buy it in my office without a prescription! There is no need to take that medicine your cardiologist prescribed. He only prescribes it so pharmaceutical companies make money." "You're heartburn is a result of a condition called hiatal hernia. Some doctors will try and talk you into an unnecessary procedure to cure your hiatal hernia. All you need to do is come to my office, and I can fix it with some simple manipulations in just one appointment." "The blood pressure guidelines are just a big hoax created by the drug companies. My pressure always runs in the 150s and 160s. I don't take anything, it is perfectly fine."

Apparently the "don't actually listen to my advice; talk to your PCP" disclaimer at the beginning of the program covers his whacky statements.

I do agree that some guidelines that are out there may be influences by drug companies wanting to make money, and some medications are likely way over prescribed (a different debate for a different thread). However, this man's advice was just plain dangerous, but he says whatever he wants.

It seems like chiropractors are more likely to fall into the quack category. I've been to some good ones, but I have also seen some quacks who try to sell you hundreds of dollars worth of supplements, none of which actually work, and are severely anti-vaxxing. Ugh

While I was a postpartum CNA, I had a patient bring in a massive red onion and slice it open in their room to "keep the baby clean." OMG it smelled so bad and no one took them serious.

Garlic cloves used as suppositories supposedly help with yeast infections.

Don't ask how I know that they do not.

Thanks.

and are severely anti-vaxxing. Ugh

I forgot to mention, this chiropractor on his radio show (really just an infomercial) says, flat out, "vaccines are not necessary, they are just a hoax, you are poisoning your children. I have the all the forms you need so that you can send your child to school without vaccines."

It's just sad, really, that he uses his title of "doctor" to spew this garbage. [and let the vaccine/anti-vax debate begin]

Facebook also had a piece about putting a slice of onion in your sock, against the sole of your foot, which - among other things - will "draw all the poisons out of your blood" while you sleep.

Oh, my.

I have a family member that swears by this. She was babysitting my kids one day and one got a cough, so she sent her to bed with cut onions in the room. I figure well it won't hurt her so I didn't have a problem with it.

editing to add that this is the same woman that won't put on a seat belt because a friend of her's got strangled to death in an accident. I told her the kids will always wear one no matter what she does in the car.

I have a family member that swears by this. She was babysitting my kids one day and one got a cough, so she sent her to bed with cut onions in the room. I figure well it won't hurt her so I didn't have a problem with it.

editing to add that this is the same woman that won't put on a seat belt because a friend of her's got strangled to death in an accident. I told her the kids will always wear one no matter what she does in the car.

Good for you. Pick your battles.

Ridiculous.

That's what radishes are for.

LOL!

You win the internet!

I forgot to mention, this chiropractor on his radio show (really just an infomercial) says, flat out, "vaccines are not necessary, they are just a hoax, you are poisoning your children. I have the all the forms you need so that you can send your child to school without vaccines."

It's just sad, really, that he uses his title of "doctor" to spew this garbage. [and let the vaccine/anti-vax debate begin]

Every chiropractor I've ever met was a quack.

Every chiropractor I've ever met was a quack.

I know a few people who have gotten good results from visiting a chiropractor--then again, the chiropractor stayed within his/her "scope." I.e., they did spinal manipulation, etc., and the people had some relief from their discomfort.

OTOH, I also have hear of chiropractors "treating" asthma and other non-skeletal medical condition with manipulation, etc. Buyer beware I guess.