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Author Topic: AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures  (Read 1596 times)

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Offline Chris_

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AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures
« on: June 10, 2009, 12:14:30 PM »
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AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - Ten years ago the government set out to test herbal and other alternative health remedies to find the ones that work. After spending $2.5 billion, the disappointing answer seems to be that almost none of them do.

Echinacea for colds. Ginkgo biloba for memory. Glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis. Black cohosh for menopausal hot flashes. Saw palmetto for prostate problems. Shark cartilage for cancer. All proved no better than dummy pills in big studies funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The lone exception: ginger capsules may help chemotherapy nausea.

As for therapies, acupuncture has been shown to help certain conditions, and yoga, massage, meditation and other relaxation methods may relieve symptoms like pain, anxiety and fatigue.

However, the government also is funding studies of purported energy fields, distance healing and other approaches that have little if any biological plausibility or scientific evidence.

Taxpayers are bankrolling studies of whether pressing various spots on your head can help with weight loss, whether brain waves emitted from a special "master" can help break cocaine addiction, and whether wearing magnets can help the painful wrist problem, carpal tunnel syndrome.


MORE WASTE

You know, for half that amount, I could have told them the same thing in about 5 mins.


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Offline djones520

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Re: AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2009, 12:24:31 PM »
Greedy.  I'da just asked for the .5 Billion.   :tongue:
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Offline Chris_

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Re: AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2009, 12:26:41 PM »
Quote from: djones520 on June 10, 2009, 12:24:31 PM
Greedy.  I'da just asked for the .5 Billion.   :tongue:
OK, I'll subcontract the work to you for that amount.   :-)
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Offline SSG Snuggle Bunny

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Re: AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2009, 03:16:07 PM »
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The lone exception: ginger capsules may help chemotherapy nausea.

Oops!

Herbalists/medical marijuana advocates are in quite a pickle.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: AP IMPACT: $2.5B spent, no alternative med cures
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2009, 01:48:25 AM »
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The acupressure weight-loss technique won a $2 million grant even though a small trial of it on 60 people found no statistically significant benefit—only an encouraging trend that could have occurred by chance. The researcher says the pilot study was just to see if the technique was feasible



We spent two million bucks on this grant???
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