$2.5 billion spent, no alternative cures found

[Guest guest]

Ten years ago the government set out to test herbal and other alternative

health <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#> 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 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>.

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 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>,

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.

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.

" You expect scientific thinking " at a federal

science<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>agency, said R. Barker

Bausell, author of " Snake Oil Science " and a research

methods expert at the University of land, one of the agency's top-funded

research sites. " It's become politically correct to investigate nonsense. "

Many scientists say that unconventional treatments hold promise and deserve

serious study, but that the federal center needs to be more skeptical and

selective.

" There's not all the money in the world and you have to choose " what most

deserves tax support, said Barrie Cassileth, integrative medicine chief at

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

" Many of the studies that have been funded I would not have funded because

they seem irrational and foolish — studies on distant healing by prayer and

energy healing, studies that are based on precepts and ideas that are

contrary to what is known in terms of human physiology and disease, " she

said.

In an interview last year, shortly after becoming the federal center's new

director, Dr. phine Briggs said it had a strong research record, and

praised the many " big name " scientists who had sought its grants. She

conceded there were no big wins from its first decade, other than a study

that found acupuncture helped knee arthritis. That finding was called into

question when a later, larger study found that sham treatment worked just as

well.

" The initial studies were driven by some very strong enthusiasms, and now

we're learning about how to layer evidence " and to do more basic science

before testing a particular supplement in a large trial, said Briggs, who

trained at Ivy League schools and has a respected scientific career.

" There are a lot of negative studies in conventional medicine, " and the

government's outlay is small compared to drug company spending, she added.

rest of article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

We focused 2009 on our losses -

let's focus 2010 on what we have

[Guest guest]

,

My daughter is an energy healer. She works directly with clients or distance or

telephone. Her distance work has been very effective in having a no pain outcome

after surgery for many people.

I fell and shattered my wrist last year. Of course she worked on me...long

distance...my surgeon could not believe how quickly I healed and how I had

discomfort, not pain.

My husband had surgery last week to hopefully repair his peripheral neuropathy.

He did not take one pain killer. The surgeon is amazed at the speed of his

healing . Of course, my daughter worked on him before, during and after the

surgery. We were in different states.

This is not evidenced based practice, only anecdotal. There are many times in my

practice of almost 50 years that I rely on instinct, (my gut reaction) and my

experiences, and have excellent outcomes.

Madalyn Friedberg, RD CDN

________________________________

To: RD-USA <rd-usa >

Sent: Wed, January 13, 2010 8:09:08 PM

Subject: $2.5 billion spent, no alternative cures found

Ten years ago the government set out to test herbal and other alternative

health <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#> 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 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>.

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 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>,

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.

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.

" You expect scientific thinking " at a federal

science<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>agency, said R. Barker

Bausell, author of " Snake Oil Science " and a research

methods expert at the University of land, one of the agency's top-funded

research sites. " It's become politically correct to investigate nonsense. "

Many scientists say that unconventional treatments hold promise and deserve

serious study, but that the federal center needs to be more skeptical and

selective.

" There's not all the money in the world and you have to choose " what most

deserves tax support, said Barrie Cassileth, integrative medicine chief at

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

" Many of the studies that have been funded I would not have funded because

they seem irrational and foolish — studies on distant healing by prayer and

energy healing, studies that are based on precepts and ideas that are

contrary to what is known in terms of human physiology and disease, " she

said.

In an interview last year, shortly after becoming the federal center's new

director, Dr. phine Briggs said it had a strong research record, and

praised the many " big name " scientists who had sought its grants. She

conceded there were no big wins from its first decade, other than a study

that found acupuncture helped knee arthritis. That finding was called into

question when a later, larger study found that sham treatment worked just as

well.

" The initial studies were driven by some very strong enthusiasms, and now

we're learning about how to layer evidence " and to do more basic science

before testing a particular supplement in a large trial, said Briggs, who

trained at Ivy League schools and has a respected scientific career.

" There are a lot of negative studies in conventional medicine, " and the

government's outlay is small compared to drug company spending, she added.

rest of article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

We focused 2009 on our losses -

let's focus 2010 on what we have

[Guest guest]

Madalyn - I can't argue with individual results but you can probably guess I

will lean towards placebo.

On Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 11:10 AM, Madalyn Friedberg wrote:

>

>

> ,

>

> My daughter is an energy healer. She works directly with clients or

> distance or telephone. Her distance work has been very effective in having a

> no pain outcome after surgery for many people.

> I fell and shattered my wrist last year. Of course she worked on me...long

> distance...my surgeon could not believe how quickly I healed and how I had

> discomfort, not pain.

> My husband had surgery last week to hopefully repair his peripheral

> neuropathy. He did not take one pain killer. The surgeon is amazed at the

> speed of his healing . Of course, my daughter worked on him before, during

> and after the surgery. We were in different states.

> This is not evidenced based practice, only anecdotal. There are many times

> in my practice of almost 50 years that I rely on instinct, (my gut reaction)

> and my experiences, and have excellent outcomes.

>

> Madalyn Friedberg, RD CDN

>

> ________________________________

> From: Ortiz <nrord1@... <nrord1%40gmail.com>>

> To: RD-USA <rd-usa <rd-usa%40yahoogroups.com>>

> Sent: Wed, January 13, 2010 8:09:08 PM

> Subject: $2.5 billion spent, no alternative cures found

>

>

> Ten years ago the government set out to test herbal and other alternative

> health <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#> 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 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>.

>

> 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 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>,

>

> 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.

>

> 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.

>

> " You expect scientific thinking " at a federal

> science<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/#>agency, said R. Barker

>

> Bausell, author of " Snake Oil Science " and a research

> methods expert at the University of land, one of the agency's

> top-funded

> research sites. " It's become politically correct to investigate nonsense. "

>

> Many scientists say that unconventional treatments hold promise and deserve

> serious study, but that the federal center needs to be more skeptical and

> selective.

>

> " There's not all the money in the world and you have to choose " what most

> deserves tax support, said Barrie Cassileth, integrative medicine chief at

> Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

>

> " Many of the studies that have been funded I would not have funded because

> they seem irrational and foolish — studies on distant healing by prayer and

> energy healing, studies that are based on precepts and ideas that are

> contrary to what is known in terms of human physiology and disease, " she

> said.

>

> In an interview last year, shortly after becoming the federal center's new

> director, Dr. phine Briggs said it had a strong research record, and

> praised the many " big name " scientists who had sought its grants. She

> conceded there were no big wins from its first decade, other than a study

> that found acupuncture helped knee arthritis. That finding was called into

> question when a later, larger study found that sham treatment worked just

> as

> well.

>

> " The initial studies were driven by some very strong enthusiasms, and now

> we're learning about how to layer evidence " and to do more basic science

> before testing a particular supplement in a large trial, said Briggs, who

> trained at Ivy League schools and has a respected scientific career.

>

> " There are a lot of negative studies in conventional medicine, " and the

> government's outlay is small compared to drug company spending, she added.

>

> rest of article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31190909/

>

> --

> Ortiz, MS, RD

> We focused 2009 on our losses -

> let's focus 2010 on what we have

>

>

[Guest guest]

Madalyn,

 

I have never heard of an energy healer. How exactly does the therapy work?

Neily, MS, RD, CSSD, LD

Registered and Licensed Dietitian

Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics

Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG Treasurer 2009-2011

Texas Dietetic Association Political Action Committee Chair

Cell:

 

Website: www.jenniferneily.com

 

 

[Guest guest]

Madalyn,

 

I have never heard of an energy healer. How exactly does the therapy work?

Neily, MS, RD, CSSD, LD

Registered and Licensed Dietitian

Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics

Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG Treasurer 2009-2011

Texas Dietetic Association Political Action Committee Chair

Cell:

 

Website: www.jenniferneily.com