QUACKERY

WHAT IS QUACKERY?

Quackery is a health scam that promotes bogus products and services that do not have scientific and proven quality or effects.

• It is a short term for quack-salver that comes from two Middle Dutch terms that mean “healing with unguents”.

• a soft greasy or viscous substance used as an ointment or for lubrication

• However, quacken means “to boast”, so a kwakzalver (quack doctor/impostor) might be a healer who boasts about his power or products.

GUIDELINES FOR SPOTTING QUACKS

1. He may offer a “special” or “secret formula” or device. . .

2. He advertises . . . “case histories” and testimonials from satisfied “patients.”

3. He may claim to know the “cause” of arthritis and talk about “cleansing your body of “poisons” and “pepping up” your health. He may say surgery, x-rays and drugs prescribed by a physician are unnecessary.

4. He may accuse the “medical establishment” of deliberately thwarting progress, or of persecuting him . . . but he doesn’t allow his method to be tested in tried and proven ways.

THREE TYPES OF QUACKERY

1. MEDICAL QUACKERY

• pertains to the malpractice in the medical profession where the pseudo-doctors claim to be experts and competent in treating diseases

• the intention is always to make profit at the expense of deceiving the public

• they capitalize on the hope, ignorance, and fear of people who want to change some parts of their body and heal illnesses using the advancement in the medical field.

COMMON EXAMPLES:

• Cosmetic surgeons who claim to have an instant effect in reducing body weight and shape through injection, body application, surgery or oral medication.

• Deceptive faith healers (albularyo) who earn money with their gimmicks and fake prescriptions. They sell items like wonder bracelets and necklaces, mattress pads and other devices which they project to heal diseases and physical appearance improvement.

INSTANCES OF MEDICAL QUACKERY THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Child-calming Patent Medicines

• It is an assortment of medicines that were purported to calm upset babies, allowing the infant -- and its parents -- to sleep soundly through the night.

• Desperate (or maybe just curious) parents eager for a full night's sleep turned to these patent medicines.

• Its label boasted 8.5 percent alcohol and one-eighth grain sulfate of opium per ounce.

• There were reportedly many child deaths due to these narcotic formulas and likely many more miniature  addicts. The American Medical Association publicized the dangers of using such products, and the popularity of narcotic infant soothers began to wane in the early 1900s.

2. NUTRITION QUACKERY• Any forms of fake or unclassified claims of nutritional value or

impact.

• One of the most popular and profitable hoaxes that goes in the form of dietary supplements, herbal remedies, weight loss products, energy boosters and medicines which do not have any approval from Bureau of Foods and Drugs.

• A government agency that examines all foods and drugs being sold in the market

• Products should bear the scientific link between the substance and the health impacts to the consumers. It should declare what it can concretely do to the human body.

• More often than not, products become detrimental to one’s health, ironic from what its label tells. It goes beyond from its actual effect.

SIGNS OF NUTRITION QUACKERY

• Claims of solutions that sound “magical” or that present enticingly simple (and logical-sounding) answers to complex problems.

• Distrust of the current methods of medicine or suspicion of the regular food supply with “alternatives” for sale (providing profit to the seller) under the guise that people should have freedom of choice. Beware of anyone claiming to be persecuted by the medical establishment—it means an amateur is making your diagnosis. They often try to convince you that physicians want to keep you ill so that you will continue to pay for office visits.

• Impressive-sounding terminology used to disguise a lack of good science.

• LOOK CLOSELY. Marketing geniuses can advertise a product with myths and misinformation but the package you open has to tell the truth. Look at the bottle or package itself. Here are two examples:

• Ads for chromium picolinate claim the supplement builds lean tissue and burns fat. But the bottle itself never says that because it isn’t true. Strength training builds lean tissue. Cardiovascular conditioning promotes use of stored body fat.

• The box for a popular nutrition bar reads, “to burn stored body fat, you must eat the correct ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats,” but the statement isn’t on the wrapper because it isn’t true.

• In tiny print, somewhere on a page, the word “Advertisement.”

• Product availability from only one source.

• Evidence that is purported to be valid because the person has a M.D. or Ph.D. degree or “has studied at a reputable institution.” Anyone can audit classes at almost any institution, and a job as a lab assistant doesn’t mean the individual has done research.

3. DEVICE QUACKERY• pertains to the claims or information about the products that are

“too good to be true”.

• they deceive the customers by exaggerating the quality, efficiency and trying to justify its cost, or they lower its price along with its quality

• is after the money or profit

• COMMON EXAMPLES:1. Substandard appliances and gadgets which usually cause

health hazards and accidents, like fire, electric explosions and the likes.

HARMFUL, PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF QUACKERY

1. It puts the lives of the public in great danger.

2. It creates regrets and frustrations on the consumers due to unwise spending of their resources.

3. It leads to conflict between consumers and sellers.

4. It causes anxiety and distress to the public due to its uncertainty of effectiveness and lack of assurance in terms of safety.

5. It may develop dreaded diseases (cancer, hepatitis, and the likes)

6. Body parts deformities may arise.

7. People who have existing illnesses may become worse.