Posted by Willful on January 3, 2010, at 18:29:28
In reply to Re: Reclast, repost, posted by Phillipa on January 2, 2010, at 21:57:10
My problem is that they're trying to sell something. Susan Brown is selling books-- and for all I know other things. I can't really find out much about the source of her knowledge about osteoporosis and the value or non-value of bisphosphonates. She seems to have a phd in anthropology.
She hasn't done any experiments to back up her speculations-- and while they might be interesting to test, I couldn't base any treatment on her theories.
It seems a bit contradictory for people to have such cynicism about the motives of doctors and such trust in people who have "alternative" theories but no evidence. It's not as if these people have no agendas-- or that their motives are pure compared to doctors. Maybe some doctors are too influenced by big Pharma, or are naive about the medications they use-- but I find that there's usually some science to back up what they say. Perhaps the science isn't totally correct; and doctors differ. But at least they try to test their meds-- and there are lots of scientists looking at these meds. It seems much more persuasive than the theories of people with either no training in medicine, or no scientific evidence whatever to back up their products and claims.
When you look into it, they generally have something to gain from scaring people about standard medicines.
Willful
poster:Willful
thread:931820
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20081212/msgs/932377.html