In the series of posts entitled WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, I pick up themes that I addressed more than a decade ago with the intention of finding out whether things have moved on or not. Today, allow me to tackle the thorny issue of the use of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) for children.
The use of SCAM by adults is often problematic; employing SCAM for kids is almost invariably so. This has mainly two reasons:
- Children cannot give informed consent.
- The evidence that SCAM is doing more good than harm to children is missing, negative or unconvincing.
I have therefore long cautioned parents about their use of SCAM for their kids.
In June 2013 I published a blog post on the subject that ended with the following remarks:
Treating children with unproven or dis-proven therapies is even more problematic than treating adults in this way. The main reason is that children cannot give informed consent. Thus alternative medicine for children can open difficult ethical questions, and sometimes I wonder where the line is between the application of bogus treatments and child-abuse. Examples are parents who opt for homeopathic vaccinations instead of conventional ones, or paediatric cancer patients who are being treated with bogus alternatives such as laetrile.
Why would parents not want the most effective therapy for their children? Why would anyone opt for dubious alternatives? The main reason, I think, must be misinformation. Parents who use alternative medicine are convinced they are effective and safe because they have been misinformed. We only need to google ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE to see for ourselves what utter nonsense and dangerous rubbish is being promoted under this umbrella.
Misinformation is the foremost reason why well-meaning parents (mis-) treat their children with alternative medicine. The results can be disastrous. Misinformation can kill!
The question I am asking today is HAS ANYTHING CHANGED? Has the usage of SCAM for kids declined? Has the evidence that SCAM is effective for children become more solid?
Judging from my 2024 posts on the subject, the answer seems hardly encouraging:
- The altruistic chiropractor: free spinal checks for children
- Traditional herbal medicine use doubled the risk of multi-organ dysfunction syndrome in children
- Spinal manipulation and mobilisation among infants, children, and adolescents: an international Delphi survey of expert physiotherapists
- Homeopathy is reported to reduce the fatality rate of children with acute encephalitis by 15% – but I find this hard to believe
- “Overuse Injuries in Children: A Homoeopathic Approach”: SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT or FRAUD?
- Homoeopathy vs. conventional primary care in children during the first 24 months of life
Judging from recently published surveys, the answer seems convincingly negative. Here are just a few examples:
- 46% stated that their child currently used or had ever used some form of complementary and alternative medicine in their life
- Thirteen percent of respondents indicated CAM use by their child.
- 51% reported CAM use in the preceding year.
- 85.9% of parents was willing to use CAM in future.
- 79% had used complementary and alternative medicine.
I find such findings quite alarming. I fear they suggest that:
- Misinformation is powerful.
- Parents require responsible advice.
- SCAM practitioners need to learn about and adhere to medical ethics.
- There is much more work to do, if we want to improve the safety of vulnerable children.
15 Responses to WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? So-called alternative medicine (SCAM) for children
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I think the trends show that the public with children have made their informed choice regarding CAM. Who is going to force medical ethics on millions of CAMees?
Should these trends continue over many years then researchers and Drs who have been earning a good living with EBM will surely just incorporate CAM more and more into their work.
There are limits so I am not sure that there will ever be Reiki widely available on the NHS for example. However, at this rate I am prepared even for this to happen.
If Edzard ever wants time off from fighting against the CAM tide then he could enroll on a weekend Reiki Masters course. Then he could practise waving his arms around in front of a mirror repeating mystical mantras.
This may be helpful for some on here who considering the way things are going may need something even Reiki healing to help them feel a bit better. He could do mock and ‘active’ Reiki treatments to add to the database.
Thank you for your kind words and the confirmation that many proponents of SCAM cannot tell the difference between critically evaluating and fighting against their believes.
“The use of SCAM by adults is often problematic; employing SCAM for kids is almost invariably so. This has mainly two reasons:
1. Children cannot give informed consent.”
Do children provide “informed consent” before being treated with “scientific drugs”??
2. “The evidence that SCAM is doing more good than harm to children is missing, negative or unconvincing.”
Is there a list of drugs, tested on children (under 6 years old) with evidence for the outcome, that are presently being used on children? Any link?
Do children provide “informed consent” before being treated with “scientific drugs”?
No, that’s why it is so important that treatments supported by sound evidence are used whenever possible.
Is there a list of drugs, tested on children (under 6 years old) with evidence for the outcome, that are presently being used on children?
There probably is [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-44226-2] – please, do your own research, if you are interested and smart enough.
Stop the presses!! The SCAM fortune teller has
spokenrambled again!Are you suggesting that “the public with children” should be able to force doctors to abandon medical ethics?
No. I am just rambling about what will happen.
It is a pretty obvious trend continuation but I wouldn’t expect any EBM flapdoodlers to get this.
Case and point…SCAM fortune teller. Do you use numerology, astrology or just tea leaves? Just curious 🤔
“Do you use numerology, astrology or just tea leaves?”
Astroturfing, amongst other things.
I use tea bags Talker.
Maybe though both myself and logical fallacy expert Pete Attkins should reflect on the word ‘pontificate’.
Is that so? Maybe it would have served you well to have reflected on the slang word ‘tea bag’. It’s too late now.
😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂😭😭
Astroturfing:
https://edzardernst.com/2023/03/a-breakthrough-in-understanding-how-homeopathy-works/#comment-144869
https://edzardernst.com/2022/01/no-vaxx-djokovic-an-anti-scientific-crank-hiding-in-plain-sight/#comment-136601
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Astroturf
Thanks bot.
Likewise.
You are being very kind Talker. However, I don’t think that I have ever rambled anything you don’t already know.