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- Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
- Path: sparky!uunet!noc.near.net!inmet!inmet!dlb
- From: dlb@fanny.wash.inmet.com (David Barton)
- Subject: Re: War cry of the scientific
- In-Reply-To: madhavn@madhavn.mentorg.com's message of Thu, 24 Dec 1992 01:04:48 GMT
- Message-ID: <DLB.92Dec24092333@fanny.wash.inmet.com>
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- Nntp-Posting-Host: fanny.wash
- Organization: Intermetrics Inc., Washington Division, USA
- References: <1han6gINN4uf@grapevine.EBay.Sun.COM> <schumach.725153887@convex.convex.com>
- <1992Dec24.010448.24145@news.mentorg.com>
- Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 14:23:33 GMT
- Lines: 45
-
- In article <1992Dec24.010448.24145@news.mentorg.com>
- madhavn@madhavn.mentorg.com (Madhav Nerurkar) writes:
-
- Is there a simple decisive test in modern medicine that will
- determine if a given alternative theory has some merits ?
-
- The term "simple" is relative; however, there are indeed fairly
- standard mechanisms for determining the efficacy of a particular
- substance or procedure on a specific condition. The term "double
- blind" test tends to be used to cover this (although this is one
- procedure that is, admittedly, widely used).
-
- There can be significant lag, even of lifetimes, between empirical
- observations and an understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
- Without a test won't we either run the risk of passing up on real
- opprtunities or run the risk of taken in by a scam.
-
- Indeed. There seems to be some confusion in general about the need
- for an underlying theory in the use of a particular medication or
- procedure. Many of the medications we now use have mechanisms that
- are not well understood. People just noticed, either within the
- medical profession or outside it (sometimes in "alternative medicine")
- that something seemed to work. Upon application of controlled
- studies, they are sometimes introduced into normal practice.
-
- A reading of sci.med gives an interesting example. A couple of
- doctors on the net (I think David Nye is one of them) have observed
- that acutane seems to help chronic fatigue syndrome. Several
- anecdotal accounts have been posted. Dr. Nye does not immediately
- state, "Everyone start using this!" He recently posted that he is
- preparing the proper notes so this observation may be published as a
- speculation, and adequately tested.
-
- This is how science works.
-
- If in fact such a test exists, is it applied to inventions in
- modern medicines or is it basically the prestige of the
- institutions that decides the outcome ?
-
- In the US, the application of such a test is required for a claim of
- efficacy to be made. The institution that decides is the Food and
- Drug Administration.
-
- Dave Barton
- dlb@hudson.wash.inmet.com
-