Quack
Alternative Medicine
Click to enlarge
(60K)
February 2000
When I first came to medical school, I was really into the idea of alternative medicine. I liked the idea of having more treatment options, especially if they were cheaper and more fulfilling. Over time, however, I became more cynical about the practice after witnessing a whole bunch of practitioners flood the industry, trying to take advantage of all the money-making opportunities possible in a poorly regulated industry. If it works for my patients and they have the money for it, fine. But I'm not about to send off my patients for a 5 hour, $1500 Ayurvedic consultation if a 20 cent sugar pill will do the same thing.