Scientists Report A Massive "Science Gap" in Alt. Medicine
SkeptInq@aol.com
Wed, 24 Feb 1999 15:52:12 EST
February 24, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Matt Nisbet at 716-636-1425 X219
TOP SCIENTISTS AND PHYSICIANS REPORT A MASSIVE 'SCIENCE GAP' IN ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE
They Point to Evidence that Too Many are Ignoring, Distorting, or
Misunderstanding Data
Philadelphia Conference Features Keynote Speeches by Marcia Angell, Editor of
NEJM, and George Lundberg, Former Editor of JAMA
Press Conference
Sat., Feb. 27
1:00 p.m.
Chancellor Room
Warwick Hotel
Philadelphia, PA
PHILADELPHIA, PA--Several prominent researchers and doctors, along with the
editors of the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine (SRAM) and Skeptical
Inquirer magazine, believe that the public, the media, and many physicians are
missing the real story about "alternative medicine." At a press briefing, they
will highlight some of the evidence suggesting that scientific evidence--and
scientific thinking--are being excluded from discussions and evaluations of
unconventional treatments. There is, as they say, a "science gap" in
alternative medicine--despite the urgent need for science to play the key role
in sorting out effective from ineffective treatments.
Wallace Sampson, Editor of SRAM, will present results of a survey he
conducted of American medical schools. He found that only five schools taught
students how to analyze unproven health claims, while over 50 had courses that
treated such claims uncritically. "At a time when physicians desperately need
to know how to scientifically evaluate all the dubious claims that patients
are confronted with," he says, "this training is practically nonexistent." He
notes that the uncritical courses avoided discussion of evidence that
disproves or undermines the claims, and that the result was indoctrination
rather than education. Sampson is a retired professor of clinical medicine at
Stanford University.
Sampson will also present an example of research findings that are being
distorted--and then misreported in the media. Group psychotherapy has been
widely reported as prolonging the lives of people with cancer. But, he says,
the few studies showing positive results are defective and have not been
reproduced by other groups.
(Many other such analyses will be presented at the medical conference that
hosts the press briefing. The theme of the conference, which will take place
at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, Feb. 26-28, is "Science Meets
Alternative Medicine.")
In addition, scientists at the briefing will announce results of a new study
examining the ability of therapeutic touch (TT) practitioners to detect a
"human energy field." The research promises to be an improvement over previous
scientific protocols used to evaluate this controversial technique. TT is
being used by thousands of practitioners (most of them nurses) and promoted by
its supporters--even though it has not been backed by any credible scientific
evidence.
Additional speakers include Paul Kurtz, publisher of SRAM, and Lewis Vaughn,
SRAM's Executive Editor.
The conference will also feature keynote addresses from George Lundberg,
former Editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, and Marcia
Angell, Editor of the New England Journal of Medicine.
--30--
THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE is the only peer-reviewed
medical journal in the world devoted exclusively to the scientific evaluation
of "alternative" medical claims. The review publishes original research,
critiques published studies, reviews available evidence for claims, and
discusses the methods and principles of valid research. Topics covered in the
Spring 1998 issue include acupuncture, oxygenation therapy, naturopathy,
magnet therapy, St. John's Wort, the ethics of alternative medicine, and an
experience with a Tijuana cancer doctor. The journal is published by
Prometheus Books and sponsored by the Council for Scientific Medicine.
SKEPTICAL INQUIRER magazine is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to scientific
evaluations of the paranormal and pseudoscientific. It is published by the
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
(CSICOP.) www.csicop.org.