Suckers: How alternative medicine makes fools of us all
Encyclopedia
Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All is a book about alternative medicine
written by author and health journalist Rose Shapiro
. It was published by Vintage Books
in 2008. It covers very similar ground to Simon Singh
and Edzard Ernst
's book Trick or Treatment
, but is written in a more journalistic and polemic
al style. It provides substantial detail regarding alternative treatments offered to cancer
patients.
After reviewing the research into a variety of alternative treatments, Shapiro concludes that:
said that `Shapiro's polemic traces the origins of many of these practices in an attempt to expose much of the pseudo-scientific quackery' while The Guardian
called it a 'vigorous polemic' and The Daily Telegraph
said that `Shapiro expertly describes the pathology of medical counter knowledge'.
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
written by author and health journalist Rose Shapiro
Rose Shapiro
Rose Shapiro is a British author from Bristol. She wrote Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All and contributes regularly to several publications including; The Independent, The Observer, The Guardian, Time Out, Good Housekeeping and the Health Service Journal.-Books:Suckers: How...
. It was published by Vintage Books
Vintage Books
Vintage Books is a publishing imprint founded in 1954 by Alfred A. Knopf. Its publishing list includes world literature, fiction, and non-fiction...
in 2008. It covers very similar ground to Simon Singh
Simon Singh
Simon Lehna Singh, MBE is a British author who has specialised in writing about mathematical and scientific topics in an accessible manner....
and Edzard Ernst
Edzard Ernst
Edzard Ernst is the first Professor of Complementary Medicine in the world, at the University of Exeter, England....
's book Trick or Treatment
Trick or Treatment
Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial is a 2008 book about alternative medicine by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. Singh is a physicist and the writer of several popular science books...
, but is written in a more journalistic and polemic
Polemic
A polemic is a variety of arguments or controversies made against one opinion, doctrine, or person. Other variations of argument are debate and discussion...
al style. It provides substantial detail regarding alternative treatments offered to cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patients.
After reviewing the research into a variety of alternative treatments, Shapiro concludes that:
"HomeopathyHomeopathyHomeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
has no place in evidence-basedEvidence-based medicineEvidence-based medicine or evidence-based practice aims to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to clinical decision making. It seeks to assess the strength of evidence of the risks and benefits of treatments and diagnostic tests...
healthcare and should not be provided by the NHSNational Health ServiceThe National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
. Alternative medicine should also be subject to the same strictures as the pharmaceutical industry and not be allowed to sidestep regulation by calling is medicaments 'food supplements'. The Cancer Act must be more frequently enforced and revised to protect the sick and desperate from greedy cancer quacks. And our universities should not receive government subsidies to enable them to teach supernatural nonsense masquerading as science".
Reception
The HeraldThe Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
said that `Shapiro's polemic traces the origins of many of these practices in an attempt to expose much of the pseudo-scientific quackery' while The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
called it a 'vigorous polemic' and The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
said that `Shapiro expertly describes the pathology of medical counter knowledge'.