(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times)
Picture a loving grandmother who raised her child and grandchildren. Unfortunately, the grandmother is diagnosed with stage four cancer. The chances of a medical cure are slim to none. With their last $10,000 the child and grandchildren spend it on an alternative form of therapy. They are promised the world.
Two months later, the grandmother passes away. The family has no money left, and the practitioner is some ten thousand dollars richer. The end-result of course is quite sad. It is even sadder, however, when the cancer was curable, but the alternative healer discouraged the pursuit of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Stories such as these happen each year across the country. The promotion and belief in ineffective therapies are not harmless. The damage and havoc they wreak translate into losses of hundreds of millions of dollars from families that cannot afford it, as well as loss of life, r”l. In this author’s opinion, promoting ineffective therapies to others is also a violation of a Torah prohibition known as Lifnei Iver – placing a stumbling block before the blind. The Toras Kohanim clearly states that giving a person an eitza sh’aina hogenes – misleading advice is a violation of this Torah commandment. Three such examples are found in the Toras Kohanim: 1] To advise a person to leave at a dangerously early time in the morning, when thieves are more likely to victimize him (Kedoshim Parsha 2); 2] To advise him to go out in the hottest of noon so that he will get a sunstroke; 3] To advise him to sell his field in order to purchase a donkey, and then by trickery purchasing his field from him in exchange for a donkey.
Understandably, there are people whose livelihoods depend on promoting all of this. They will go through great effort to obfuscate any attempt at showing the truth of the ineffective nature of these therapies. [Even more so, they will make no attempt to show the truth about therapies that they themselves readily admit are shams and frauds.] True, there is a website called Quackwatch, run by a medical doctor, that attempts to expose all of these ineffective therapies, but by and large, such efforts are not so effective.
Indeed, according to WEBMD, some 30% of Americans frequent practitioners of “alternative forms” of healing that are foreign to western medicine. Most of these forms of therapy and diagnosis have been rejected by mainstream doctors and scientists. How is it then that so many people are attracted to it?
POOR EXPERIENCE WITH DOCTORS
It is unfortunate, but the world of legitimate medicine is far from perfect. We are confronted with horror stories where someone with cancer or some other serious illness were assured that the patients pains or concerns were nothing. The Torah tells us Shamoah bain acheichem in regard to how judges must hear cases – listen carefully among your brethren. This should be doubly true regarding medical doctors. Unfortunately, many do not – assuming that they have heard it already. Thus, an Orthopedist in eastern Long Island misses the diagnosis of a broken bone in an elderly woman because he assumes she is just complaining.
Or a patient with colon cancer hears the words, “Go home and relax, you have a bad case of the flu.”
“I want to shoot that doctor! Had my concerns been addressed in the first place, we could have caught this at Stage One,” is a statement that is far too common to hear.
The situation is somewhat analogous to automotive repair, where we often change a part only to find out that the part was fine and what really needed to be changed was an entirely different part. We must still, however, attempt a cure, because medicine – when practiced properly, does cure. The Gemorah in Taanis 22b tells us that there is, in fact, a halachic obligation to seek out a legitimate medical cure.
So this is one factor in why 30% of people in this country have given up on regular medicine and frequent that which has been debunked and empirically disproven.
A LISTENING EAR
Another factor is that, more often than not, the practitioner of alternative medicine will offer more of a listening ear then does his more legitimate counterpart. Empathy goes a long way in the healing process. The reality is that western medicine does not necessarily emphasize empathy and bedside manner techniques. This translates to a form of disaffection toward western medicine and an attraction toward “healers” that are better at offering empathy.
PLACEBO EFFECT
There is also something called the placebo effect. Science has measured the placebo effect and it is a necessary issue to deal with when testing the effectiveness of drugs. Indeed, there are multiple possible components of a measured placebo effect. There is some evidence that placebo interventions can alter levels of hormones, endocannabinoids and even endogenous opioids. And while the effects may be short term – they help contribute to the atmosphere that allow fringe and debunked therapies to continue.
BLURRING OF LINES
There is also another factor. Many of these practitioners combine the debunked therapies with legitimate forms of diagnostics and or therapies. Measuring manual muscle strength is legitimate and is done in regular medicine for insurance purposes. Using these measurements, however, to “ask questions” to the muscle is decidedly not legitimate.
There is also the issue of nutrition. Most medical doctors do not receive the proper amount of training in the crucial area of nutrition in medical school. Many alternative healers combine sound nutritional advice and combine it with their debunked therapy. The truth is that a nutritionist could have given that same nutritional advice, and even better, without the blurring of the lines.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
11 Responses
I have been into alternative medicine for the past seven years. My children have not been on any antibiotics besides for one time. I have seen first-hand success! I don’t care if you make fun of it, I will continue doing what I am doing and allow my children are healthier future!
Doctors, lawyers, Indian chiefs, and even rabbis make mistakes. “Alternative medicine” is a mistake from the get-go. For patients this column is a warning to be careful, or you might, c’v, get sicker or die. For doctors, this column tells you that if you are not careful, you can go to gehinom. For “alternative medicine” practitioners, this column is telling you – correctly in my view – that you are already going to gehinom.
I think you should stick to your halachic overviews.
I use alternatives to antibiotics and they definitely work without the side affects. I think people have to do their own research and make their own decisions regarding their health because doctors are somewhat controlled by the drug companies who give them big perks to promote their products. There are a lot of risks in taking drugs. I don’t even have Motrin or Tylenol in my house. Eat well (don’t eat junk), do exercise and try to stay healthy.
Hashem Yerachaim. Lord Have Mercy. Rabbi Hoffman each article you write on this matter makes you sound more and more uninformed and ridiculous. There are many medical doctors who were classically trained and licensed who now practice various forms of what you so disparagingly refer to as “alternative medicine”. Dr Martin Feldman MD in Manhattan a Neurologist, incorporates aspects of Kinesiology in his treatment and diagnoses. Dr Marco Ruggerio has published extensively on Gut and Brain Microbiome and has patented a Pro Biotic called RERUM which has reportedly been used successfully to cure Autism. There are reports of cancer patients who have successfully treated their cancer with dietary changes including but not limited to a Ketogenic diet. Alternative therapies may work not only because of the Placebo effect which is indeed potent, but also because often by doing nothing the body heals itself. You also fail to recognize the danger that our freedom is in, due to our current system of medical tyranny where the government already mandates vaccines for children and if not stopped will do the same for adults. You continuously disparage the anti vaccine movement as a scourge despite the fact your yourself likely have not had whooping cough booster vaccine since childhood and would now be a capable of being carrier according to the Herd Immunity hoax, as your own vaccine immunity to Pertussis has long since worn out. Actually the scientific evidence indicates that even if you were vaccinated for Pertussis, you could still culture it and spread it unlike someone who recovered from it naturally who is fully immune.
There is a legitimate place for vitamins and supplements. But this is specific to those who have such deficiencies. There is another reality that today’s processed foods have been treated in such a way that some of the nutrients have been eliminated from the foods. So we can easily suffer from certain deficiencies.
But these can be determined by testing, all of which exists in mainstream, normal medicine. If supplementation is needed, then, by all means, deal with that. But today’s marketplace is about the use of these products as “alternative medicine”, where they are being recommended to treat a symptom, condition, or illness, in lieu of traditional, science based medicine. This is a gross violation of morality. It is highway robbery to tell someone to purchase such products that are known to be ineffective. It is plainly immoral to make non-scientific diagnoses, then treat with ineffective interventions and substances.
In addition, these products can have side effects, just as they can sometimes have benefits. Nothing about this is known to the practitioners, and the information about combinations of these pills and products is not available. To Basmelech1, you are free to avoid Motrin and Tylenol, but their effects are at least known. You are able to weigh the benefits against the risks and reach a conclusion. But the quackery products are either inert and useless, or have effects that are largely unknown, certainly to the consumer. How do you let these products into your home? They carry far more risk than the OTC products that have at least complied with FDA inspection for quality control and reliability.
The influence of pharmaceutical companies over doctors is way overblown. I have worked in hospitals and doctors’ offices, and seen the detail men/women from the drug companies. I know their work. They do not push doctors to push drugs, at all. They do push their product over their competition, but that’s all. Braving infections without antibiotics is sanctioned under certain conditions by many doctors themselves. If you do this to your children, you are taking unnecessary risks. I agree with being cautious, but not irresponsible.
I have multiple medical and mental health conditions. I don’t use any nonprescription products unless recommended by a licensed healthcare provider. Even then, I have to check with my kidney clinic M. D. or licensed pharmacist because of I have Chronic Kidney Disease. Even with prescription medication, I need to watch out for possible interactions. My condition is, unfortunately, something that is potentially life-threatening I also have a very serious allergy to latex, natural rubber, which is found in many products. In many products, it might not be obvious that they contain latex. It’s a very tricky situation. Another reason why I don’t go to any alternative medicine providers. When using 2 different providers, I noticed that I had a mild allergic reaction hours after leaving an acupuncture appointment. They knew about my allergy. I have any I have many other issues that make my life very complicated. It’s very scary for me, a 30-something woman, my family, friends, and others who are aware of my kidney condition and possibly other conditions.
Important note: Advise all licensed medical professional of Western medicine, including doctor’s offices, emergency room staff, urgent care center staff, lab techs, the fire and police departments, any EMT and ambulance personnel of any allergy, especially of latex and medication allergies. Don’t expect them to know that an individual has a specific allergy. Even wearing a Medic-Alert band isn’t enough, in a time that could endanger a life.
Especially important: Eastern medicine doctors probably never heard of latex allergies. As in all other situations, especially with medical or mental health situations, including in places other your own home, if you or the patient with you have any type of allergy, please proceed with caution
For many years ulcer treatment using drugs such as Zantac and Prilosec made many billions of dollars a year for gastroenterologists and drug companies. Then two obscure Australian researchers proved that ulcers were caused by a specific bacterium and could be cured quickly and cheaply by antibiotics. A hugely profitable industry disappeared in a remarkably short time. So much for doctors and drug companies suppressing “alternative” cures in the name of profit.
Why does Rabbi Hoffman feel so threatened by alternative medicine?
He obviously makes his money from the medical field. Otherwise, he wouldn’t care if other people choose to heal themselves in ways that differ from his own.
My family used to visit the doctor a few times a month (sometimes a few times a week!) with reoccurring ear infections, strep, bronchitis etc. Once I was enlightened by a friend of mine who told me that once she stopped giving antibiotics, her visits to the DR are once a year for well visits – I tried it too. I am happy to report that B”H for the last 3 we have experienced the same results. We no longer need those medicines.
That said, It doesn’t bother me, & I dont feel the need to preach to others & tell them that they are going against Halacha for choosing western medicine.
This guy has issues…