Know the top words and phrases associated with healthcare hype, fads, and frauds!
“FDA Cleared”
This phrase should tip you off IMMEDIATELY that there’s a problem, because it’s almost always applied to a treatment that is being sold as “New” or completely different than anything else available.
“FDA Cleared” means that a treatment was submitted to the FDA with a signed affidavit that it is no different from another treatment the FDA has already APPROVED.
“FDA Approved” means the submitter had substantial clinical research – including trials on actual people – demonstrating that the treatment is both safe and effective. This clinical research can cost millions of dollars, depending on the kind of treatment involved.
“No Side Effects”
Pharmaceuticals are just chemicals that when taken in sufficient quantity, have effects on the body. For example, if you drink enough water, you’ll need to urinate and you’ll feel full. If you drink enough coffee, you’ll feel more alert, perhaps jittery, your blood pressure may temporarily rise, your heart rate may increase, and you’ll also need to urinate more.
What’s a “Side Effect?” When a drug is developed to treat a particular problem, reduction or resolution of that problem is the “Main Effect” and anything else is a “Side Effect.” So if you’re drinking coffee to stay away, then alertness is the MAIN effect, and the other stuff are the SIDE effects.
Well guess what? Some treatments have multiple effects that turn out to be more intense or effective than the main effect for which they were designed!
Did you know that both Propecia (used for hair growth) and Viagra (if you don’t know what that’s for, I’m not going to explain here) were originally developed to treat high blood pressure? That’s right. Both had pretty significant side effects, and although they both can reduce blood pressure, they’re not very good at that. Lowered blood pressure became one of the SIDE effects, while hair growth and…well, you know, became the MAIN effects.
“Toxins” or “Cleansing”
If you want to feel more healthy, just believe that you’re cleaner or that you have rid yourself of toxic substances. The sales pitch falls apart when you ask exactly what toxins are being removed, why those toxins were there waiting to be removed in the first place, etc.
Miraculous or Coincidental Claims
Ever notice that Essential Oils all just happen to smell or taste good? Ever notice that there not a condition out there that can’t be addressed by Essential Oils, and not one of them is named “Snake,” smells bad or tastes bad?
“These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA…” yada-yada-yada.
Why haven’t all of the claims about the treatment been evaluated by the FDA? Couldn’t the producer of the treatment do some research, get FDA approval, get a patent on the treatment, and then charge ridiculous prices for all of the wonderful things it does?
