Why do we so eagerly take to woo?

[Warpy]

25. Pseudomedical horseshit

relies on easy to read, chatty articles full of anecdotes. for the most part, it does no harm. In some cases, like with chiropractic, it might even work on some people, shortening the duration of a garden variety back sprain by a couple of weeks. However, it's still harmless if it doesn't work (as long as you keep them away from your c-spine).

The anecdotes come from cheerful people who got a placebo boost from non working treatments

The only time this stuff runs into real trouble is when it claims to cure life threatening illness. Then it can be argued that it does do harm by having a patient wait too long for standard medical care to do any good.

I have no problem coexisting with a certain amount of rubbishy non cures because of the placebo effect. If basically healthy people get a lift form this stuff, it's fine with me.

If they'd recognize their limitations and stay away from the seriously ill except as an adjunct to either standard treatment or end of life palliative care, I don't think anyone would have much of a problem with it.

Unfortunately, too many of these charismatic frauds are relieving people of their life savings while watching them die of neglect.

I would love to see such people prosecuted, but such has never really been the case. It seems we will have to rely on families suing them out of business after the patient is dead.