General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Rickety Woo [View all]CSStrowbridge
(267 posts)"In other countries, there is actual honest scientific research into native medicines."
You realize we do this research here, right? Hell, there's a lot of research looking at natural substances that might be cures for diseases. One of the serious problems with cutting down the rain forest is there are plants that might contain natural cures for diseases. HOWEVER, these have to be tested using a double-blind control group. Unless that happens, then any herbal remedy is just woo.
In the United States, anything can be sold as a Herbal Remedy without any evidence that is works. For fuck sake, they don't even have to contain the herbs they say they contain...
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/herbal-supplements-are-often-not-what-they-seem.html?_r=0
Why would anyone trust a totally unregulated market over something that has to undergo rigorous testing.