The Harm of So-Called Alternative Medicine by Edzard Ernst

This article argues that so-called alternative medicine (SCAM), though often perceived as harmless, can cause harm on multiple levels, including physical health risks, financial costs, and societal impacts. The author, Edzard Ernst, emphasizes that SCAM's benefits are generally minimal, making its risks—ranging from misdiagnosis to promoting fallacies in thinking—significant factors for consumers to consider. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2024/10/the-harm-of-so-called-alternative-medicine/ About the Author: Edzard Ernst is emeritus professor, University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and author, most recently, of Don't Believe What You Think: Arguments for and against SCAM. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/ Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is a production of the Committe for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry.