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Misleading Research of So-Called Alternative Medicine

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Integrity of Scientific Research

Abstract

Research into so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) faces many problems. Practitioners of SCAM try to persuade consumers that, for several reasons, research in their field is not all that important. The amount of research into SCAM is relatively small and its quality is often very poor. Crucially, SCAM researchers are often deeply biased towards their therapy and seem incapable of critical assessments. Adverse effects of SCAM are thus both under-investigated and under-reported. These and many further problems contribute to much confusion and mislead consumers about the value of SCAM. Such confusion can lead to ill-advised therapeutic decisions potentially endangering public health.

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Correspondence to Edzard Ernst .

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Ernst, E. (2022). Misleading Research of So-Called Alternative Medicine. In: Faintuch, J., Faintuch, S. (eds) Integrity of Scientific Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99680-2_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99680-2_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-99679-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-99680-2

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