Last week the Today Show delivered some “public service” medical advice. And of course it came from a doctor, right? No. A medical expert? No again. It came from a lawyer. But if you squinted your eyes he did sort of look like a doctor.
Before I elaborate on lawyers who play doctors on TV, I just wanted to thank Carmal, Gene, and Louie for sharing their very informative personal ADHD experiences on the HSI Forum. Each of them has an interesting insight into the subject of ADHD and the use of medication. After yesterday’s e-Alert from Dr. Allan Spreen, if you’re still weighing the pros and cons of using supplements and diet changes to treat ADHD, these three notices might be helpful in illustrating some of Dr. Spreen’s points.
Is there a medical expert in the house?
In a world where everyone is clamoring for his 15 minutes of fame, wouldn’t you imagine there would be a long list of people eager to appear with Katie Couric on The Today Show? Just think about the numerous entertainers, politicians, victims of sensational crimes, etc. that you’ve seen sitting next to America’s Sweetheart. So you wouldn’t think they would have any problem getting a qualified medical expert if they wanted to, say, discuss concerns over alternative medicine. Yet, last Thursday, it was Cleveland attorney Alan Kopit who appeared on Today and offered up medical advice — based on years of experience in creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, and commercial litigation. In other words, as a medical advisor, he’s a terrific lawyer.
Mr. Kopit didn’t let his lack of medical background keep him from diving right in with hazy language that quickly lumped “worthless” remedies in with “unproven” remedies, making no distinction between treatments that are genuine quackery, and treatments that may bring safe relief to millions, but haven’t received the stamp of approval from the FDA. He might as well be an official FDA spokesman, waving people away from the drug store supplement aisle, over to the prescription counter where the drugs are “proven.”
But it was when he started in on arthritis, I nearly jumped out of my chair. I told you some time ago about my own experience with arthritis in my knees. I tried Lyprinol, a marine lipid complex from a variety of New Zealand mussel, that we wrote about in the Members Alert. As someone who has access to many natural products, I found it to be extremely effective, without side effects, and very affordable. You may remember, I told you I was able to jog again in just about two months. Mr. Kopit, however, warned his viewers that an estimated $2 billion a year is spent on arthritis treatments that he calls “unprovendietary and so-called natural cures.” Again, no high-paid FDA public relations shill could have done a better job at demonizing the word “natural,” while sweeping aside all of the “unapproved” cures, including the very same “mussel extract” which brought me enormous relief.
Unhealthy generalizations
Mr. Kopit comes down hard on “miracle drug” advertisers who suggest, for instance, that you use their cancer treatments, cancel all scheduled surgeries and ignore your doctor’s advice. And I agree with him completely on this. At HSI we would never suggest that you begin a regimen of dietary supplements or an herbal remedy to battle a serious disease without the advice of a doctor you trust. But again, Mr. Kopit apparently isn’t aware that for every “unapproved” treatment that’s nothing more than snake oil backed by false claims, there are many other out-of-the-mainstream treatments that genuinely restore health and even save lives.
In dire tones, Mr. Kopit warns of “promotions that use words like ‘scientific breakthrough,’ ‘miraculous cure,’ ‘exclusive product,’ or ‘ancient remedy.'” He cautions that these are common tip-offs that a product is a fraud. Really? Is that right? How about polio vaccination? – in the 1950’s that was considered a miraculous scientific breakthrough. Was a cure for polio a fraud? Or what about exclusive products? Any FDA-approved drug that still has a patent is an exclusive product. (And I’ll argue that many of them are frauds, but I don’t think Mr. Kopit will agree.) Ancient remedies? There are so many effective herbal remedies that have been used for ages that I don’t have room to list them all here. Do we really believe that everything worth knowing has been learned since the FDA came to be?
What were they thinking?
Mr. Kopit’s arguments are painted with such broad strokes that it’s easy to find holes everywhere. You would think that an experienced attorney would button up his case better than that. And in addition to arguments he can’t support, he also gives advice that is simply half baked.
For instance: he suggests that cancer patients who want to try an experimental treatment should enroll in a legitimate clinical study. He doesn’t point out – or more likely doesn’t even realize – that it’s often very difficult to get into these studies, and you certainly can’t pick and choose which treatment you’ll receive. Then, once enrolled in a study, you have even less control of your treatment regimen. And, there’s a 50 percent chance you’ll receive a placebo. A clinical study may be a lifesaver for some, but most of us would be better off consulting a doctor and reading up on available treatments to stay in control of the road back to remission and good health.
I would love to give the producers of the Today Show and Mr. Kopit a good shaking and ask, “What were you thinking?!” Sure, of course there are plenty of unscrupulous sugar pill salesmen out there calling their products “exclusive miraculous scientific breakthroughs.” And that’s why it’s so important that we do our homework and listen to reasonable warnings.
But, please, if you’re going to put out a warning, don’t send a lawyer to stand in for a doctor and then have him tell us that the natural supplements we know are proven to work are no better than sugar pills — just because the FDA hasn’t deemed to give them their official sanction. Anyone who can tell the difference between a doctor and a lawyer should be able to see the poor logic in that.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
“Avoiding False Medical Claims” nbc.com
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
