Newsgroups are not all created equal, just like your normal run of the mill newsgroups there are spam artists working and plying their trade in the medical newsgroups as well. So it's consumer beware! Some are very obvious in their attempts to have you buy that latest "supplement" (after all it's just diet that's causing your medical condition).....or maybe it's that homemade electrical current gadget that will stop your pain on a dime. Some even have Ph.D in their signature files to make it sound more promising that the cure will be forthcoming! Other's are more subtle and have even gone to the trouble of posting websites with testimonials that seem to go on forever! Testimonials don't prove a thing.....double blind studies do......but you won't find them on these websites!
In the long run it's a minefield out there folks! You have to be a well informed patient! ALWAYS discuss with your doctor if you decide to avail yourself of any of these "potions"! Some health food store products mixed with prescription drugs can cause serious side effects, in some cases life threatening! Now I'm not saying that everything doesn't work but to be honest the majority just accomplish one thing.......... and that's draining your bank account.
If it sounds too good to be true, then in most cases it is.
If you want to school yourself in the more obvious scams on the net these days then you're first stop should be at Quackwatch . A site developed by a doctor who has listed the most obvious "mines" to watch out for. He's taken the trouble of demystify the most common scams presented on the net. You'll find everything there from Blue Green Algae to the lowdown on Mercury Fillings and beyond. If you happen to run into a few "gems" of your own while surfing along I'm sure he'd love to hear from you :) Don't be shy, drop him an email I'd bet he'd appreciate the help and you just might end up saving someone else's bank account!
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