[danielpal]

One of the biggest issues right now, is that we have a community (doctors, scientist, researchers) who need to backup their claims with actual proof's or risk loosing their license/reputation vs a community of "gurus"/"self-healers" who don't have to backup any of their claims at all. Thus the "gurus" can make HUGE claims, that to someone sick sound much better than the conservative claims made by doctors.

Give both groups the same voice & reach, and guess who wins.

[papermachete]

That's the point of the scientific method, you undeniably prove your theories, or you are a fraud. Hypotheses must be challenged, especially for the prices hospitals charge.

[egdod]

Why isn’t anyone suing these gurus when their dangerously bad advice kills a family member?

[choeger]

Because these people know how to spin their "treatment". They convince the patient to chose their "treatment" them selves. They rarely give the ridiculous advice directly in front of witnesses. Instead the family will learn about the treatment from some third party, potentially the victim themselves.

[acidburnNSA]

I'm at a hotel that coincidentally has 500 people from a MLM finale/training for Essential Oils and this is what it's all about. Have the people tell their friends and family that the oils can even cure ebola to get your 4 to become 8, 8 to become 16, etc. My SO the oncologist-in-training is pissed that they can just say whatever and aggressively advertise their wares and she can't even get pens from pharma companies.

[Balgair]

Because you can't get water out of a stone. The gurus aren't worth suing.

[hkt]

Spot on. We have, all across the west (the situation in the UK is similar to the US) regulated medical professionals but not medical claims. This needs to be addressed, with a presumption in favour of malice where claims are clearly not approached properly.

We had a committee of parliamentarians conduct an inquiry into homeopathy back in 2010, and predictably they found (after consulting with experts, taking testimony from all quarters etc) it was bunk. To the best of my knowledge we have not altered either policy or legislation in response to that.