{"id":263994,"date":"2016-02-10T13:30:02","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T18:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/issues\/the-world-is-flat-bring-on-reiki-homeopathy-and-all-that-other-bunk\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T21:06:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T01:06:40","slug":"the-world-is-flat-bring-on-reiki-homeopathy-and-all-that-other-bunk","status":"publish","type":"issues","link":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/fr\/2016\/02\/the-world-is-flat-bring-on-reiki-homeopathy-and-all-that-other-bunk\/","title":{"rendered":"The world is flat! Bring on reiki, homeopathy and all that other bunk!"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world is flat! If the Earth was round, the entire population of Australia would simply fall off.\u00a0 Right? And we would be able to see<\/em> the curve of the Earth, for goodness sake. Believe your own eyes! It is flat! Flat!<\/p>\n

Crazy, I know. But a few people seem to honestly believe this nonsense, as nicely evidenced by the recent \u201cdebate<\/a>\u201d between hip hop artist B.o.B and renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.<\/p>\n

B.o.B believes his eyes. Tyson believes the science. Mic drop<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is easy to dismiss flat Earth believers as kooks. And that is how, in general, we respond to them. We laugh and shake our heads. But equally absurd flat-Earth-like beliefs (let\u2019s call them FEaBel for short) permeate our society and are too often treated not as kooky, FEaBel-ish and just plain wrong, but as reasonable \u201calternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, these FEaBel beliefs are often openly embraced in our health care system, and even at our publicly funded research universities.\u00a0 And, for a host of socio-political reasons (pseudoscience correctness?), we seem to tolerate them and give them a ridiculous amount of room to thrive.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s run through a few of my favourite examples of the FEaBel hokum that can be found in and around our health care system.<\/p>\n

Reiki.\u00a0 <\/em>This is an ancient (hey, just like the belief that the world is flat!) \u201chealing\u201d technique aimed at, to quote the website<\/a> of the International Association of Reiki Professionals, \u201cthe life energy that flows through all living things.\u201d Let\u2019s be crystal clear: if you believe Reiki works beyond the placebo effect, you believe that there is a magical energy force running through our bodies that can be manipulated by a person\u2019s hands.\u00a0 No touching required.<\/p>\n

This is some serious flat-earth level wackiness. It is scientifically absurd. But do Canadian universities and health care systems dismiss the practice in the way Neal deGrasse Tyson dismissed flat-earth beliefs?\u00a0 Nope. They offer classes<\/a>, demonstrations<\/a> and space for practitioners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Homeopathy. <\/em>\u00a0The idea behind this therapy \u2013 that non-existent particles in an ultra-diluted solution can be an effective treatment \u2013 has been debunked<\/a> so many times, by so many entities that it is truly unfathomable that it is still around. This is flat-earth thinking at its most robust.\u00a0 And yet, Health Canada<\/a> (and, for that matter, some Canadian universities<\/a>) seem to treat homeopathy as if it were a legitimate practice. Instead of simply warning consumers to save their money and stay away from these useless and misleading products, Health Canada provides a list of government approved products<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And the provision of homeopathy is a core part<\/a> of the practice of naturopathic \u201cmedicine,\u201d a regulated \u2013 and, therefore, government-legitimized \u2013 profession in many provinces. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, which teaches<\/a> its students the \u201cpractical application of homeopathic principles,\u201d explicitly<\/a> highlights a clinical trial it is leading on the use of homeopathy to treat chronic whiplash. Seriously. This is so FEaBel I\u2019m left wondering if it is actually sophisticated satire.<\/p>\n

Detoxing. <\/em>Specifically, I\u2019m referring to the idea that using a \u201ccleansing\u201d diet or procedure (infrared saunas, colonics, ionic foot baths) is beneficial.\u00a0 This is all very FEaBel nonsense. And yet the popularity of this science-free concept continues to grow.\u00a0 A 2011 study<\/a> conducted by actual naturopaths, found that 92 percent of their naturopathic colleagues reported using \u201cdetoxification therapies.\u201d<\/p>\n

I could, of course, refer to many, many other common FEaBel health care practices, such as the use of spinal manipulation therapy<\/a> for the treatment of ADHD, asthma and allergies or the pushing of useless supplements<\/a> and \u201cnatural\u201d remedies<\/a> to boost the immune system. Unfortunately, the examples are endless.<\/p>\n

I am absolutely certain I\u2019ve offended a few individuals with my categorization of the above as FEaBel. Some may feel I am being closed-minded, overly dismissive and\/or disrespectful.\u00a0 But remember, I\u2019m not critiquing anyone\u2019s religion or even a particular world view.\u00a0 These practices are increasingly presented to us \u2013 by practitioners, professional organizations and, cringe, government-created regulatory entities (the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine<\/a>?) \u2013 as evidence-based and scientifically valid. As such, it is entirely appropriate to respond by outlining what the science actually says. \u00a0Was Neal deGrasse Tyson being disrespectful and closed-minded when he outlined the evidence supporting his it-is-a-globe-dammit perspective on the shape of our planet?<\/p>\n

Before I get to how we should respond to all this FEaBel thinking, let me quickly deal with a few of the most common logic-free responses<\/a> that invariably emerge whenever someone critiques alternative medicine.<\/p>\n

Yes, many therapies provided in conventional medicine lack good evidence. But this is not, obviously, a justification for using more <\/em>therapies that are completely devoid of scientific support. Indeed, lets scrap the terms alternative and conventional and just go with the science-based stuff that works.<\/p>\n

Yes, there are many profound conflicts of interest that twist the relevant evidence, such as the ever-present shadow of Big Pharma. But, again, these are not justifications for embracing bunk. They are justifications for better science. And, more importantly, let\u2019s not overlook the fact that there are intense conflicts in the alternative medicine world. There are, for example, personal and professional reasons why alternative medicine \u201cexperts\u201d may have a bias when it comes to interpreting the best available science. If, for example, you have spent a significant amount of time and money becoming a Reiki Master (this actually exists) and Reiki doesn\u2019t work, you are out of a job and a personal identity.<\/p>\n

Yes, many people feel better after receiving one of the above noted therapies. \u00a0I\u2019ve tried some of this stuff. Positive experience. The placebo effect, to note just one relevant factor, can be a powerful force. But there are some serious ethical, legal and health policy challenges with the strategy of ignoring science and creating and legitimizing professions for the sole purpose of inducing the placebo effect.\u00a0 Is this really a sustainable approach?<\/p>\n

So, how should we respond to all this FEaBel pseudoscience?\u00a0 In addition to simply encouraging the science-informed community to speak out more often and more forcefully, regulators like Health Canada should be more aggressive and, whenever possible, clamp down on misleading claims and false advertising<\/a>. Indeed, one way to fight pseudoscience is for regulators to be more creative in their application of truth-in-advertising laws.<\/p>\n

I also think that the professions\u2019 regulators need to get more involved.\u00a0 If, for example, naturopathic medicine is really evidence-based, then the provincial colleges should stop naturopaths from providing homeopathy, detoxification therapies, iridology, high dose vitamin injection, and many other FEaBel practices. \u00a0If the regulators don\u2019t do this, let\u2019s stop pretending they are science-based and dismantle the legitimizing regulatory frameworks.<\/p>\n

Will we see these self-regulated professions take such actions? Unlikely.
\nThat would be like the Flat Earth Society<\/a> suggesting their members buy a globe. If the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine required their members to adhere to science-informed standards, there wouldn\u2019t be any members.<\/p>\n

Regardless, as a society we must do something.\u00a0 There is growing anti-intellectualism and tolerance for pseudoscience, which, as Tyson noted in his flat earth rebuttal with just a smidge of hyperbole, \u201cmay be the beginning of the end of our informed democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

But if our tolerance of FEaBel bunk is because of some official \u201cpseudoscience correctness\u201d policy, please, governments and universities, make this policy explicit so it can be properly scrutinized.\u00a0 If it is because you believe that promoting a placebo response is more valuable than a science-literate citizenry, critical thinking and scientific honesty, then please make this policy explicit too.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, let\u2019s treat all the FEaBel health bunk like we treat the belief that the Earth is flat.<\/p>\n

Now, can I get another Neal deGrasse Tyson gravity-facilitated mic drop?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The world is flat! If the Earth was round, the entire population of Australia would simply fall off.\u00a0 Right? And we would be able to see the curve of the Earth, for goodness sake. Believe your own eyes! It is flat! Flat! Crazy, I know. 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