{"id":293624,"date":"2016-04-27T01:15:06","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T05:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/2016\/04\/time-to-stop-legitimizing-pseudoscientific-health-remedies\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T15:27:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T19:27:19","slug":"time-to-stop-legitimizing-pseudoscientific-health-remedies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/fr\/2016\/04\/time-to-stop-legitimizing-pseudoscientific-health-remedies\/","title":{"rendered":"Time to stop legitimizing pseudoscientific health remedies"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Lethbridge jury found David and Collet Stephan guilty<\/a> of not providing the necessities of life to their young child, Ezekiel.\u00a0 Instead of taking him to a physician for science-based treatment, they provided their child with remedies based on the philosophy of naturopathy. This course of action contributed to the child\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

We can all agree that this is a heartbreaking story. And we can all agree the parents undoubtedly wanted to do what they thought was best for their child.\u00a0 Still, one can\u2019t help but feel angry that this could happen.\u00a0 Now that we have the verdict, let\u2019s reflect on a few key issues and how we might move forward.<\/p>\n

This stuff doesn\u2019t work<\/em>: Most of the therapies provided by naturopaths have little good scientific evidence to support their use.\u00a0 Our 2011<\/a> study of naturopathy websites found that the most commonly advertised services included pseudoscientific nonsense like homeopathy, detoxification, hydrotherapy and IV vitamin therapy.\u00a0 By any standard based on the foundations of science, all of these services \u2013 and many of the other practices of naturopaths \u2013 are complete bunk with no benefit beyond the placebo effect. Of course, naturopathy is not based on science, but on the supernatural concept of the \u201chealing<\/a> power of nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Governments should stop legitimizing magical thinking<\/em>: We shouldn\u2019t forget that in 2012 the government of Alberta made naturopaths a self-regulated profession. The justification for regulating naturopaths is often based on the issue of safety. These providers are popular, the government thinking must go, and so we\u2019d better ensure that there is some degree of standardization.\u00a0 But this rationale quickly slips into a legitimization of the practice. \u00a0Naturopathic practitioners point to their status as a regulated profession as if this implies that their therapies are efficacious.\u00a0 And who can blame them? The government has done the same thing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest about the science and avoid false claims of efficacy<\/em>: The provincial government should monitor the claims made by naturopathic clinics.\u00a0 For example, if a clinic<\/a> is marketing that IV Therapy can treat cancer, cardiovascular disease, and allergies, the government should ask for solid scientific evidence to support the claims (note: there isn\u2019t any). If the evidence is not produced, the misleading advertising should not be allowed.<\/p>\n

If the practice is really science-based, then make it science-based<\/em>: If naturopathy is science-based and if it is going to remain a regulated profession, than the College must stop its members from providing services that aren\u2019t science-based.\u00a0 But, of course, the College of Naturopaths can\u2019t do that. They\u2019d have almost no services left to sell.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Do you have something to say about the article you just read? Be part of the<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>Policy Options\u00a0<\/em>discussion, and send in your own submission. Here is a<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>link<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>on how to do it. |\u00a0Souhaitez-vous r\u00e9agir \u00e0 cet article ? <\/em>Joignez-vous aux d\u00e9bats d\u2019<\/em>Options politiques\u00a0<\/em>et soumettez-nous votre texte en suivant ces<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>directives<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Lethbridge jury found David and Collet Stephan guilty of not providing the necessities of life to their young child, Ezekiel.\u00a0 Instead of taking him to a physician for science-based treatment, they provided their child with remedies based on the philosophy of naturopathy. This course of action contributed to the child\u2019s death. We can all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":913,"featured_media":293622,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"article-status":[],"irpp-category":[],"section":[],"irpp-tag":[],"class_list":["post-293624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTime to stop legitimizing pseudoscientific health remedies<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/fr\/2016\/04\/time-to-stop-legitimizing-pseudoscientific-health-remedies\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Time to stop legitimizing pseudoscientific health remedies\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Lethbridge jury found David and Collet Stephan guilty of not providing the necessities of life to their young child, Ezekiel.\u00a0 Instead of taking him to a physician for science-based treatment, they provided their child with remedies based on the philosophy of naturopathy. 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