macular degeneration, macular, diagnosis Quack, Quack – My Macular Degeneration Journey/Journal

Quack, Quack

Caveat emptor! That is Latin for “hold on to your wallet!” (Actually it means “let the buyer beware!” but close enough.)

As of late we have been hearing about ‘medical professionals’ offering services that sound pretty much like quackery.

You know the old saying: if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it is probably a duck. The problem is some of us don’t know what one of those old ‘quackers’ looks like.

Ergo, I am offering a short tutorial on identifying the ‘ducks’ among us (Great. Another ‘ornithology’ lesson ?).

You can find dozens – literally dozens; makes me kind of sad about the ethics level in America – of posts talking about how to spot a quack. Skeptical OB gives a shortlist of six red flags that can be applied across the disciplines. They report quacks make claims of secret knowledge and giant conspiracies. They baffle with bullshit and claim they are so revolutionary they threaten the medical establishment. Claiming toxins in everything is a biggie. Also flattery. You have heard it. How you are doing such a great thing and blazing the path for others? Yeah, that one.

There are also posts talking about how to spot quacks in more specific areas. Quackwatch.com has a list of 26 ways to spot vitamin pushers.

Some financial ways of identifying quacks are listed by USA Today. Reputable doctors do not ask for deposits or cash up front. Potential quacks offer the most amazing – and expensive! – treatment first and don’t even bother attempting other treatments. Not covered by insurance? Be suspicious and ask lots of questions.

To support some of the points in the Skeptical OB post, USA Today points out science is pretty much a team sport and very few people make discoveries all by themselves in their garages anymore. Things are just too complicated and too expensive these days.

The idea of the dashing, undaunted, brilliant rogue doing his research alone at night (I just flashed on Dr. Frankenstein here; sorry.) is romantic but obsolete.

Testimonials are great at funerals and ‘roasts’ but anyone who has had to write a recommendation knows such things are easily slanted and misinterpreted. I am stopping short of accusing anyone of outright lies or psychotic delusions, but if all the treatment has to back it is testimonials? Put away the credit card and leave.

The problem – or one of the problems, I should say – with quacks is they go after the vulnerable. Sleazy sons of sea crooks. Are some of us desperate? Absolutely. We don’t want to believe medicine is not yet in a position to help us.

USA Today suggested one of the things I have been harping about now for months: sign up for a clinical trial. Even though ‘mine’ have been stalled for months and driving me insane, mainstream research is where the action – and the hope – is.

Minimally go for a second opinion before you commit to any treatment, but especially if it looks a little murky based on some of the red flags we have talked about. If your treatment provider tries to discourage you, he might be hiding something (like he’s a quack, for example!)

Thus endeth the lesson on ‘foul’ identification?

Be safe out there.

written April 14th, 2017

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