I've got cancer. Give me some ginseng and stick some needles in my meridians to free up my qi.

Are you disillusioned with the medical care you've been receiving? Do you feel like your doctor doesn't spend enough time listening to you and herds you through the office like cattle? Do you feel like all they want to do is throw prescription medications at you, treating the symptoms but not the cause?

If so, are you turning to alternative forms of medical care? Instead of prescription medications, do you turn to herbal supplements; instead of physical therapy, surgery, and/or anti-inflammatory meds, do you turn to acupuncture, homeopathy, or chiropractic?

If so, this book is for you (but not for the reasons you might think.)

Because of the public's disillusionment with modern medical care, and because of the suspicion that surrounds "Big Pharma", more and more people are turning to alternative medicine, which promises drug- and surgery-free options, lower costs, and more personal attention from the provider. Sounds great, doesn't it?

There's a catch, however. Almost none of the therapies work, and some can be harmful and/or may cause the patient to postpone legitimate medical treatment, worsening the intitial problem. Despite testimonials and anecdotes from satisfied customers, rigorous medical trials show that almost all alternative medical therapies or medications have no more than a placebo effect.

This book is important for the scientist and lay person alike. The author goes into detail what constitutes a valid medical trial, what the placebo effect is and how it is proposed to work, and then reviews much of the current research in several areas of alternative medicine. It is an eye-opener, but alas, alt med will continue to grow. Lack of FDA regulation (anyone can put anything in a bottle and label it as a supplement without having to demonstrate efficacy), great marketing, and a willing and unsuspecting public will guarantee their future success.

Arm yourself with the knowledge to make informed medical choices for yourself and your family. Read this book.

10/10