To make educated decisions about a treatment, it is necessary to go beyond testimonials and promises. You have to understand what the unproven method is all about, the concepts on which it is based and what its track record is.
A legitimate treatment method meets the following standards. A dubious or questionable treatment does not meet any of them.
• The method was studied scientifically and shown to be more effective than no treatment at all.
• The benefits of the method clearly exceed any harm it might do.
• Studies of the method have been properly conducted. That is, an appropriate research design has been used, the
studies have been subject to review by others knowledgeable in the field and a human studies committee has
given the study its approval.
If you have any doubt about a therapy, examine it critically against these three standards. Check the brochure or any other available literature to see if the method was studied and found to be better than nothing. The brochure will certainly note the "benefits" of the method, but you will have to look for or ask about any problems.
The third point is the easiest to determine. Legitimate treatment methods are always evaluated with the participation of other scientists. They are always reviewed and approved by a human subjects committee in an established, reputable medical institution.
