How A Former Naturopath Can Help Unravel The Trickery of Alternative Medicine

Just a few years ago, I was a practicing naturopathic doctor. I considered myself to be a primary care physician who had been trained in the best of two worlds: supposedly, one was modern medicine and the other was a mixture of alternative practices based in “ancient wisdom.”

I went to naturopathic school at Bastyr University where my proclivity to think that natural medicine could greatly improve upon conventional medicine developed into a fully fledged naturalistic way of life. It is not unfair to say that my fellow classmates and I were brainwashed. We believed that we were being trained just like medical doctors but with the added bonus of learning the secret knowledge of harnessing the healing power of nature, which could somehow supersede science. I am already having flashbacks to my homeopathy classes.

By many societal measures, I was a doctor. I held a DEA number, so when I called in prescriptions to pharmacies I seemed just like other authorized practitioners. In some cases, I could bill my services to insurance companies and state health care programs. To many, the “ND” after my name appeared as a legitimate medical degree. My patients, family, and friends called me “Doctor Britt.”

I got to that point, it seems, because naturopaths aggressively lobby for laws to issue them medical licenses. I would characterize this political effort as a perverted redefinition of the words “physician,” “doctor,” “medical school,” and “residency” in order to mask the inadequacy of the training provided in naturopathic programs. ND students do not realize that they are taking educational shortcuts and therefore do not possess any demonstrable competencies found in modern medicine. Instead, NDs go on to make money by fooling themselves that they are legitimate doctors, while not taking a moment to question the validity of their methods, even in the face of criticism levied by the scientific community. I didn’t realize that this sort of parochialism is a defining feature of my former profession until I unexpectedly found myself in a nerve-rattling situation.

While in practice in Tucson, Arizona, I discovered that my former boss, a licensed naturopathic doctor, had been importing and administering a non-FDA approved drug to cancer patients, many of whom were terminally ill. I had been helping him give various intravenous injections and drips to many of his patients because his schedule was busy. It turned out that under his orders I had unwittingly administered this drug to several patients.

The same day I resigned from my practice, I received a call from a close mentor, who happened to be a former president of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. This friend tried to convince me I should ignore the advice I had received from my newly hired lawyer to report my boss’s criminal activity to the regulatory board and state attorney general. His words suggested that ethical and legal transgressions, like the one before me, were prevalent in the naturopathic community and tolerated due to the special kind of medicine we were practicing.

Indeed, his assessment was correct. When I started to look at licensed naturopaths across North America, I found appalling examples of professional misconduct and unethical treatments advertised online or discussed favorably on social media communities. I eventually learned that the drug my former boss was importing, named ukrain, had a sordid history at the hands of charlatan chemist in Austria, who is now facing criminal charges of commercial fraud. My boss ended up with a token punishment of a warning letter. His errant behavior was not egregious enough for the authorities to revoke or suspend his license, levy a fine, or require him to return the tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars he billed patients. I had to extradite myself from naturopathy. I had to speak out against this profession.

It is true, I am a bit bitter about being duped into thinking I was a real doctor. I borrowed over $250,000 in federal loans for a fake medical education, which, by the way, is how much one can borrow to pay for real medical school.

Now that I am largely past the heartache of losing friends, a livelihood, and a quarter of a million dollars, I am trying to be grateful for my scientific rehabilitation. My accidental involvement in my former boss's reprehensible activity and being urged to turn a blind eye led me to re-evaluate my belief system. Prior to this seminal moment, I was skilled at ignoring information that I did not agree with. Today, I can no longer disregard the inconvenient fact that I was a quack.

I am currently completing a Master of Science program in biomedicine, while trying to understand my journey into, and out of, magical ways of thinking. Along the way, I am exploring why I have a (surprisingly persistent) bias toward naturalistic philosophies, how to think critically, and what can be done to educate the public to prevent mistakes resembling mine or those of my former patients who only wanted to be treated by a doctor like me.

Science 2.0 offers a great platform to raise awareness of the corruption of the scientific enterprise and epidemic of deluding social currents towards magical ways of thinking. For example, I often wonder how the authors of research studies feel about their work being used by alternative medical practitioners to sell patients on dubious diagnoses and treatments. I plan to find out and write about it here, among other issues relating to the interface of quackery with scientific institutions. Having been one of these practitioners myself, I have a unique perspective to help unravel these pseudoscientific transactions.

Starting over is hard but not impossible. I’ll take the challenging work of a science-based career any day over a life acting as a fake doctor. I hope you will join me as I continue to engage with the world of science now that I am out of the rabbit hole.



http://www.science20.com/britt_marie_hermes/blog/how_a_former_naturopath_can_help_unravel_the_trickery_of_alternative_medicine-175036

You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

eddie wrote:You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

Interesting, yet just another disenchanted huckster's éclairissement about his career path - the reasoning that he chose it - the methods that he used {while he clearly had other options but ignored them} and now he's writing his generalized opinion about the entire industry

Clipped from the article > Now that I am largely past the heartache of losing friends, a livelihood, and a quarter of a million dollars, I am trying to be grateful for my scientific rehabilitation. My accidental involvement in my former boss's reprehensible activity and being urged to turn a blind eye led me to re-evaluate my belief system. Prior to this seminal moment, I was skilled at ignoring information that I did not agree with. Today, I can no longer disregard the inconvenient fact that I was a quack.

I wish I had a .25¢ piece for every medical professional 'QUACK' that was able to slide their way through: med school/physiology/phycology courses/dental school/chiropractic course and ended up with a degree giving them the award to practice on humans and then just screw them over and abuse the privilege! 

Even with holistic healers, there isn't a 'solid gold guarantee' that you won't get some cretin using their 'certificate to swindle/abuse/and in general just screw you over ...we all have to be pro-active and very AWARE!

Absolutely agree 4ever.
Question everything. I keep saying it.

eddie wrote:You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

Actually he posted up some interesting views which I then research the other side

You though did what you claimed of me

That shows its you that dimisss things out of hand, ebcause you are easily swayed by people eddie

Use your own head for once

4EVER2 wrote:

eddie wrote:You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

Interesting, yet just another disenchanted huckster's éclairissement about his career path - the reasoning that he chose it - the methods that he used {while he clearly had other options but ignored them} and now he's writing his generalized opinion about the entire industry

Clipped from the article > Now that I am largely past the heartache of losing friends, a livelihood, and a quarter of a million dollars, I am trying to be grateful for my scientific rehabilitation. My accidental involvement in my former boss's reprehensible activity and being urged to turn a blind eye led me to re-evaluate my belief system. Prior to this seminal moment, I was skilled at ignoring information that I did not agree with. Today, I can no longer disregard the inconvenient fact that I was a quack.

I wish I had a .25¢ piece for every medical professional 'QUACK' that was able to slide their way through: med school/physiology/phycology courses/dental school/chiropractic course and ended up with a degree giving them the award to practice on humans and then just screw them over and abuse the privilege! 

Even with holistic healers, there isn't a 'solid gold guarantee' that you won't get some cretin using their 'certificate to swindle/abuse/and in general just screw you over ...we all have to be pro-active and very AWARE!

So you could not take on the points but instead tried to character assassinate him

This seems to be the left wing trait

Which do you know who master this technic against the Jews


Yep the nazi's and we constantly see the left use the same methodology

Didge wrote:

4EVER2 wrote:
Interesting, yet just another disenchanted huckster's éclairissement about his career path - the reasoning that he chose it - the methods that he used {while he clearly had other options but ignored them} and now he's writing his generalized opinion about the entire industry

I wish I had a .25¢ piece for every medical professional 'QUACK' that was able to slide their way through: med school/physiology/phycology courses/dental school/chiropractic course and ended up with a degree giving them the award to practice on humans and then just screw them over and abuse the privilege! 

Even with holistic healers, there isn't a 'solid gold guarantee' that you won't get some cretin using their 'certificate to swindle/abuse/and in general just screw you over ...we all have to be pro-active and very AWARE!

So you could not take on the points but instead tried to character assassinate him

This seems to be the left wing trait

Which do you know who master this technic against the Jews
Yep the nazi's and we constantly see the left use the same methodology

You make a limp wrist attempt to shame Eddie into agreeing with your every mental dribble - this article wasn't written by you - even though you just keep providing links but never the actual author names/date or origin of publication = lame.  And then you assume a position of heighten umbrage as if this is all from your own hand - your own mental capacities and you own those words 

And now because you are never able to discuss ANY topic like an adult you've fallen back into your childish little boy 'hate them before they can hate me' attitude and have labeled me a 'Nazi - leftist - Jew hater' ...you are very pathetic and very LAME!

So now instead of character assassinating the writer of the article you have switched to me in such deseration as i have pointed out you have posted up drivel and nothing to counter the points

I never once labelled you a Nazi, i stated quite clearly which shows you are utterly ignorant, that you use the same methodology. That does not mean the sme ideology.
You see this is why you are quite the thicky it seems
As do you understand what methodology means?

Take your time

I've got all the time in my world ...still waiting for your apology for your over the top hysteria and profound error about your own ranting WRONG attack at both Eddie & I ...I'm very patient and you are way past due on several of your promised apologies that were posted you'd say and yet never have!  Gee what does that make you?  Thank about it...there's plenty of time!

4EVER2 wrote:I've got all the time in my world ...still waiting for your apology for your over the top hysteria and profound error about your own ranting WRONG attack at both Eddie & I ...I'm very patient and you are way past due on several of your promised apologies that were posted you'd say and yet never have!  Gee what does that make you?  Thank about it...there's plenty of time!

Divert, deflect and cover up


So you have no idea what methodology means

So your claim on me calling you a nazi was wrong and now you cannot admit this simply because you are a thicky lol

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

Actually he posted up some interesting views which I then research the other side

You though did what you claimed of me

That shows its you that dimisss things out of hand, ebcause you are easily swayed by people eddie

Use your own head for once

I'm easily swayed? Are you kidding? I believe half of what I'm told but half of the people who tell it.

You're not listening to me Didge: I don't buy into alternative truths and I don't NOT buy into them either. I remain open.
I listen to mainstream media and to alternative truths and if something makes sense I say "That makes sense", if it doesn't make sense, I question it.

Sometimes my questions find answers from either side and oftentimes, they don't find any answers I'm happy with.
So I remain neutral.

eddie wrote:

Didge wrote:


Actually he posted up some interesting views which I then research the other side

You though did what you claimed of me

That shows its you that dimisss things out of hand, ebcause you are easily swayed by people eddie

Use your own head for once

I'm easily swayed? Are you kidding? I believe half of what I'm told but half of the people who tell it.

You're not listening to me Didge: I don't buy into alternative truths and I don't NOT buy into them either. I remain open.
I listen to mainstream media and to alternative truths  and if something makes sense I say "That makes sense", if it doesn't make sense, I question it.

Sometimes my questions find answers from either side and oftentimes, they don't find any answers I'm happy with.
So I remain neutral.

No i simply do not listen to you eddie on matters like this because you are gullible and very gullible at that.
You buy into crackpot views and never even bother to research them and hence why i simply will not take you seriously on such matters.
Other things no problem, but on this I just sigh and shake my head in disgust

eddie wrote:
You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

YOU really don't have a clue about health and medical matters, do you !

Where was it again that you got your medical degree from, eddie ?

You are not only a disgrace as a human being, but a genuine danger to society..        

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

eddie wrote:
You believe him because he says what you want to hear.
When he was saying the opposite you'd have dismissed him

I think each person can find what works for them.

YOU really don't have a clue about health and medical matters, do you !

Where was it again that you got uour medical degree from, eddie ?

You are not only a disgrace as a human being, but a genuine danger to society..        

Spot on medically wise

I agree and would not place my trust in someone medically wise who has zero knowledge on the matter

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

eddie wrote:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelastic_seizure

Why does that link take me to your lizard man account?

Weird.