Hermes says the potential shortcomings of conventional medicine are seldom acknowledged as a motivation for people to seek out alternatives. And sceptics and the scientific community often focus only on debunking quack remedies rather than trying to understand why people seek alternatives in the first place.
Hermes thinks her poacher-turned-gamekeeper perspective explains the popularity of her writing, among both sceptics and people interested or working in naturopathy. “A lot of people like me – or like who I used to be – can look at my profile and sympathise,” she says. Her blog offers a mixture of personal insights (“It is surprisingly easy to sell snake-oil. I know, because I’ve done it.&rdquo and warnings about the potential dangers of alternative therapies. “Don’t let a naturopath near your vagina,” warns a recent post about the dangers of a herb-based paste called “black salve” that has been promoted as a treatment for HPV infections.
I recently had a friend post on Facebook her father-in-law had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
There was a responce from a Chiropracter that reccomened Gerson Therapy. Every report I have read on Gerson indicates little or no efficacy, Of course there is the placebo effect.
Another friend with a rare cancer opted for several years of Coffee Enemas and a special diet. She was in her 20's, and they took down her web site and Facebook pages when she died.
Yes, this is/was snake oil, IMHO.