“(Un)Well:” Netflix’s documentary series neglects science (alt medicine theories)

[C C]

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/unwell-...s-science/

INTRO (Harriet Hall): Netflix recently produced a reprehensible documentary series on “The Goop Lab”. It amounted to an advertisement for Gwyneth Paltrow’s unscientific approach to wellness and a paean to gullibility. It takes on psychedelic mushrooms, breathing techniques to develop cold tolerance, achieving orgasm, anti-aging claims, energy healing, and intuition (including communicating with the dead). All are presented in a “gee whiz” fashion with no discussion of actual evidence and no input from skeptics.

When I heard that another new Netflix documentary, (Un)Well would feature both pros and cons for various alternative medicine modalities, I hoped for something more balanced. As I watched it, my hopes were promptly crushed. I’m sure they meant well, and they made an effort to follow the journalistic mantra of fairly presenting both sides of controversial issues, but they failed miserably.

[...] The “evidence” for health and healing is purely anecdotal, presented by credulous patients and practitioners, often charismatic individuals whose beliefs are presented through emotional stories that tug at the heartstrings. These hopeful stories alternate with more sober statements by experts saying that the evidence for effectiveness just isn’t there and the treatments are often harmful, but these segments are shorter and mostly presented by less charismatic individuals. I think the average viewer is likely to remember the enthusiasm of the believers, discount the warnings, and want to try the treatment for themselves, “just in case”.

[...] they took on these topics: Essential oils; Tantric sex; Adults drinking breast milk; Fasting; Ayahuasca; Bee sting therapy. I find their selection of topics irrational and bizarre. I can’t help but wonder how they chose them. In the first place, is there really a controversy between anecdotal reports and rigorous scientific studies? If so, it’s only in the public imagination. ... I’m going to cover Episode 1 on essential oils in detail to give you a feel for their approach, and then I will offer briefer comments on the other five episodes... (MORE - details)

[Zinjanthropos]

Big Pharma execs doing a lot better than Young. See ads for certain drugs that mention a list of side effects. It’s so long they need to hire an announcer who can speak a mile a minute just to squeeze them in the allotted commercial time. And these drugs are legit, passed FDA trials etc. They must be so harmful that Big Pharma can’t get doctors to honestly recommend them to patients. The suckers who buy will make up for what should have been a lost investment. 

I listen to my doc. Then again I wouldn’t really know if she’s full of bs. How gullible am I? When my life is on the line, I’m kind of inclined to do what she says. I always think the docs are doing what they can to prolong my life so I’m listening. 

Eventually snake oil flavours change. Although I hear bloodletting still practiced. I was once told to come in monthly to give blood to reduce my iron content. This based on bloodwork test showing I had high ferritin levels. Turns out that my actual iron count was normal and the ferritin is just something my body produces....and I feel fine. Hope doc knows his stuff.....I have to trust him, right?

[C C]

Big Pharma execs doing a lot better than Young. See ads for certain drugs that mention a list of side effects. It’s so long they need to hire an announcer who can speak a mile a minute just to squeeze them in the allotted commercial time. And these drugs are legit, passed FDA trials etc. They must be so harmful that Big Pharma can’t get doctors to honestly recommend them to patients. The suckers who buy will make up for what should have been a lost investment. 

I listen to my doc. Then again I wouldn’t really know if she’s full of bs. How gullible am I? When my life is on the line, I’m kind of inclined to do what she says. I always think the docs are doing what they can to prolong my life so I’m listening. 

Eventually snake oil flavours change. Although I hear bloodletting still practiced. I was once told to come in monthly to give blood to reduce my iron content. This based on bloodwork test showing I had high ferritin levels. Turns out that my actual iron count was normal and the ferritin is just something my body produces....and I feel fine. Hope doc knows his stuff.....I have to trust him, right?

Definitely for severe injury or illness, but otherwise can't (without fibbing) exactly say you're preaching to the choir here with regard to personally depending upon the doc and his/her approved potions. Since my contact with the medical establishment and drugmakers over the years has largely consisted of me having irregularly served as a mediator or chaperone for other family members. Rather than being a steady client myself. Except for one particular domain that doesn't have anything to do with treating illness and abnormal conditions, I probably haven't taken a medication specifically prescribed to me since I was a teen.

On the rare occasion where I get sick enough that I should see a doctor (but still not at death's doorstep), I resort to items and methods which I'm sure Harriet herself would consider the deepest quackery, but which are usually successful. However, I don't believe that what I've customized for me can safely and effectively be generalized to the rest of the population. That's why I endorse the doctors, experts, and pharmaceutical empire's elixirs. There just ain't no way to sift through, meticulously inspect, sort Rembrandt from fraud, and standardize the chaos transpiring in the opportunistic and exploitive alternative health industry.

[confused2]

I inherited my grandfather's bottle of Antigrip (not the same stuff by same name now). One sip and you were about ready to jump over a horse [regardless of any pre-existing condition]. Two sips and .. I never took two sips.

[Secular Sanity]

I listen to my doc. Then again I wouldn’t really know if she’s full of bs. How gullible am I? When my life is on the line, I’m kind of inclined to do what she says. I always think the docs are doing what they can to prolong my life so I’m listening. 

Eventually snake oil flavours change. Although I hear bloodletting still practiced. I was once told to come in monthly to give blood to reduce my iron content. This based on bloodwork test showing I had high ferritin levels. Turns out that my actual iron count was normal and the ferritin is just something my body produces....and I feel fine. Hope doc knows his stuff.....I have to trust him, right?

Is your doctor a he or she?