Introduction
The name of the author, Paul Offit, is fairly popular in autism communities. He spent significant time disproving the concept that autism is caused by vaccination. He works as Chief of Infectious Diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is also a co-inventor of a vaccine that guards newborns against rotavirus. A number of books have been written by him, including one that discusses autism, known as “Autism’s False Prophets,” and there’s also one on the anti-vaccine movement, which consists of great segments on autism, namely “Deadly Choices, How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All.” His new book “Do You Believe in Magic? The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine” talks about the increasing use of alternative medicines and their adverse effects on health.
The book “Do You Believe in Magic?” was written by the medical specialist Paul A. Offit. It provides a contemptuous exposure of the alternative medicine industry and reveals how certain famous treatments are significantly useful because of the palliative reaction, while most of them are costly, ineffective, and even fatal. The doctor and author of the book is convinced that alternative medicine can really be fatal and dangerous to our health. This unregulated industry neither proves its assertions nor accepts the risks. Offit draws a fine line between sensibility and nonsense using dramatic and true-life stories. He shows why any treatment, whether alternative or conventional, should be inspected. He is also of the opinion that some nonconventional techniques can be advantageous, in certain situations exceeding treatments and therapies provided by traditional practitioners. Dr. Offit is straightforward enough in his stance and says, “There’s no such thing as alternative medicine. There’s only medicine that works and medicine that doesn’t.”
Summary
“Do You Believe in Magic?” presents both sides of the story. It gives the pros and cons of alternative medicines. He starts by exemplifying the advantages of using alternative medicine. For instance, in his book he presented the success stories of different supplement practitioners such as faux cancer therapist Stanislaw Burzynski and chelationist Rashid Buttar. He also says that any substance or technique from old traditions must be advantageous, and natural things are good for health. Dr. Offit presents the claims regarding alternative medicine as true, but as soon as he starts going over the opposite side, one gets the whole image. The subject of vitamins has been emphasized a lot in the book and also by the media. The author remarks how the industry got support and encouragement from legislation that overlooked its harmful consequences. The book convinces us that people who take supplements tend to live shorter lives than those with the same condition who do not take supplements (Offit).
Dr. Offit makes an in-depth analysis of the alternative medicine industry and those who support it. It is quite evident from the title of the book that it contains serious criticisms regarding vitamins, supplements, and herbal treatments. He states, “Treatments for illness or for prevention of illness are either proven through clinical studies or they are not.” Or it can be stated that the notion of alternative medicine does not have any significance; either it is medicine or it is not. Also being a marvelous storyteller, Dr. Offit exposes certain fables regarding alternative medicine in a highly comprehensible manner. He opines about the ineffectiveness of these so-called medicines and, according to him, the great issue lies in the fact that they are measured differently from drugs.
All types of claims can be made by these supplements which are not permitted in the case of drugs. This difference was imposed on the regulators by a compliant Congress in order to permit national regulation. Dr. Offit takes on celebrity endorsers who are always supporting these alternatives. One of the most beloved and recognized television physicians, Dr. Oz, was the target of Dr. Offit’s criticism for advertising alternatives without clinical evidence. According to Dr. Offit, celebrities are great people for making sales and claims without any proof. These supplements are, in fact, dangerous for one’s health, as stated by Dr. Offit. The extra dosage of vitamins becomes the cause of disease. Though they are present on the shelves of a GNC store, it doesn’t mean they are safe for intake. Most of these supplements consist of contents and ingredients similar to those present in prescription drugs, but without confirmation of the dosage or purity of the contents. The celebrities who discourage vaccinations are most criticized by Dr. Offit. Not recognized for her medical history, Jenny McCarthy came up with a decision that autism is caused by vaccines. She also started a campaign to make parents aware of the harmful effects of vaccines.
Hence, avoidance of some common vaccines took place, due to which there has been a resurgence of instances of childhood diseases. There’s no proof that autism is an outcome of vaccination, but that does not discourage the celebrity inclination toward alternative cures. Apart from the harmful effects of the supplementary treatments, Dr. Offit states one more disadvantage, which is the wastage of money. Some of these treatments include chondroitin for knee cartilage, mega doses of vitamin C for colds, and saw palmetto for prostates. Some that do work are folic acid for preventing birth defects, and calcium and vitamin D for healthy bones.
The author gives the answer to the question of why people rely on these alternative medicines, and the answer is the placebo effect. He argues that when people are told what these medicines can do, they take them and they work. Real cures can’t be replaced by the placebo effect. Dr. Offit also gives an instance of Steve Jobs, who was suffering from a controllable pancreatic cancer. He took supplements for a year, due to which his cancer spread and became inoperable.
Analysis
The analysis by Dr. Offit is well-researched and well-written. He convinces us that whatever medicines one takes must be clinically proven. His claims and stances are reasonable enough to support his pieces of evidence, but he neglects the use of alternative medicines. We have advanced technology that helps us identify the reality of things and recognize the effectiveness of any medicine or treatment. So why do people not use these methods to become aware of the true contents of food or medicine being ingested? The author sensibly questions the experts as to why these alternative medicines are viewed as medicines at all. His opinion is justified that there is no sense in the term ‘alternative medicines.’ Medicine is either medicine or it’s not. Anything that provides a cure and does not damage one’s health is a medicine; otherwise, it’s not.
We know that all medical treatments are for the purpose of establishing physical transformations that can be accurately measured, such as lowering temperature or fever, bringing about weight gain or loss, shrinking tumors, etc. But there’s a factor of ‘feeling better’ which is dealt with by alternative medicines since the whole treatment didn’t succeed or was not completed. Research on alternative medicines or treatments must not be based upon the differences between alternatives and conventional methods, but it must focus on the pros and cons of the treatments being applied. Otherwise, we are risking “believing in magic.”
Conclusion
Offit is not against the cure or healing of people through alternative treatments. Rather, he is of the opinion that suffering should not be the reason to abandon science. He says that when any treatment or medicine is not proven to work effectively, its usage must be stopped. A theory is discarded when rejected repeatedly. On the other hand, natural remedies such as those taken from foxglove (digitalis) or willow leaves (aspirin) are actually effective and should be recommended. Offit says, “There’s a name for alternative medicines that work, it is called medicine.”
The book is highly recommendable for those in search of the reality of alternative medicines and treatments. Apart from the truth it offers, it also points out the significance of researching and examining the reality of the things we consume. The book serves the purpose of spreading awareness among people in society regarding their health and the issues related to it. We are always advised to take medicines with the consent of doctors, but doctors who permit the use of alternative treatments must also provide us with clinical evidence about those treatments or medicines. The book advises that we should not risk our health by believing in the magic of these alternative medicines. Rather, we should open our eyes to the truth and reality so that we don’t suffer further health damage. The author opens up two ways for us to choose. He describes both positive and negative aspects of ingesting alternative medicines and applying alternative techniques. It’s now up to the people to decide.
Works Cited
Offit, Paul A. Do you believe in magic? The sense and nonsense of alternative medicine. Harper Collins, 2013.
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