INFORMATION THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE:

KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QUACKERY AND ADVANCED NATURAL MEDICINE

For patients struggling with disease, choosing the right care options and the right practitioners can be a daunting task.

For those patients who elect to incorporate natural therapies into their treatment plan, they face an even more difficult task. The world of natural therapies is varied and diverse. There are big disparities in the field, which includes practitioners and facilities that use research-based treatments, ethical practices, proper standards of care, and those that do not. Patients have been harmed by therapies that are neither safe nor effective, and by practitioners who do not administer treatments correctly. Unfortunately, the terms “natural,” “integrative,” “complementary,” or “alternative” medicine have been used by some to sell worthless or harmful products and treatments to unsuspecting patients with disastrous results. In the worst cases, critically ill patients have wasted too much time on ineffective products or treatments and have lost their lives. The effect has been to scare people away from natural treatment options altogether, or to create a misconception in the public that all such treatments fall under the heading of “quackery.”

Envita has worked in the area of natural treatments for almost a decade, and we are well aware of the dangers that face patients seeking natural care. Knowledge about what to look for when selecting natural therapies or a natural practitioner is vital to obtaining safe and effective care. We have created this red flags section to help patients distinguish the good from the bad.

Patients should AVOID the following:

Practitioners or health-care facilities that use natural therapies without the oversight of an Institutional Review Board (IRB).  Institutional Review Boards ensure patient safety in accordance with the standards of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Any clinic or health care facility where your treatments are not administered by a registered nurse, medical assistant, licensed practitioner, or other licensed medical personnel.
Any practitioner or facility that encourages you to stop oncological treatments or proper medical care for an unproven therapy as a sole means of treatment.
Practitioners who insist you forego traditional forms of treatment altogether.
Practitioners or facilities that lack research and scientific support for the therapies they provide.  Make sure to research the treatments you are considering, or ask to read the scientific and peer-reviewed literature supporting them.
Practitioners who claim to be “naturopathic oncologists.”  This term can be deceiving, as naturopathic physicians are not licensed to prescribe oncological drugs.  You will still need to be under the care of a board certified medical oncologist as part of your cancer treatment plan.
Health care facilities or practitioners that don’t inform you ahead of time of the possible side effects or negative reactions to the treatments you will receive.
Practitioners or health care facilities who insist on keeping other physicians out of the loop of patient care or refuse to work with the other specialists or physicians you have selected.
Practitioners or health care facilities that claim to offer alternative, complementary, integrative, or natural therapies, but in actuality, only offer such activities as yoga, hypnosis, massage, meditation, juicing, or aromatherapy, as a part of their care options.   While these activities may be beneficial, they should be considered only as additional treatment options. 
Health care facilities that claim to offer alternative, complementary, integrative, or natural therapies, but their programs are limited to such things as supplements or healthy diet advice.  The world of natural medicine is so much more advanced than diet and vitamins.  Any health care facility that does not offer research-based therapies as part of its natural care options does not have a complete natural care program.
Health care facilities that claim to be integrative, but do not have practitioners from varied disciplinary backgrounds, including M.D.’s or D.O.’s, as part of their on-site staff.
Health care facilities that do not have standard operating procedures or protocols in place for administration of treatments and handling medical emergencies. 
Obtaining health care abroad where emergency care may be inadequate or dangerous.  Patients with advanced medical needs, such as those with cancer or chronic disease, often require periodic emergency treatment.  In countries such as Mexico and India, emergency care is not always on par with that available in the United States.
Products that claim to be cure-alls.  Whether it is advertised in newspapers and magazines or sold in health food stores or on the internet, no one product can completely cure any disease or condition. If the product claims it cures everything, you should view it as a red flag.
Self-care. It is important you take a proactive role in your treatment and health, but trying products out of desperation or curiosity can be dangerous.
Practitioners or health care facilities that use oral herbs, vitamins, or minerals as a sole means of treatment for cancer or chronic conditions.