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Derek G. Pocock wrote: > > >Sorry Dianne, I'm not a skeptic at all. I don't BELIEVE in "universal > >cure-alls" any more than I do in "snake oil!" I worked in the online industry > >for over 7 years. I had people like you logging onto the Medical BBSes I ran > >all the > >time, giving almost word-for-word duplicate sales pitches as you're > >making....."Just because, out of the goodness of their hearts, <PUL-eeeeeeze!> > >they happen to have 'personally' found a product that helps them, or an > >alleged relative or friend." Being in the position I am in on The Micorsoft > >Network, I see still MORE of these hucksters every day! AND I've seen every > >imaginable type of pyramid scheme that's come down the pike during this time. > > > >I've heard ALL tfhe excuses that a "universal cure-all" salesperson could ever > >dream up to use to sell their products and their pyramid schemes to those who > >suffer from the many terrible diseases out there such as WE here on the > >Parkinson's List are forced to endure. > > > >You're in BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY OFF THE CHRONICALLY ILL, and that's the ONLY > >reason you're pitching your products here. You're hawking "universial > >cure-alls" here, because you're playing off the desparation of those who are > >so afraid and so sick. > > > >I've emailed the list owner to inform her that a "universal cure-all" and > >pyramid scheme salesperson is using her list to pitch for sales. And, if this > >were my own system, you'd be out of here so fast your head would spin! > > > >Barbara K. Mallut > >[log in to unmask] > > Well done Barbara, perhaps a little over the top, but you said what needed > to be said. I never ceased to be amazed though at the gullibilty of some > people who fall for these pitches. If these things worked, the medical > profession would use them, they don't and for good reason.My wife has PD and > I have a renal transplant and long ago discovered that we have to learn to > trust our physicians, but bear in mind that they are human too, so it is > also up to us to be well informed about our particular health problems and > this list helps to do that. Keep up the good work. > Derek Pocock > [log in to unmask] DEREK I agree. One thing that has impressed me about this list is how poorly "snake oil" sells. Last year there were inquiries about a clinic in suburban Chicago and it took less than a week for the word to get out to stay away from their pseudoscience(& I believe it was run by MD's). That and recent exchanges reinforce my belief that given enough information- regardless of the charletons that try to capture a market - no matter how desperate we are (and PD is an illness that at times makes all of us feel desperate) reason and logic wins out. Physicians by far don't have a monopoly on the truth. (I play the roles of both MD and PD patient). But, good science is what is going to eventually going to beat this disease. Last week there were a number of people who were ready to start a potentially dangerous drug (cyclosporin) on the basis of test tube results. Cyclosporin needs to be tested before we all start taking it and perhaps some loose renal function and get no benefit. Some illnesses like depression (with antidepressants) are very treatable. Science has that illness largely under control. Others like PD still have a long way to go. If you are feeling like you are willing to try almost anything skip the snake oil and volunteer to be a subject in a controled medical study. You may or may not be helped but the data gathered will help us all. Snake oil doesn't even help the snakes (Except the ones that are selling it). Time to get off my box of snake oil. Some politician may need it before the election tomorrow. Charlie Charles T. Meyer, MD