Pseudoscience Paper
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The Impact of Pseudoscience on Consumers Pseudoscience is known by many as false science. Many consumers are convinced by companies that sells these products provide instant cures that lead to a healthier lifestyle. These products are scientific theories that have little evidence to back up their scientific claims. The Internet, health food stores, magazines, and commercials are just a few ways that companies can target potential consumers to sell their products. Medical information searched by consumers via the Internet has become the largest source of information worldwide. Consumers search the Internet for weight loss strategies, treatments for autism, anti-aging creams, male enhancement, and prevention of cancer and heart disease. Online sites such as WebMD, MayoClinic, and Medline Plus offers factual medical information to consumers looking for health-related advice. There are also many sites with misleading ads to attempt the consumer to purchase medications for their health problems. These products have outrageous claims, but no scientific tests were conducted to prove that any of the ingredients would produce the claimed effects. Internet pseudoscience can cause consumers to enter a worldwide web of misleading information and even undermine their own health if their not careful when searching for health related issues. The advertising of nonprescription drugs, foods, and dietary supplements are under The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) jurisdiction. According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), manufacturers of dietary supplements are responsible for providing consumers with a safe dietary supplement or ingredient before the marketing process occurs. When companies run false ads claiming a supplement can cure or prevent a
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life-threatening illness without FDA approval, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must take action against any unsafe supplements after the products enters the market. Health
The Impact of Pseudoscience on Consumers Pseudoscience is known by many as false science. Many consumers are convinced by companies that sells these products provide instant cures that lead to a healthier lifestyle. These products are scientific theories that have little evidence to back up their scientific claims. The Internet, health food stores, magazines, and commercials are just a few ways that companies can target potential consumers to sell their products. Medical information searched by consumers via the Internet has become the largest source of information worldwide. Consumers search the Internet for weight loss strategies, treatments for autism, anti-aging creams, male enhancement, and prevention of cancer and heart disease. Online sites such as WebMD, MayoClinic, and Medline Plus offers factual medical information to consumers looking for health-related advice. There are also many sites with misleading ads to attempt the consumer to purchase medications for their health problems. These products have outrageous claims, but no scientific tests were conducted to prove that any of the ingredients would produce the claimed effects. Internet pseudoscience can cause consumers to enter a worldwide web of misleading information and even undermine their own health if their not careful when searching for health related issues. The advertising of nonprescription drugs, foods, and dietary supplements are under The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) jurisdiction. According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), manufacturers of dietary supplements are responsible for providing consumers with a safe dietary supplement or ingredient before the marketing process occurs. When companies run false ads claiming a supplement can cure or prevent a
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life-threatening illness without FDA approval, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must take action against any unsafe supplements after the products enters the market. Health
Cited: Davis, Jeanie L. “When Good Science Goes Bad” Online Posting. 12 Dec 2000. WebMD website. 08 Sept. 2011 Federal Trade Commission “Marketers of Vitamin O Settles FTC Charges of Making False Health Claims” Online Publication. 01 May 2000. FTC website. 08 Sept 2011 Tsouderos, Trine “Avoiding Internet Pseudoscience” Online Posting. 19 Apr 2011 Chicago Tribune