In another conversation, it became clear to me that many skeptics don't know the actual history of @NIH_NCCIH . Some seem to think that it was meant as a place to rigorously study alternative medicine claims. Let me disabuse everyone of that idea. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/true-evolution-integrative-medicine/ … 1/
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Not coincidentally, the NIH director has much less control over full centers than over offices. The
@NIH_NCCIH director in essence answers more to the advisory council than he does to the NIH director. 12/Show this thread -
By NCCAM's charter half the members of this advisory council must be from alternative/CAM/integrative medicine practitioners and experts. In other words, they must be true believers in integrative medicine. 13/
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In 2014, NCCAM was renamed
@NIH_NCCIH , finally getting the word "alternative" out of its name. I speculated at the time that it was a retirement gift to Sen. Harkin, who had decided not to run for reelection that year. 14/Show this thread -
Sure,
@NIH_NCCIH publishes five year strategic plans that sound science-y, but I summarize them as, "Let's do some real science for a change!" Nothing ever changes. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/nccih-strategic-plan-2016-2021-or-lets-try-to-do-some-real-science-for-a-change/ … 15/Show this thread -
Most recently,
@NIH_NCCIH has latched on to the opioid crisis as a raison d'être, the idea being that, now, more than ever nonpharmacological approaches to pain management are needed. 16/Show this thread -
In essence,
@NIH_NCCIH is trying to claim the brand of "nonpharmacological management of pain" as solely its bailiwick, damn the crappy evidence it uses. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/an-overhyped-review-of-cam-for-chronic-pain-by-the-nccih-and-mayo-clinic-dont-put-away-your-opioids-just-yet/ … 17/Show this thread -
When Josephine Briggs stepped down as
@NIH_NCCIH director last year, a naturopath, Wendy Weber, ascended to the post of acting deputy director. She could well become permanent. 18/ https://nccih.nih.gov/bout/staff/weber …Show this thread -
The
@NIH_NCCIH Director, Division of Extramural Activities is currently a chiropractor named Partap S. Khalsa. 19/ https://nccih.nih.gov/about/staff/pkhalsa …Show this thread -
To sum it up, it is incorrect to think that the purpose of
@NIH_NCCIH was ever rigorous investigation of alternative medicine treatments. Its true purpose, expressed by Sen. Harkin at the very beginning, was to provide a scientific justification for quackery. 20/Show this thread -
Don't believe me? Listen to Harkin himself: "One of the purposes of this center was to investigate and validate alternative approaches. Quite frankly, I must say publicly that it has fallen short..." https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/senator-tom-harkin-disappointed-that-nccam-hasnt-validated-more-cam/ … 21/
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"... It think quite frankly that in this center and in the office previously before it, most of its focus has been on disproving things rather than seeking out and approving." Gee, Sen. Harkin. You say that as though it were a BAD thing. 22/
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Basically, validating quackery was Harkin's vision for
@NIH_NCCIH. It was ALWAYS Harkin's vision for@NIH_NCCIH, RIGHT from the very beginning. 23/Show this thread -
directors might try to enforce scientific standards, but they are swimming upstream, fighting an institutional structure designed to promote quackery. That is the reality. 24/24
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Forgot to mention: A chiropractor is in charge of deciding where NCCIH grant money goes. 24a/24 and now the end for real.
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OK, I lied. I forgot to mention that
@NIH_NCCIH's longtime patron Tom Harkin is also a huge booster of Herbalife. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/congress-will-soon-lose-its-foremost-supporter-of-quackery/ … OK, NOW I really am done. 24b/24 THE REAL END.Show this thread
End of conversation
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