List of diagnoses characterized as pseudoscience
There are many proposed diseases and diagnoses that are rejected by orthodox medicine consensus and are associated with pseudoscience.
Definition
Pseudoscientific diseases are not defined using objective criteria. They cannot achieve, and perhaps do not seek, medical recognition. Physics Professor Roy Coker claims that pseudoscience rejects empirical methodology.[1]
Other conditions may be rejected or contested by orthodox medicine, but are not necessarily associated with pseudoscience. Diagnostic criteria for some of these conditions may be vague, over-inclusive, or otherwise ill-defined. Although the evidence for the disease may be contested or lacking, however, the justification for these diagnoses is nevertheless empirical and therefore amenable to scientific investigation, at least in theory.
Examples of conditions that are not necessarily pseudoscientific include:
- Conditions determined to be somatic in nature, including mass psychogenic illnesses.
- Medicalized conditions that are not pathogenic in nature, such as aging, childbirth, pregnancy, sexual addiction, baldness, jet lag, and halitosis.[2]
- Conditions that are not widely recognized, about which there is an ongoing debate within the scientific and medical literature.
- Functional disorders are a set of conditions that cannot be explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities.[3] These raise challenges around diagnosis and treatment, with debate around whether they are psychogenic. They often present with non-specific symptoms that are consistent with multiple causes. Examples include fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis, and Gulf War syndrome.
List
- Adrenal fatigue or hypoadrenia is a pseudoscientific diagnosis described as a state in which the adrenal glands are exhausted and unable to produce adequate quantities of hormones, primarily the glucocorticoid cortisol, due to chronic stress or infections.[4] Adrenal fatigue should not be confused with a number of actual forms of adrenal dysfunction such as adrenal insufficiency or Addison's disease.[5] The term "adrenal fatigue", which was invented in 1998 by James Wilson, a chiropractor,[6] may be applied to a collection of mostly nonspecific symptoms.[4] There is no scientific evidence supporting the concept of adrenal fatigue and it is not recognized as a diagnosis by any scientific or medical community.[4][5] A systematic review found no evidence for the term adrenal fatigue, confirming the consensus among endocrinological societies that it is a myth.[7]
- Autistic enterocolitis is a nonexistent medical condition proposed in 1998 by now-discredited British gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield, who suggested a link between a number of common clinical symptoms and signs which he contended were distinctive to autism.[8] The existence of such an enterocolitis has been dismissed by experts as having "not been established".[9] Wakefield's fraudulent report, which was retracted in 2010, suppressed negative findings and used inadequate controls.[10][11] Multiple attempts to replicate his results have been unsuccessful.[12] Reviews in the medical literature have found no link between autism and bowel disease.[13][14][15]
- Candida hypersensitivity is the spuriously claimed chronic yeast infections responsible for many common disorders and non-specific symptoms, such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dizziness, muscle and joint pain, and asthma.[16][17] The notion has been strongly disabused by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.[18]
- Chronic Lyme disease is a generally rejected diagnosis that encompasses "a broad array of illnesses or symptom complexes for which there is no reproducible or convincing scientific evidence of any relationship to Borrelia burgdorferi infection."[19] This is different from Lyme Disease, which is not pseudoscientific. Despite numerous studies, there is no clinical evidence that "chronic" Lyme Disease is caused by a persistent infection.[20] It is distinct from post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, a set of lingering symptoms which may persist after successful treatment of infection with Lyme spirochetes. The symptoms of "chronic Lyme" are generic and non-specific "symptoms of life".[21]
- Electromagnetic hypersensitivity is a reported sensitivity to electric and magnetic fields or electromagnetic radiation of various frequencies at exposure levels well below established safety standards. Symptoms are inconsistent, but can include headache, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, as well as similar non-specific indications.[22] Provocation studies find that the discomfort of sufferers is unrelated to hidden sources of radiation,[23] and "no scientific basis currently exists for a connection between EHS and exposure to [electromagnetic fields]."[24][25]
- Leaky gut syndrome is an alleged condition caused by the passage of harmful substances outward through the gut wall. Alternative medicine proponents claim it is the cause of many conditions including multiple sclerosis and autism, a claim which has been called pseudoscientific.[26] According to the UK National Health Service, the theory is vague and unproven.[27] Some skeptics and scientists say that the marketing of treatments for leaky gut syndrome is either misguided or an instance of deliberate health fraud.[27]
- Morgellons is a self-diagnosed, unexplained skin condition in which individuals have sores that they believe contain some kind of fibers.[28][29][30] Morgellons is poorly characterized but the general medical consensus is that it is a form of delusional parasitosis.[31] An attempt to link Morgellons to the cause of Lyme disease has been attacked by Steven Salzberg as "dangerous pseudoscience".[32]
- Multiple chemical sensitivity[33][34] is an unrecognized controversial diagnosis characterized by chronic symptoms attributed to exposure to low levels of commonly used chemicals.[35][36][37] Symptoms are typically vague and non-specific. They may include fatigue, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
- Reward deficiency syndrome[38][39] is a term has been applied to a wide variety of addictive, obsessive and compulsive behaviors including substance and process addictions, personality and spectrum disorders.[40][41] There is no consistent evidence to validate any such syndrome.[42] "Reward deficiency syndrome" is not a medically recognized disorder:[43] The diagnostic validity of RDS has not been recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in its diagnostic manual, the DSM.
- Shoenfeld's syndrom, a hypothesised autoimmune disorder proposed by Israeli immunologist Yehuda Shoenfeld. There is a lack of reproducible evidence for this syndrom, refuting its existence.[44][45] In addition, supporting data from animal models are flawed.[46]
- "Vaccine overload", a non-medical term for the notion that giving many vaccines at once may overwhelm or weaken a child's immature immune system and lead to adverse effects,[47][48] is strongly contradicted by scientific evidence.[49]
- Vertebral subluxation is a chiropractic diagnosis that involves a site of impaired flow of innate or a spinal lesion that is postulated to cause neuromusculoskeletal or visceral dysfunction. Scientific consensus does not support the existence of chiropractic's vertebral subluxation.[50][51]
- Wilson's syndrome (not to be confused with Wilson's disease) is an alternative medicine concept, not recognized as a legitimate diagnosis in evidence-based medicine.[52] Its supporters describe Wilson's syndrome as a mix of common and non-specific symptoms which they attribute to low body temperature and impaired conversion of thyroxine (T4) to triiodothyronine (T3), despite normal thyroid function tests. The American Thyroid Association (ATA) says Wilson's syndrome is at odds with established knowledge of thyroid function, has vague diagnostic criteria, and lacks supporting scientific evidence. The ATA further raised concern that the proposed treatments were potentially harmful.[53]
- Wind turbine syndrome is a pseudoscientific connection between adverse health effects and proximity to wind turbines.[54] Proponents have claimed that these effects include death, cancer, and congenital abnormality. The distribution of recorded events, however, correlates with media coverage of wind farm syndrome itself, and not with the presence or absence of wind farms.[55][56] Reviews of the scientific literature have consistently found no reason to believe that wind turbines are harmful to health.[57]
See also
- List of topics characterized as pseudoscience § Health and medicine
- List of questionable diagnostic tests
- List of fictional diseases
- Culture-bound syndrome
- Medically unexplained physical symptoms
- Quackery
- Somatic symptom disorder
- Somatization
References
- ^ Coker, Rory. "Distinguishing Science from Pseudoscience". utexas.edu. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
- ^ Smith, R. (2002). "In search of "non-disease"". BMJ. 324 (7342): 883–885. doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7342.883. ISSN 0959-8138. PMC 1122831. PMID 11950739.
- ^ Berger, M Y; Gieteling, M J; Benninga, M A (2007). "Chronic abdominal pain in children". BMJ. 334 (7601): 997–1002. doi:10.1136/bmj.39189.465718.BE. ISSN 0959-8138. PMC 1867894. PMID 17494020.
- ^ a b c Shah R, Greenberger PA (2012). "Unproved and controversial methods and theories in allergy-immunology". Allergy Asthma Proc. 33 Suppl 1 (3): S100–2. doi:10.2500/aap.2012.33.3562. PMID 22794702. Quote: "There is no scientific basis for the existence of this disorder and no conclusive method for diagnosis."
- ^ a b "Adrenal Fatigue: Is It Real?". WebMD. Metcalf, Eric. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
- ^ Gavura, Scott (October 28, 2010). "Fatigued by a Fake Disease". Science-Based Medicine. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ Cadegiani, Flavio A.; Kater, Claudio E. (24 August 2016). "Adrenal fatigue does not exist: a systematic review". BMC Endocrine Disorders. 16 (1): 48. doi:10.1186/s12902-016-0128-4. ISSN 1472-6823. PMC 4997656. PMID 27557747.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Rose, David (2010-02-03). "Lancet journal retracts Andrew Wakefield MMR scare paper". Times Online. Archived from the original on 2010-02-03.
- ^ Buie T, Campbell DB, Fuchs GJ, et al. (2010). "Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders in Individuals With ASDs: A Consensus Report". Pediatrics. 125: S1–18. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.692.4329. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1878C. PMID 20048083. S2CID 318955.
- ^ Deer B (2011). "How the case against the MMR vaccine was fixed". BMJ. 342: c5347. doi:10.1136/bmj.c5347. PMID 21209059.
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- ^ MacDonald TT, Domizio P (2007). "Autistic enterocolitis; is it a histopathological entity?". Histopathology. 50 (3): 371–9. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2559.2007.02606.x. PMID 17257133. S2CID 22342418.
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{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|lay-date=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lay-source=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lay-url=ignored (help) - ^ Di Pietrantonj, Carlo; Rivetti, Alessandro; Marchione, Pasquale; Debalini, Maria Grazia; Demicheli, Vittorio (2020-04-20). "Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 4. Wiley: CD004407. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd004407.pub4. ISSN 1465-1858. PMC 7169657. PMID 32309885.
- ^ Novella, Steven (25 September 2013). "Candida and Fake Illnesses". Science-Based Medicine. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Stephen Barrett, M.D. (October 8, 2005). "Dubious "Yeast Allergies"". Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.
- ^ Anderson, J; Chai, H; Claman, H; Ellis, E; Fink, J; Kaplan, A; Lieberman, P; Pierson, W; Salvaggio, J; Sheffer, A (1986). "Candidiasis hypersensitivity syndromeApproved by the executive committee of the American academy of allergy and immunology". Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 78 (2): 271–273. doi:10.1016/S0091-6749(86)80073-2. ISSN 0091-6749. PMID 3734279.
- ^ Feder, HM; Johnson, BJB; O'Connell, S; et al. (October 2007). "A Critical Appraisal of "Chronic Lyme Disease"". NEJM. 357 (14): 1422–30. doi:10.1056/NEJMra072023. PMID 17914043.
- ^ Baker, P. J. (14 July 2010). "Chronic Lyme disease: in defense of the scientific enterprise". The FASEB Journal. 24 (11): 4175–4177. doi:10.1096/fj.10-167247. PMID 20631327. S2CID 36141950.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Hall, Harriet. "Does Everybody Have Chronic Lyme Disease? Does Anyone?". Science Based Medicine.
- ^ Röösli, Martin; Moser, Mirjana; Baldinini, Yvonne; Meier, Martin; Braun-Fahrländer, Charlotte (2004). "Symptoms of ill health ascribed to electromagnetic field exposure – a questionnaire survey". International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 207 (2): 141–150. doi:10.1078/1438-4639-00269. ISSN 1438-4639. PMID 15031956.
- ^ Rubin, G James; Das Munshi, Jayati; Wessely, Simon (2005). "Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: A Systematic Review of Provocation Studies". Psychosomatic Medicine. 67 (2): 224–32. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.543.1328. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000155664.13300.64. PMID 15784787. S2CID 13826364.
- ^ Goldacre, Ben. "Electrosensitives: the new cash cow of the woo industry". BadScience/The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
- ^ "Electromagnetic fields and public health". Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
- ^ Kalichman, Seth C. (16 January 2009). Denying AIDS: Conspiracy Theories, Pseudoscience, and Human Tragedy. Springer. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-387-79476-1.
- ^ a b "Leaky gut syndrome". NHS Choices. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ Vulink, NC (August 23, 2016). "Delusional Infestation: State of the Art". Acta Dermato-venereologica. 96 (217): 58–63. doi:10.2340/00015555-2412. PMID 27282746.
- ^ Halvorson, CR (October 2012). "An approach to the evaluation of delusional infestation". Cutis. 90 (4): E1–4. PMID 24005827.
- ^ Shmidt, E; Levitt, J (February 2012). "Dermatologic infestations". International Journal of Dermatology. 51 (2): 131–41. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05191.x. PMID 22250620. S2CID 38920288.
- ^ Pearson, Michele L.; Selby, Joseph V.; Katz, Kenneth A.; Cantrell, Virginia; Braden, Christopher R.; Parise, Monica E.; Paddock, Christopher D.; Lewin-Smith, Michael R.; Kalasinsky, Victor F.; Goldstein, Felicia C.; Hightower, Allen W.; Papier, Arthur; Lewis, Brian; Motipara, Sarita; Eberhard, Mark L.; Unexplained Dermopathy Study, Team (2012). "Clinical, Epidemiologic, Histopathologic and Molecular Features of an Unexplained Dermopathy". PLOS ONE. 7 (1): e29908. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...729908P. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029908. PMC 3266263. PMID 22295070.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Fyfe, Melissa (31 July 2015). "Under their skin: the Morgellons mystery". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Naturopathy vs. Science: Fake Diseases, Scott Gavura, Science Based Medicine
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- ^ Barrett, Stephen; Hall, Harriet (24 November 2008). "Dubious Genetic Testing". Quackwatch. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ Hawkes, David; Benhamu, Joanne; Sidwell, Tom; Miles, Rhianna; Dunlop, Rachael A. (May 2015). "Revisiting adverse reactions to vaccines: A critical appraisal of Autoimmune Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA)". Journal of Autoimmunity. 59: 77–84. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2015.02.005. ISSN 1095-9157. PMID 25794485.
- ^ Ameratunga, Rohan; Gillis, David; Gold, Michael; Linneberg, Allan; Elwood, J. Mark (November 2017). "Evidence Refuting the Existence of autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA)". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In Practice. 5 (6): 1551–1555.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2017.06.033. ISSN 2213-2201. PMID 28888842.
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- ^ Hilton S, Petticrew M, Hunt K (2006). "'Combined vaccines are like a sudden onslaught to the body's immune system': parental concerns about vaccine 'overload' and 'immune-vulnerability'". Vaccine. 24 (20): 4321–7. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.03.003. PMID 16581162.
- ^ Hurst L (2009-10-30). "Vaccine phobia runs deep". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
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{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|lay-date=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lay-source=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lay-url=ignored (help) - ^ Homola, Sam (1 October 2010). "Chiropractic Vertebral Subluxations: Science vs. Pseudoscience". Science-Based Medicine. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Homola, Samuel (2010). "Real orthopaedic subluxations versus imaginary chiropractic subluxations". Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 15 (4): 284–287. doi:10.1111/j.2042-7166.2010.01053.x. ISSN 1465-3753.
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{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ "Interview with Simon Chapman". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 October 2012.
- ^ Rourke, Alison (15 March 2013). "Windfarm sickness spreads by word of mouth, Australian study finds". The Guardian.
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