It makes sense to distrust the American for-profit healthcare system where treatments that might work don’t get funded if they can’t be patented and monetized. Cancer is also a huge cash cow.

At the same time, taking unproven treatments is a risk. My father had stage 3 cancer and tried alternative treatments while getting periodic PET scans. When nothing decreased the tumor size, he finally got chemo and radiation. He’s still kicking almost 20 years later, but the radiation caused a lot of issues. He’s lucky it didn’t metastasize.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 3 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

taking unproven treatments is a risk

When talking about cancer, if anyone suggests a pyramid or breathing sunshine or just taking naturopath drops, those anyones should be thrown in jail for attempted murder, as far as I am concerned

It's always the floaty hippie dippie assholes that do this and they always get a pass because "oh well, it's alternative medicine!"

It's snake oil salesmen leaving trails of dead bodies behind them. Fuck everything about these horrible narcissists

[–] ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 1 points 55 minutes ago

I agree. But for many the proven treatments also are a huge risk financially. Very possibly leaving them without savings, home, and retirement funds. But hey, at least they're alive and have to slave away for today's meal.

I get why people choose other options than the fucked up for profit healthcare system in the US.