The Randi Show - NCCAM

The Randi Show is a biweekly video podcast produced by the James Randi Educational Foundation. James Randi himself discusses news from the world of science, pseudoscience, and the paranormal. Plus, he shares some stories from his amazing life.

In this episode, Randi discusses the latest report on the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. How many millions have been spent figuring out whether smells can heal wounds or whether coffee enemas can cure prostate cancer? And what can we do about it?

• Category

  Nonprofits & Activism

[Sebastian Nitu]

OMG, it's Peter Parker! (spider-man?)

[soslothful]

That's a way to make some shitty coffee.

[IgnatzKolisch]

Eh, I don't know. I have a weird guess that just feeling good/pleasant can make you heal/recover faster. If smelling lavender makes you feel better in general, it might make you heal faster in some (tiny) ways.

And if this sounds crazy, keep in mind that placebos really do have an effect very often. Not because of what's in the placebo, but because they make you "feel good" (or "confident", whatever). Being happy/pleasant could very well help. Not lavender, but the brain!

But huge money? Hm...

[iiwatcher]

It's stupid to waste resources & money studying every little thing. Certain things aren't worth studying. This kind of stuff is so obviously, self-evidently ridiculous that it boggles the mind anyone would be OK with wasting time on it. Sometimes it's all about funding, i.e., making money, not science. When that happens, it needs to be called out.

[SigmaXVirus]

These are the guys who always pull the "shill" gambit. Pot, kettle, black, etc...

[Spiralsky55]

I'm a fan and very rational. Although I could see this as a possibility. It seems the 'sample' like coffee or lemon was a stupid choice.Just like inhaling gases can cause injury, is it possible a chemical via inhaling can translate into chemically healing a wound when the body processes it in the right way.

I think new age healing is a crock of crap, but using the right gases might be able to do this with the right knowledge in the sciences. It doesn't seem to far fetched in the right context.

[Leon Powe]

I'm confused. It sounds like the NCCAM is doing what Randi wants. Aren't they doing scientific studies to prove or disprove alternative medicine? If they disprove something, they would help consumers save much more money and grief than the cost of the study.

The studies costs are too high. What can be done, so we can disprove quack cures (something Randi wants) and keep cost down? Contract the work to Randi? Give us solutions.

[ZachRose88]

Mogley52... please. If you are a real human being, in the name of humanity, civilization, and everything good in this life PLEASE desist your propaganda campaign in favor of darkness/delusion. Some innocent kid might come on here and believe you simply because you post a lot and type in capital letters.

[ergonomover]

Mogley is obsessed with Randi, and has been abusively spamming his vids for weeks now. What is more, mogley52 refuses to answer questions and rebuttals - quite cowardly indeed.