Lying w/statistics: Words/lies/confusion ........ and Brainwashing

[Guest guest]

" calgirlsddd85021 " <calgirlsddd85021

Thu, 11 May 2006 20:49:10 -0000

[Air_America_Radio] Lying w/statistics: Words/lies/confusion

......... and Brainwashing

 

 

 

 

http://www.newstarget.com/019368.html

 

NewsTarget.com printable article

Originally published May 3 2006

 

Lying with statistics: How conventional medicine confuses the public

with absolute risk vs. relative risk Which drug would you rather

take? One that reduces your risk of cancer by 50 percent, or another

drug that only eliminates cancer in one out of 100 people?

Most people would choose the drug that reduces their risk of cancer

by 50 percent, but the fact is, both of these numbers refer to the

same drug. They're just two different ways of looking at the same

statistic. One way is called relative risk; the other way is

absolute risk.

 

Here's how it works: Let's say that in a trial involving 100 people,

two people would normally get breast cancer during the trial

duration, but when all 100 people are put on the drug, only one

person gets breast cancer, meaning the reduction of breast cancer is

one person out of 100. Yet the pharmaceutical industry will exclaim

that the relative risk reduction is 50 percent because one

is 50 percent of two. In other words, the risk is cut in half from a

relative point of view.

 

The headlines promoting this drug, therefore, will always talk about

the relative risk -- " A whopping 50 percent reduction in risk! " --

and these headlines will be parroted by the mainstream press,

medical journals, the FDA, doctors and drug marketing reps who are

always pushing and exaggerating the supposed benefits of their drugs

while minimizing their risks. Because, you see, even though this

drug may help one out of 100 people, its side effects create

increased risks to all 100 people. Everyone suffers some harm from

the potential side effects of the drug, even if that harm is not

immediately evident. Yet only one out of 100 people was actually

helped by the drug.

 

When you look at drug claims, especially new miracle-sounding claims

on drugs like Herceptin, be aware that these statistics are

routinely given as relative statistics, not absolute. The numbers

are distorted to make the drugs look more effective than they really

are. Herceptin, for example, produced only a 0.6% absolute reduction

in breast cancer risk, yet the medical hucksters pushing this

drug are wildly screaming about it being a " breast cancer cure! " and

demanding that practically all breast cancer patients be immediately

put on it. Yet it's not even effective on one person out of a

hundred. See my Herceptin Hype article for more details.

 

Reverse the perspective for natural treatments At the same time,

when conventional medicine promoters want to discredit a

natural substance, an herbal remedy or the effects of nutrition on

health, they always talk about absolute risk. If taking green tea

supplements reduce the risk of cancer by that same 50 percent,

eliminating cancer in one out of 100 patients, the news about that

supplement would be something like this: " Green tea doesn't work.

Only helps one out of 100 patients. "

 

In fact, a study comparing some anti-cancer drug with green tea

might report: " New breakthrough drug reduces cancer risk by 50

percent! Green tea only helps one out of 100. "

 

It's the old joke about an Olympic race between the United States

and the old Soviet Union. In the race, there were only two

participants. The Soviet runner came in first, the U.S. runner came

in second, but the U.S. newspapers reported, " U.S. Wins Silver

Medal, Soviet Union Comes In Next to Last. "

 

Now you know how drug companies, the FDA, the popular press and many

doctors lie with this numerical shell game. It's a clever way to

promote the minuscule benefits of pharmaceuticals while discrediting

the enormous healing effects of natural remedies.

 

Now, do you want to hear some real statistics on cancer? I'll share

a few. Out of every 100 women who might get breast cancer, 50 of

them can avoid breast cancer by simply getting adequate levels of

vitamin D in their body, and that's available free of charge through

sensible exposure to natural sunlight, which produces vitamin D.

This vitamin, all by itself, reduces relative cancer risk by

50 percent, which is better than any prescription drug that has ever

been invented by any drug company in the world.

 

Combine that with green tea, an d your prevention of breast cancer

gets even stronger. Even the World Health Organization says that 70

percent of all cancers are preventable, and in my view, that number

is conservative, because if you combine sunlight therapy and green

tea with anti-cancer herbs, anti-cancer foods such as garlic,

onions, raw broccoli and raw sprouts, plus some rainforest herbs

that are well-known for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, then

you can boost your cancer prevention success to well over 90 percent.

 

There's nothing in the world of pharmaceutical medicine that even

comes close. Yet the only thing you'll ever hear from the drug

company-controlled mainstream media, medical journals, the FDA and

most old-school doctors is that natural remedies are useless, but

prescription drugs have all been scientifically proven. Sure they

have, if you fall for the relative risk gimmick and can't do

basic math.

 

 

All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is

protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole

responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard

products and earns no money from the recommendation of products.

Newstarget.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes

only and should not be construed as professional advice from

any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no

responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full

terms of usage of this material, visit

 

www.NewsTarget.com/terms.shtml

 

dedra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep Listening to Air America