LETTERS: Medical fraud, also known as quackery, has been a pressing issue for physicians.
The subject has also been addressed widely in ancient Greece, Rome and the Islamic Golden Age. Ishaq al-Ruhawi, a 12th-century physician, wrote The Practical Ethics of the Physician which offers practical strategies to prevent and fight medical charlatans whose motivations are driven by fame and money.
Today, it is not much different but has progressed to a greater extent. Quackery promotes health products, services or practices of questionable safety, effectiveness or validity for an intended purpose.
In Malaysia, unscrupulous medical doctors and non-practitioners who commit quackery give the impression that they can cure chronic and incurable illnesses using untested methods. Ironically, those who make dubious medical claims have excelled in building a brand name and promoting their products by taking advantage of new market opportunities.
With the global mental health crisis looming, we hear countless assertions of unknown origin that claim to provide a specific curative alternative treatment.
You may have seen this advertisement on social media: "One in every three Malaysians suffers from depression, which is why you need (name of product)!
"It contains natural ingredients like A, B and C that help to cure anxiety and depression by balancing hormones in your body and has no side effects.
"So do not waste time. Bring out the real happiness in you."
This is just an example. Here, the commercial appeals to the emotions of those who are vulnerable. It taps into the needs of people by offering them the "perfect" solution to their health problems.
To many people, this is convincing and sounds scientific too.
A prominent figure is appointed to promote the product. Perhaps hiring an actor or a religious figure will convince the targeted audience to believe in the effectiveness of the product.
The fact is education and credentials in one area of expertise do not guarantee proficiency in other areas.
The manufacturer may not test this product for its safety and effectiveness. In brief, the product does cheat, and this is the same strategy used by propagators of fake news.
Evidence has suggested that people with severe or chronic illnesses, women and those emotionally vulnerable are prone to use these kind of products.
The argument is not about the individual's right to use what is helpful. It is about feeding misleading information regarding illness and its treatment to specific segments of society who may have difficulty discerning truth from lies.
Essentially, what underlies the whole problem is something that is more pervasive and deeply rooted in society, affecting other life aspects beyond medicine. The question is, who is the reliable expert?
Technology floods people with information, fuelling a surge in narcissistic and misguided intellectual freedom that insists that every opinion on any matter is as good as every other.
Misconceptions about the nature of medical science may contribute to the rejection of unproven alternative therapies.
In many medical fields, the conclusions are probabilistic rather than absolute. Science may provide some explanation for specific matters, however, it has its limits. When people demand prediction with absolute certainty from science, they treat it beyond its function. If this persists, it results in disappointment and rejection.
DR AHMAD NABIL MD ROSLI
Psychiatrist, International Islamic University Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times