|
||
Definition:
With chelation therapy, a doctor administers EDTA (ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid), a
drug which binds to heavy metals in the blood, thus allowing them to be eliminated from
the body through urine. This is an approved therapy for lead poisoning and it does work.
However, some doctors also prescribe it as a treatment for atherosclerosis (hardening of the
arteries). According to adherents, EDTA binds to the plaque which hardens arterial walls,
leading to improved cardiovascular health.
These claims, however, are not supported by clinical evidence. Tests done have not been performed with control groups, rendering those limited tests meaningless from a scientific and medical perspective. Mechanisms for how EDTA is supposed to eliminate plaque have been vague and often contrary to known facts. Administering chelation therapy as if it were a proven treatment and outside of clinical trials is not only irresponsible, but probably highly unethical.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Alternative Medicine?
There's an awful lot in the news and in society about "alternative medicines" these days. By some estimates, it's an industry doing between $15 and $20 billion annually - and growing! But what is alternative medicine - how does it differ from scientific medicine and why do people use it?Skepticism & Critical Thinking
This is the main index for issues dealing with skepticism, critical thinking, logic and arguments. The first section is Critical Thinking itself - how to think about claims and arguments you hear, how to critique arguments, and how to formulate your own arguments such that they are more likely to be sound and valid. The second section is about Skeptical Investigations - the practical application of the critical thinking skills covered in the first section. Here you will find critiques of things like astrology, alternative medicine, parapsychology, the New Age and more.
