‘Alternative’ cancer cures via the Internet?
2002
Risks of Alternative Cancer Cures Found Online
Sample size: 13
Editorial
Evidence: low
Author Information
Author(s): Ernst E, Schmidt K
Primary Institution: University of Exeter
Hypothesis
Do popular websites offering alternative cancer cures put patients at risk?
Conclusion
Many websites promoting alternative cancer cures provide unreliable information that could potentially harm patients.
Supporting Evidence
- Three of the websites discouraged the use of conventional therapies.
- Most websites recommended various treatments with little consensus.
- Five websites had the potential to harm cancer patients.
Takeaway
Some websites suggest alternative cancer treatments that might not work and could even be dangerous for patients.
Methodology
The study evaluated 13 websites based on their recommendations for alternative cancer treatments.
Potential Biases
Some websites discourage the use of conventional therapies, which could mislead patients.
Limitations
The analysis was limited to only 13 websites and may not represent all available information online.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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