March – Some studies have indicated that acupuncture could increase the success rate for in vitro fertilization, although placebo acupuncture appeared to work nearly as well.  A new study by Domar and colleagues (Fertil. Steril. 91, 723-726 (2009) Abstract) casts doubt on whether acupuncture has any effect.  Clinic patients (150) received either acupuncture or rested quietly.  There was no effect of acupuncture on the success rate.

March 3 – Stephen Barrett, M.D., has posted an Article on his Quackwatch web site entitled “How the ‘Urine Toxic Metals’ Test is Used to Defraud Patients.”  Some unconventional practitioners submit urine tests to laboratories that report elevated levels of lead, mercury, or other heavy metals.  Barrett points out several problems with this testing: 1. Urine samples are obtained after a “provocation” that temporarily raises the levels of the metals.  2. The resulting laboratory report compares the levels after the provocation to “reference levels” that apply to samples without provocation.  Moreover, the reference levels are often lower than used by standard laboratories, making it more likely that the patient will perceive that he or she has a dangerous level.  3. Based on the results, the practitioner may recommend chelation therapy, which is usually inappropriate.

March 13 – A small clinical trial has found positive results for hyperbaric treatment of autism (Rossignol et al. (2009) BMC Pediatrics 9, 21 Paper).  The study examined 62 children, who received 40 hourly treatments of either elevated pressure (1.3 atmosphere) or normal pressure with 24% oxygen.  Improvement was seen in hyperbaric (high pressure) group.  The authors note that further study is needed to determine whether the improvements last beyond the treatment period.

March 20 – A “Policy Forum” article entitled “Monitoring and Regulating Offshore Stem Cell Clinics” (Kiatpongsan and Sipp, Science 323, 1564-1565 (2009)) warned consumers against seeking stem cell treatments in foreign countries.  The authors noted that “treatments costing $20,000 or more are being offered in the absence of prior publication of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating efficacy.”

March 23 – “The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is warning consumers not to enroll online in supposedly free trials of diet products made with the trendy Brazilian berry açai…There's no evidence whatsoever to suggest that açai pills will help shed pounds, flatten tummies, cleanse colons, enhance sexual desire, or perform any of the other commonly advertised functions. And thousands of consumers have had trouble stopping recurrent charges on their credit cards when they cancel their free trials” Press release.

April – A study by Dickman and others (J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 28, 219-228 (2009) Abstract) indicated that women taking supplements of ginseng are subject to greater oxidative stress, which is potentially harmful.

April – Lee et al. (Ann. Allergy Asthma Immunol. 102, 269-279 (2009) Abstract) carried out a systematic review of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis (AR) (also known as hay fever).  Their conclusions: “The evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture for the symptomatic treatment or prevention of AR is mixed.  The results for seasonal AR failed to show specific effects of acupuncture.  For perennial AR, results provide suggestive evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture.”  However, they noted that the total number of trials and “the total sample size were too small to draw firm conclusions.”

April 1 – Several studies have found that supplements of antioxidants do not prevent disease and may even be harmful.  Satia et al. (Am. J. Epidemiol. 169, 815-828 (2009) Paper) have strengthened this conclusion with a study of long-term use of beta carotene and retinol (both related to vitamin A), as well as lycopene and lutein.  They found that supplementation with beta carotene, retinol, and lutein were associated with increased risk of lung cancer.  It should be noted that the apparent risk was associated with individual supplements, not the much lower amounts found in multivitamin supplements.

April 6 – In a speech to the Royal Society of Medicine, London, Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick provided a critique of so-called cures of autism.  In response to claims of miraculous improvements in behavior, he noted “Though it is well recognised that the behaviour of children with autism may improve over time, there is no plausible scientific mechanism through which these diverse treatments could achieve such dramatic results within such a short period.  There is no scientific evidence that any of the specific treatments used can ‘cure autism’ or even improve the conduct or performance of children with autism. Furthermore, there is scant evidence for the safety of most of these interventions.”

April 9 – Kurt Donsbach, a provider of alternative cancer treatments, has been arrested after an investigation by the FBI, FDA, and San Diego County District Attorney Press release.  Donsbach’s activities, described in a Quackwatch article, include operating clinics in Mexico.  Donsbach has been charged with “treating patients without a license, misbranding drugs for sale, grand theft, unlawfully dispensing drugs as a cure for cancer and falsely representing a cure for cancer.”

April 27 – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has charged suppliers of hoodia with deceptive advertising Press release.  The African plant Hoodia gordonii is promoted for appetite suppression and weight loss.  Among the charges in the FTC complaint were that the companies made “false and deceptive claims about their product: that it would enable consumers to lose weight and suppress appetites; that it was scientifically proven to suppress appetite, resulting in weight loss; that it was clinically proven to reduce caloric intake by 1,000 to 2,000 calories per day…and that hoodia was an effective treatment for obesity.”  Moreover, some of the products did not actually contain hoodia.