Changes

==Potential danger==

==Potential danger==

Alternative medicine involves several dangers and risks<ref>Markman M (2002): Safety issues in using complementary and alternative medicine. J Clin Oncol 20: 39-41</ref><ref>http://sekten-info-nrw.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=36</ref><ref>http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-12/bmj-cmc122210.php (engl.)</ref>:

Alternative medicine involves several dangers and risks<ref>Markman M (2002): Safety issues in using complementary and alternative medicine. J Clin Oncol 20: 39-41</ref><ref>http://sekten-info-nrw.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=36</ref><ref>http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-12/bmj-cmc122210.php (engl.)</ref>:

* rejection of effective diagnostic and therapy in favor of [[pseudomedicine]] methods without proof of effectiveness leading to protraction of the illness or appearance of avoidable symptoms

* rejection of effective diagnostics and therapies in favour of [[pseudomedicine|pseudo-medical]] methods without proof of effectiveness leading to protraction of the illness or appearance of avoidable symptoms

* misdiagnoses because of inadequate medical training of alternative medicine practitioners

* misdiagnoses because of inadequate medical training of alternative practitioners

* deterioration of therapeutic prospects due to futile pseudomedical efforts

* deterioration of therapeutic prospects due to futile pseudomedical efforts

* development of guilty feelings at failure, towards oneself or towards family members

* development of guilty feelings at failure, towards oneself or towards family members

* psychological and financial abuse through the healing supply, which often shows [[sect|sect-like]] structure

* psychological and financial abuse by the CAM system which often shows cult-like structures

* development of psychological dependency an [[New Age addiction|addiction to the treatment]]

* development of psychological dependency on addiction to the treatment

* deaths and lasting damage due to inappropriate procedures

* deaths or permanent damage due to inappropriate procedures

A study by the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne published in December 2010 investigated 39 cases where children were hurt due to alternative medical treatments. In 30 cases a correlation between damage to the patients and the use of alternative medical therapies or the denial of prescribed medicines could be found. Four of the children died because the parents refused medical treatment. An eight-month-old malnourished infant died of septic shock because he had been set on a diet of "naturopathic" rice milk because of an alleged obstruction since his third month of life. A 10-month-old baby died also of septic shock because he was set on a restrictive diet against chronic dermatitis. A further child died after multiple epileptic seizures after the parents hat stopped the anti-epileptic drug treatment for fear of side effects and treated it with an alternative medical remedy. A fourth child suffered fatal bleeding because the parents refused treatment with clotting factors in favour of a complimentary medical treatment<ref>http://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/44039/Paediatrie--Tod-nach-Alternativmedizin.htm</ref><ref>http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2010/11/24/adc.2010.183152.short?q=w_adc_ahead_tab</ref>

A study by the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne published in December 2010 investigated 39 cases in which children were hurt due to alternative medical treatments. In 30 cases a correlation between damage to the patients and the use of alternative medical therapies or the denial of prescribed medicines could be established. Four of the children died because their parents refused medical treatment. An malnourished infant of eight months died of septic shock because he had been put on a diet of "naturopathic" rice milk due to an alleged obstruction since his third month of life. A baby of ten months also died of septic shock because he was put on a restrictive diet against chronic dermatitis. A further child died from multiple epileptic seizures after the parents had stopped the anti-epileptic drug medication for fear of side effects, using an alternative remedy instead. A fourth child suffered fatal bleeding because the parents refused treatment with clotting factors in favour of a complimentary medical treatment.<ref>http://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/44039/Paediatrie--Tod-nach-Alternativmedizin.htm</ref><ref>http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2010/11/24/adc.2010.183152.short?q=w_adc_ahead_tab</ref>

==Intimidation and actions against critics==

==Intimidation and actions against critics==