Medical experts, backed by the charity Sense About Science, have expressed concern about the safety and efficacy of many web based remedies being offered to people who are unwell and suffering. In most cases, they just offer false hope at great cost.
I am similarly concerned about some of the adverts I have seen in the free Urdu newspapers, which offer, not just medical advice, but a solution to all of life’s problems. One spiritual healer claims to solve any problem, from impotency to recalcitrant children. Another promises that your stubborn sweetheart will fall at your feet after a (costly) visit.
These can be dismissed as entertainment, but some make more serious claims, such as to cure chronic conditions, such as diabetes, or even life threatening diseases such as cancer. Recent years have seen a proliferation of these free newspapers, which contain little original news (just poor quality re-wording of news from more established sources), and many adverts. The problem is that these newspapers are read by the most vulnerable - older Asian men who have little understanding of other sources of information to confirm or disconfirm what they read.
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