The placebo effect does work, and is indeed quantifiable. However it can be invoked as cheaply as a sugar pill, so trying to use placebo effect as a justification for overpriced necklaces is scamming the customer.

Oh, and acupuncture does not work as you stated there. In fact it requires no skill at all, randomized needle pricks have the same effectiveness as that performed by a trained acupuncturist, this test was run recently and pretty much debunked the entire theory behind it.

Glad you guys liked the link. Ars Technica is fantastic for articles like this, and for once it crossed over with my favorite sport.

Benny Hinn picks out old people who WALK into his church, have ushers “help them out” and sit them down in his wheel chairs, brings them up on stage, and performs a miracle by making them stand up out of the wheel chair. He then flies to another 3rd world country on his private jet, and does it all over again. He sells, I mean gives away DVD’s of this deception, for a small heavenly gift of a few hundred dollars, which will help him perform more miracles.

He is not a homeopath, but someone much much worse. He deceives in the name of the Lord.

If you don’t sell them, my apologies for misunderstanding you “Tim’s Neighbor”. My sentiments towards the manufacturers and retailers of these products remains the same.

*No, I really don’t, but the fib helps make my point.

A related question for this author: the placebo effect exists. It often “works.” Should we call anyone who benefits from that a quack or a fraud? Should we be ashamed of ourselves that such an effect brings benefit to our bodies and our lives? Because it’s, brrr…irrational???

I hate the makers of these things, and anyone who promotes them. Charlatans and swindlers sell these things, homeopathic remedies, and Benny Hinn DVDs.

Why trust modern science, when a commercial tells you to use “head-on” for a head ache. They market it as a medicine, then sell it in a drug store. In actuality, it is a homeopathic product that has nothing but wax in it, but they made a fortune convincing people it worked. No need to get the FDA involved to check the claims it makes either. Since their are no active ingredients in ANY homeopathic products, there is no need for the FDA to get involved.

Anyone who believes in the power of products like the copper bracelets, necklaces, and homeopathic remedies, is gullible for sure, but they have also been misled by thieves. People who sell this garbage, especially to children who still believe in Santa Clause, are thieves. The necklaces are just a scheme, but there are some dangers out there with this trash. 15 years ago, homeopaths sold headache cures, muscle relaxers, and other non efective, but otherwise harmless products. Now they have taken the scheme to new heights, selling homeopathic radiation poisoning cures, homeopathic small pox and malaria cures. These are diseases that kill, but these scum sell worthless products with a bold face lie to people who may be in real danger.

Stop selling snake oil to kids dude, and make a living where you aren’t swindling the gullible.

…and so they wear those ugly a$$ necklaces….

I run a youth sports league and kids have multiple Phiten necklaces on. Easy bank.