Active Low-Carber Forums - 80% of Patient Groups Accept Drug Industry Funds

We all knew how the American Diabetes Association accepts money from companies who make high carb, processed, foods, but it turns out most "patient advocacy groups" are in the same hypocritical boat.

Quote:

More Than 80 Percent of Patient Groups Accept Drug Industry Funds, Study Shows

Nearly “nine out of every 10 are taking money,” said Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, an oncologist and vice provost at the University of Pennsylvania. He is one of the authors of the study, which looked at the top 104 nonprofit patient advocacy groups that reported more than $7.5 million in annual revenues for 2014. “I think that is not well known — I think that is a shock.”

Dr. Emanuel, who previously advised President Obama on health care, said patient groups were far less transparent about conflicts of interest than medical researchers, who are now pushed to disclose ties to the drug and device industries when they write articles and make public appearances.

I must admit, this has been on my mind lately, as I have been navigating my own illness, and discovered just how UNhelpful patient advocacy groups can be. I advise caution as we navigate information about our health, challenged or otherwise.

In order to help myself with menopause, for instance, I had to wade through lots of completely stupid advice, but I only knew it was stupid because I had been working with my own health for so long. If this was the first time I had been confronted with figuring things out, I probably would have fallen for the go vegan/exercise more/avoid hormones/try anti-depressants/it's your attitude bilge that was usually the first eight or nine pages of results.

If someone was bingeing on junk food because they actually were depressed about going through menopause, which is the underlying assumption of so many of these "advice" sites, it would be one thing. But I don't think so.

As always, consider the source, and if something looks promising, look more. I now pay a lot more attention to the average blogger who actually has the illness in question than I do "experts."

I don't apologize for that. Because that is their own fault, is it not?