Medical "News" in the Olympian

http://www.theolympian.com/105/v-print/story/71163.html

- Doctor explains the myths of digestion -

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The reporter states that:

"After I interviewed Dr. Wright, I became confident that I did suffer from low stomach acid myself "

But the reporter just finished saying that, per Dr. Wright, one should get "tested by a qualified health practitioner - rather than just assume that your problem is caused by low stomach acid."

It doesn't seem proper that a supposedly unbiased reporter so wholeheartedly supports Dr. Wright's "philosophies", especially when the article admits that they are controversial. This report reads like a marketing tract for nutritional supplements. Nevertheless, it stands as perhaps unethical for the article to address seniors with an apparent attempt to convince them that they need testing, and likely need supplements. Our seniors deserve true, unbiased, and especially meaningful health information, not a subtle attempt to scare or otherwise convince them to seek unestablished testing and supplement recommendations.

The statement that, "This isn't alternative medicine,” contradicts the earlier statements in the article suggesting that all of traditional medicine is wrong about too much stomach acid. Nevertheless, if this is not alternative medicine, then it is something worse: pseudoscience.

I challenge The Olympian to raise it's level of journalistic integrity and be accountable to it, especially with health information directed toward seniors.

(my posted letter to the editor)

Additionally,

In the case of this reporter, it takes little research to speculate that, with her(?) absence of other symptoms, and if she is over 60 years old, she would likely be inexpensively tested by the Tahoma clinic and conclusively diagnosed with low acid. And sold into a relatively inexpensive HCL/Pepsid supplements regimen, in accordance with her budget. To speculate further, if she's under 60 years old, but over 45, her stomach acid test will likely be inconclusive, and eventually, perhaps natural hormone replacement therapy will be prescribed for her signs and symptoms. This is based on the topic of another of Dr. Wright's books.

Many will call Dr. Wright's presentation pseudoscience. There's enough scientific legitimacy surrounding the vagueness in good pseudoscience that it's hard to find any details that can be empirically refuted by other medical professionals. For example, there is no common way to describe or measure body "vibrancy," or to medically describe or define the terms "good quality cells" and "age faster." There is also ample good science and traditional medical understanding in the presentation. However, note that it is mostly background information that doesn't actually support all the "philosophy" about low stomach acid, and is otherwise used in the presentation to create sensation, fear, familiarity, and authority. The only statement left in this message that really is a medical claim is that, a cheap test can diagnose low stomach acid, which can cause health symptoms. It is plainly obvious that much more information is attached, suggested, or otherwise inferred that can be
readily disputed. For example, I get an understanding from the article that high stomach acid is not a source for symptoms, that older people need testing and supplements, and that grave health consequences result in the absence of testing and supplements. But none of this is actually stated, is it?

My advice to the reporter is to persist with attempts at contacting the gastroenterology society, and get that second opinion.

-N

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