The New Alchemists

Health scams come in all shapes and sizes from the suppression of side-effects from prescription drugs to the unproven benefits of 'traditional' health practices, taking advantage of the human tendency to assume good intentions in others. So how do we avoid being deceived? Professor of Nursing, Bernie Garrett, explores real-world examples of medical malpractice, pseudo and deceptive health science, dietary and celebrity health fads, deception in alternative medicine and problems with current healthcare regulation, ending with a simple health-scam detection 'kit'. And he looks at how these practices and ineffective regulations affect our lives.

Bernie Garrett is a professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing with over 35 years of experience in clinical nursing and nursing education. He is a registered nurse and holds a PhD and a number of specialist health and educational qualifications. He has authored numerous research papers and chapters in edited books, and several textbooks as lead author.