The rise of alternative medicine
Americans are turning away from the medical establishment and seeking alternative cures and supplements online. Why has trust in conventional medicine eroded?
Listen 52:06
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assists in a demonstration as he visits the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Utah, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. said on a recent podcast that he would “end the war at the FDA against alternative medicine.” He also said that Americans should be able to get experimental treatments, even while acknowledging there will be “charlatans” and “people who have bad results.”
More Americans are turning away from the medical establishment and toward alternative therapies. There’s been a decline in trust in health care authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. While many alternative treatments have long track-records, the internet is now filled with wellness influencers, herbal supplement peddlers, and anti-aging gurus selling unproven, potentially dangerous, and costly health fixes.
For our Monday debut, what’s behind the growing distrust in modern medicine?
Guests:
Dr. Daniel Monti, founding director and chief executive officer of the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Jefferson Health
Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling, journalist and author of If It Sounds Like a Quack…: A Journey to the Fringes of American Medicine.
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