A thread 🧵

Among the spiritually inclined and medically desperate alike, there is a tendency to embrace alternatives to medicine. These alternatives broadly fall into two categories. The first is the potentially harmless placebo, which is only risky for those with medically untreated, dangerous diseases. The second is the potentially harmful category, in which there is a significant risk of harm to the client from the treatment. This essay will attempt to define terms and provide guidelines for the ethical and responsible deployment of these alternatives. It will not attempt to offer medical advice, though common sensical acknowledgment of empirical science as the default will be maintained.