UoGuelph providing/endorsing unscientific medicine - looking for thoughts and advice

[pharphis]

Hi, all.

I'm a student at UoGuelph in Ontario, Canada (just started MSc after BSc, here, in Chemistry)

I've been aware of some things that have stood out to me as pseudoscience here for awhile now and I'm hoping for some opinions from those more well versed in the topic. For example, the health insurance part of our tuition can go towards treatment via chiropractics, acupuncture, and some other things I am not well read on like Active Release Technique and the Graston Technique.

My goal is to give some constructive feedback/criticism to those who run/endorse (those) treatments that are unscientific and ultimately direct student funding towards real treatment/services instead. I'd like to begin the provocation against these pseudoscientific things being at a well respected university.

Most of my information regarding chiro/acupuncture comes from Science Based Medicine, which I deem a reliable source, though ofc I'm not an expert at this or understanding any finer details wrt medical research.

Some things I've noticed about these things on their site atm include the fact that all 4 of the things listed above claim to be able to help treat all of the same conditions, which makes me suspect GT and ART. I've also noticed that the acupuncture page lists the World Health Organisation as being pro-acupuncture for digestive disorders, menstrual and reproductive problems, stress and psycho-emotional problems, respiratory problems and neurological and muscular disorders.

Thanks for any help/advice

 

[pharphis]

ah can't edit anymore.

After reading up a bit on the Graston technique and ART I've determined that they are also very suspect.

I've sent an email to the tuition people at the school asking what portion of our tuition goes towards paying health services, as I think this will become an important detail.

I've also sent an email to the health services asking for sources of efficacy for the treatments they provide under the chiropractic branch. I'm curious what they will respond with

 

[Madalch]

Most health-care plans will cover nonsense, mostly because people demand it.

 

[Segnosaur]

Hi, all.

I'm a student at UoGuelph in Ontario, Canada (just started MSc after BSc, here, in Chemistry)

Hey, good luck! I actually did by B.Sc. (in computers) at the U. of Guelph. (I also regularly donate to the university. You can thank me later.)

Go Griffins!

I've been aware of some things that have stood out to me as pseudoscience here for awhile now and I'm hoping for some opinions from those more well versed in the topic. For example, the health insurance part of our tuition can go towards treatment via chiropractics, acupuncture, and some other things.
....
My goal is to give some constructive feedback/criticism to those who run/endorse (those) treatments that are unscientific and ultimately direct student funding towards real treatment/services instead....

You are right in that chiropractic and acupuncture treatments are sham medicine.

What I would wonder though... how is the health insurance run? Is it something created and handled specifically by the university and/or the student's association? Or is it done through a private insurance company?

Its possible that the insurance program was some sort of pre-packaged program offered by one of the big insurance companies, in which case the university wouldn't really have much say in what the insurance covered.

 

[pharphis]

Most health-care plans will cover nonsense, mostly because people demand it.

I understand that but I'd like to bring attention to this, especially because the services are available on campus and take up campus space in the university center, here. I suspect a portion of my tuition goes towards this but I'm waiting on a detailed response to that from an email I sent yesterday.

Hey, good luck! I actually did by B.Sc. (in computers) at the U. of Guelph. (I also regularly donate to the university. You can thank me later.)

Go Griffins!

You are right in that chiropractic and acupuncture treatments are sham medicine.

What I would wonder though... how is the health insurance run? Is it something created and handled specifically by the university and/or the student's association? Or is it done through a private insurance company?

Its possible that the insurance program was some sort of pre-packaged program offered by one of the big insurance companies, in which case the university wouldn't really have much say in what the insurance covered.

After looking around a bit I found out that it is a requirement through our student associations, the CSA/GSA.
The university website claims "The broker for this plan is Gallivan & Associates". I found their website which doesn't seem to list any specifics, just "health and dental". Though the UoGuelph-specific webpage lists what they cover (including naturopaths, etc.)

 

[ectoplasm]

Most health-care plans will cover nonsense, mostly because people demand it.

Exactly.