Feminist Interventions in Biomedical Discourse: An Analysis of the Rhetoric of Integrative Medicine

The appeal of medical quackery: A rhetorical analysis

“…23 The metaphors used by alternative medicine amplify genuine critiques of the medical community to extremes, attacking the ethos of modern medicine and its practitioners while moralizing the healing process and dichotomizing medical treatment. 22,24 In this dichotomy, modern medicine is a cold, disjointed, toxic, "evil" and unnatural force of technology in contrast to a more natural, holistic, pure, good, and balance-driven force for unity that seeks to create conditions of health instead of merely treating specific pathologies. 22,24 Through all of these arguments, alternative medicine relies on the pathos of anecdotal evidence to prove its efficacy, reinforcing to patients that they know their body better than any medical professional and that they should be treated as an individual and as an equal in the healing process.…”

“…22 The last three straw-men were originally proposed by Barbara Willard in her feminist critique and rhetorical analysis of integrative medicine, and are expanded on here in addition to the newer straw-man of "Big Table 2 General population traits associated with increased CAM use [11][12][13][14][15][16] and top medical conditions treated with CAM worldwide 13 Traits associated with CAM use Female [11][12][13][14] Middle aged 13,14 Higher levels of spirituality 15,16 Lower emotional role functioning 11 Lower perceived health 11,15 Serious, chronic, or longer illness 14 Higher level of education 11,13,15 Previous transformational experience leading to a worldview change 15 Holistic view of health problems 15 Top medical conditions treated with CAM 13 Back pain and related pathology Depression Insomnia Headache or migraine Stomach or intestinal illness Pharma." 22 A straw-man metaphor or argument involves inaccurately representing an opponent's position, and then countering the misrepresentation in lieu of the actual position.…”

“…22,24 Through all of these arguments, alternative medicine relies on the pathos of anecdotal evidence to prove its efficacy, reinforcing to patients that they know their body better than any medical professional and that they should be treated as an individual and as an equal in the healing process. 22,24 "Big Pharma"…”

“…2 The traditional medical view sets up a patriarchal and hierarchal system where the patient is passive and reliant upon the doctor for treatment to the point of "addiction" to their dictates. 22 Alternative rhetoric argues that this reliance on orders creates a natural tension, like Eve being told not to eat the "apple" in the garden, and ultimately modern doctors "'hex' the healing process because of their incredulity in the human body's capacity to maintain wellness." 22 This is especially designed to rub against the beliefs of an educated, spiritual audience accustomed to seeking the answers to their own questions, and making educated decisions based on those answers.…”

“…In the "doctor as god" metaphor, alternative medicine amplifies this role to create a perception that Western medical professionals think they know more about their patient's body and how to heal it than the patient does. 22 This stems in part from the historical shift from looking at the history of medicine as a linear progression of accumulating knowledge, with illness as an ontological unit and the physician as an educator, toward illness being determined by multiple factors: social, economic, political, and religious. 2 The traditional medical view sets up a patriarchal and hierarchal system where the patient is passive and reliant upon the doctor for treatment to the point of "addiction" to their dictates.…”