nostrum
Dubious cure-all
A nostrum is a medicine of doubtful effectiveness, especially one sold with exaggerated claims—a quack remedy or patent medicine.
The term extends to any scheme or proposal offered as a cure-all for social or political problems: The candidate's nostrum for the economy was simply to cut taxes.
The word carries skepticism about whether the proposed solution actually works.
Faker claiming false expertise
- snake oilFraudulent cure-all
- cure-allSupposed universal remedy
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
- quackFake healer or fowl noise
panacea · patent medicine · huckster · miracle cure · pseudoscience · hoax · flimflam · imposture
Invigorating medicinal drink
- elixirMythical healing draught
- potionEnchanted liquid mixture
- home remedyHomemade medical treatment
- concoctionPrepared combination of ingredients
tincture · brew · herbal remedy · decoction · balm · salve · liniment · folk cure
Hasty temporary solution
- panaceaUniversal cure
- easy answerSimple, obvious solution
- magic bulletIdeal effortless remedy
- band-aid solutionSuperficial fix masking deeper problems
charlatan
Faker claiming false expertise
- snake oilFraudulent cure-all
- cure-allSupposed universal remedy
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
quack · panacea · patent medicine · huckster · miracle cure · pseudoscience · hoax · flimflam · imposture · humbug
tonic
Invigorating medicinal drink
- elixirMythical healing draught
- potionEnchanted liquid mixture
- home remedyHomemade medical treatment
concoction · tincture · brew · herbal remedy · decoction · balm · salve · liniment · folk cure · traditional cure
quick fix
Hasty temporary solution
- panaceaUniversal cure
- easy answerSimple, obvious solution
- magic bulletIdeal effortless remedy
- apothecarypharmacy, apothecary, drugstore, dispensary, pharmacist
- cure-allspanacea, cure-all, snake oil, miracle cure, elixir
- medieval medicinebloodletting, leeching, four humors, humors, barber-surgeons
- old remediescalomel, laudanum, tartar emetic, patent medicines, cure-all
- Old-Fashioned Medicineague, apoplexy, consumption, dropsy, grippe
- Patent Medicinesnake oil, cure-all, elixir, panacea, tonic
nostrumevidence-based medicine
Clinical care guided by research
pharmaceutical · prescription drug · cure · clinical treatment · therapeutic