quackeries
Snake oil treatments
Quackeries are fraudulent or incompetent medical practices, treatments, or products promoted by those without proper knowledge or credentials.
The term carries strong condemnation—quackery isn't just ineffective medicine but medicine peddled dishonestly: The FDA shut down several quackeries selling miracle cancer cures.
Snake oil salesmen were purveyors of quackeries.
Intentional criminal trickery
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- duperyCalculated misleading of another
imposture · trickery · bamboozlement · charlatanism · humbug · flimflam · snake oil · chicanery
Unproven pet remedy
- elixirMythical healing draught
- snake oilFraudulent cure-all
- tonicInvigorating medicinal drink
- panaceaUniversal cure
cure-all · potion · patent medicine · miracle cure · wonder drug · placebo · liniment · balm
Diluted-substance alternative medicine
- phrenologySkull-bump personality assessment
- crystal healingTherapeutic use of gemstones
- faith healingTreatment through religious practice
- reikiJapanese energy healing
magnet therapy · reflexology · naturopathy · ear candling · biorhythms · radionics · aura reading · past life regression
Faker claiming false expertise
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
- impostorOne feigning another's identity
- snake oil salesmanFraudulent remedy peddler
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
swindler · faker · hoaxer · phony · pretender · sham · con artist · grifter
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
dupery · imposture · trickery · bamboozlement · charlatanism · humbug · flimflam · snake oil · chicanery · fakery
nostrum
Unproven pet remedy
panacea · cure-all · potion · patent medicine · miracle cure · wonder drug · placebo · liniment · balm · philter
homeopathy
Diluted-substance alternative medicine
- phrenologySkull-bump personality assessment
- crystal healingTherapeutic use of gemstones
- faith healingTreatment through religious practice
reiki · magnet therapy · reflexology · naturopathy · ear candling · biorhythms · radionics · aura reading · past life regression
charlatan
Faker claiming false expertise
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
- impostorOne feigning another's identity
- snake oil salesmanFraudulent remedy peddler
fraud · swindler · faker · hoaxer · phony · pretender · sham · con artist · grifter · huckster
quackeriesevidence-based medicine
Clinical care guided by research
clinical medicine · medical science · standard of care · biomedicine