Copper wire in woollen gloves relieving RSI and Arthritis

[vIQleS]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=61226134&permanent=0

I'm going to make an official complaint, but I wanted to check around first make sure there wasn't some way that this could be true...

Anyone heard of this before?

[Zep]

No, but I'd suggest the "fine copper wire" knitted in that "is known to help with arthritis" would be so damned fine that it would be invisible... ;)

[athon]

The copper affecting arthritis claim has been around for a while now. My grandfather would fashion his own bracelets, and had a green mark around his wrist to show for it. He claimed it helped, although 'placebo' is a more fitting term for it, IMO.

There's no evidence in support of it, and I seem to recall a couple of studies done years ago. Personally the 'magnetic copper' claims are the ones I find hilarious.

MIMS report: http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2785

From http://www.quackwatch.com

Fraudulent Arthritis Products

Arthritis affects some 40 million Americans, 95% of whom "are likely to engage in some form of self-treatment even after they have seen a physician," says the National Council Against Health Fraud's president, William Jarvis. [b]Copper bracelets[b/], Chinese herbal remedies, large doses of vitamins, snake or bee venom just don't work. Because the symptoms of arthritis go into remission periodically, individuals who try these unproven remedies may associate the remedy with the remission.

Athon

[SteveGrenard]

This one might be better:



Billionairehead Teresa Heinz Kerry shows us a glimpse of her husband’s health care plan (http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2004/10/14/82832.php?sp1=rgj&sp2=News&sp3=Local%20News&sp5=RGJ.com&sp6=news&sp7=local_news). (Hat tip: Drudge (http://www.drudgereport.com/).)

Heinz Kerry ended with what she called “a highly effective” remedy for arthritis that drew laughter and some skepticism from the audience.
“You get some gin and get some white raisins — and only white raisins — and soak them in the gin for two weeks,” she said. “Then eat nine of the raisins a day.”

http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=13166

[vIQleS]

ok - so i've submitted my complaint:

Complaint: It is illegal to sell this item.
Details:
The seller is offering this (and other similar) item as a cure or remedy for RSI and / or arthritis. Both of these are serious and in many cases debilitating afflictions, and people suffering from them can be driven in desperation to purchase all sorts of quack remedies, like this, to relive the pain.

This seller has no evidence of efficacy (note that anecdotal or testimonial evidence is not evidence at all from a scientific point of view) and I believe that in this case they are deliberately misrepresenting this product.

In preparation for rebuttal from the seller you might like to research the following:

http://www.skepdic.com/placebo.html

http://www.skepdic.com/testimon.html

If this product is being represented as a medical product then they are required to show proof, that it works, and that they are qualified to offer medical advice.

If it's not being offered as a medical cure, then it is be definition paranormal, and therefore does not work.

Either way, this product needs to be removed and the seller reprimanded
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[Soapy Sam]

Nice try. Keep us informed.