It may come as a big surprise to many, that Magnet therapy is a billion dollar a year business that has taken many people for a ride with their nonsensical claims of being able to cure diseases or alleviate pain. All scientific principles and research indicate that all their claims are just a mirage.
In the U.S.A. alone, their annual sales are estimated at $300 million, and globally they amount to more than a billion dollars. They claim that “magnets help to flush out toxins in our body” and that “magnet products have both beauty and health benefits, that increase blood flow and increase the oxygen level in the body.” They also point out that their magnets are small and mobile, which “allows you to heal the ailments of yourself and your family without having major interruptions in your life and routine. You also get all the benefits without having to go for expensive sessions with a magnetic therapist or having to take expensive medicine or drugs which can also have harmful side effects.” The message seems quite clear: Why bother with doctors and medicines when magnets are a safe and effective alternative?
In addition to selling dozens of magnetic healing devices for humans, it doesn’t forget about Fido. For only $11.95 plus shipping they will send you an amazing pet collar that will “keep your cat or dog in excellent health and vitality with constant magnetic therapy.” Some companies actually claim that their magnets cure cancer. For example, purveyors of cancer-curing magnets will sell you, for only $2,595, the “Dr. Philpott Designed and Approved Polar Power Super Bed Grid.” According to their claims, “This is the strongest, deepest penetrating, permanent static magnet, biomagnetic therapy device available anywhere that we know of. It is used in many of Dr. Philpott’s magnetic research protocols for prevention and reversal of cancer and other serious disease that requires a full systemic deep penetrating treatment of the whole body.” “We believe there is a worldwide epidemic of useless magnet therapy,” claim Dr Finegold and Dr Flamm who have carefully researched their claims. They found that many studies on “magnet therapy” were published in “alternative” journals as opposed to peer-reviewed medical journals. In reality, many people find anecdotal reports of healing, particularly from athletes or other well known celebrities, to be far more convincing than scientific studies.
Some magnet advocates contend that no one has conclusively proven that magnets cannot heal. Of course, the shoe is on the other foot. When it comes to healing, the burden of proof is on the seller, not the buyer. One is supposed to prove that a therapy works before marketing it to the public. If this were not true, medical companies could save billions by selling all sorts of untested drugs and devices. In reality, the government insists that every medicine and therapeutic device be meticulously tested for both safety and efficacy. Sadly, it seems that no such protective laws exist for magnets, crystals, amulets, magic potions, or other claimed miracle cures. The only thing magnetic therapy actually does do very well is extract your money from your wallet.