Your tax dollars at work: studies on magnets, lavender scents, coffee enemas

Here's a sampling of some of the research paid for by The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, as cited by Dr. Paul Offit, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association. $375,000 went to study that found that inhaling lemon and lavender scents does not promote wound healing. $390,000 found that ancient Indian remedies do not control type 2 diabetes. $700,000 found that magnets do not treat arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or migraine headaches. $750,000 found that prayer does not cure AIDS. $406,000 went to research that found coffee enemas do not cure pancreatic cancer. Offit, who you might know from The Colbert Report or from his advocacy of childhood vaccines, argues that NCCAM should refrain from funding studies that border on mysticism. Besides, he says, people are going to believe what they want to believe anyway, the Los Angeles Times reports. - Lois Norder