Power Balance admits no science behind bracelets

lcbxx said:
Jamal you are missing the point. No one has issues with the placebo effect of these bracelets. The issue is that it was marketed, at an exorbitant price, as a medically proven device. If it was marketed as a placebo device, 50 bucks says no one would have bought it or at best, paid R20 for it. The same goes for these copper bangles that was the rage a couple of years back that "draw" toxins from your body.
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If it was R20 people would think..."mmm R20...must be fake...this wont work"
 
Jamal said:
The word "idiot" has become a verbal crutch. Such-and-such a politician is an idiot, some idiot flashed their lights at me this morning, etc. The meaning of the word "idiot" is a person of low intelligence. I do not think there is any basis to summarily dismiss people who wear this bracelet as being of low intelligence. There are many highly intelligent and well educated people who subscribe to unscientific ideas for all kinds of reasons, for example the loving parent who, in desperation that their child recover from an incurable illness, decides to try alternative therapies, not because they believe these therapies will necessarily work, but because they feel it's better than sitting by and doing nothing. Placebo response is physiologically and psychologically real. For some, a bracelet may be the key to unlocking self confidence or reducing chronic pain. If a person perceives that their quality of life is improved when wearing one of these bracelets, can one really say they are talking nonsense?
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I consider someone who would believe the unproven claims of a device available over the counter without bothering to look deeper as an idiot. They are of lower intelligence.

Yes, placebo is response is real and in this case results in the confusion as people still think these things actually work. That doesnt mean they arent idiots for buying them without verifying their claims.

The best treatments are those that perform better than a placebo. This will never perform different to a placebo, but Disprin will always outperform a placebo when it comes to dealing with headaches. That is why I take Disprin instead of taking sugar pills.
 
I want to lodge a complaint with the ASA so the same can happen in South Africa. Can't find an add in a magazine or paper though. Anyone have an example? I need a reference to a specific ad to lodge a complaint.
 
Made from surgical-grade silicone, this wristband is both tough and flexible. It also includes two Power Balance holograms, which are thought to interact positively with the human body's energy field for superior balance, co-ordination and strength
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I think our consumer law allowes for this. You decide for yourself if you believe in this and you buy it. This never claims to be proven.
 
I know....

I'll sell holograms that can be stuck directly to your skin!

You see, these bracelets do not work not because they use holograms or negative ions, but because they dont touch the skin closely enough. All that silicon gets in the way, and the negative ions just go into it instead of your skin. So... if I stick a specially made hologram to your skin, then that would be a lot better. In fact, to guarantee effectiveness, I'll stick it your skin with a gel made using a 2000 year old German recipe. Its a natural method of allowing close contact to the skin, made using organic methods and no chemicals. Its also porous at the quantum level which allows your skin to breathe gluons freely and exchange negative ions with the hologram.

That will only cost R999, but its a bargain considering it actually WORKS unlike the bracelets, which were only placebos. But this is the real thing, I promise.

It may look like I'm licking the back of the hologram before sticking it to your forehead, but I'm really activating the secret ingredient in the gel. It needs to go on your forehead so that it passes the ions into your mystical third eye, which is the gateway to your spiritual and physical health and wellbeing.

Before anyone asks, the Germans of today are actually time travellers from the distant past, 2000 years ago. That is why Hitler went insane and is also why the secret gel was not used for so long, despite its miraculous power.
 
Ancalagon said:
I know....

I'll sell holograms that can be stuck directly to your skin!

You see, these bracelets do not work not because they use holograms or negative ions, but because they dont touch the skin closely enough. All that silicon gets in the way, and the negative ions just go into it instead of your skin. So... if I stick a specially made hologram to your skin, then that would be a lot better. In fact, to guarantee effectiveness, I'll stick it your skin with a gel made using a 2000 year old German recipe. Its a natural method of allowing close contact to the skin, made using organic methods and no chemicals. Its also porous at the quantum level which allows your skin to breathe gluons freely and exchange negative ions with the hologram.

That will only cost R999, but its a bargain considering it actually WORKS unlike the bracelets, which were only placebos. But this is the real thing, I promise.

It may look like I'm licking the back of the hologram before sticking it to your forehead, but I'm really activating the secret ingredient in the gel. It needs to go on your forehead so that it passes the ions into your mystical third eye, which is the gateway to your spiritual and physical health and wellbeing.

Before anyone asks, the Germans of today are actually time travellers from the distant past, 2000 years ago. That is why Hitler went insane and is also why the secret gel was not used for so long, despite its miraculous power.
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Rofl
 
ben goldacre puts it well:

...with the placebo effect you are in an interesting ethical hole. The research shows that lying to your patients, misleading them, can help them get better. And a patient given a placebo sugar pill isn't exposed to any physical side-effects, so people might say, maybe we should give placebo treatments commonly.

But I think that's problematic. I think that's wrong. Because to give a placebo treatment to a patient requires that you lie to them. And I don't think that doctors or anybody working in the NHS can lie to patients. I think it's ethically wrong but also, in the long-run, when you lie to people paternalistically like that, eventually word gets out and you undermine the credibility of everything that you say.
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Everyone gather round, it's comedy hour. The local charlatans squirm:

Pro Balance Versus Power Balance

A recent article making its rounds stems from Australian Power Balance who have said they cannot prove their technology and have had to change the way they advertise their product.

Pro Balance bracelets with T4 technology are entirely different to their competitors - although looking similar their is a huge fundamental difference - Negative Ions
Pro Balance bracelets contain thousands of Negative Ions - where others don't

What are Negative Ions:-

All atoms contain neutrons and protons in the nucleus of the atom and electrons circling the nucleus. Neutrons have a neutral charge, while electrons produce a negative charge and protons a positive charge. Since electrons orbit the outside of an atom, it is the loss or gaining of electrons that determines whether an atom becomes a positive or negative ion. Just as some atoms lose electrons, other atoms gain additional electrons. This gives the ion an imbalance of negative charge overwhelming the positive protons. Therefore, ions with more electrons than protons are called Negative Ions.

Health effect of Negative Ions:-

Positive ions are the “bad” ions, where Negative Ions are the good ones. Humans are typically around technology and equipment all day that produce an enormous amount of positive ions. These positive ions are produced by mobile phones, TV's, computer monitors and other electronic devices striping the air of Negative Ions.

Negative ions occur naturally in places like waterfalls, beaches, mountains, forests, and open spaces in the country. If you have ever stood at the base of a huge mountain waterfall and just breathed in the wonderful, purified air - you feel energized and full of life. The air from the waterfall is loaded with Negative Ions (The ionized air at the base of Niagara Falls is about 100,000 Negative Ions per cubic centimeter). On the contrary the Negative Ions in the air on a typical highway during rush hour are about 100 per cubic centimeter.
According to research it is said the optimal level of Negative Ions effective in enhancing ones life is 1000-1500 Negative Ions per cubic centimeter. (Pro Balance products with T4 technology contain on average 1200 Negative Ions per cubic centimeter.)

Dr Rahi Assistant Professor of Physical Science,Fayetteville State University,Fayetteville, NC maintains all living systems (including human beings) are bioelectric in nature, the electrically charged particles affect the way we feel and act. In natural setting a balance of positive and Negative Ions contribute to one’s sensations and perceptions. ions can affect health, well-being, efficiency, emotions, and mental attitude of human beings.

Dr. Howard from the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, North Carolina indicates that Negative Ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy. Profound beneficial effect of Negative Ions on both mind and the body has been documented by many studies published in respected journals.

Tested with electronic Ion meters Pro Balance bracelets contain on average 1200 Negative Ions per bracelet where competitor products contain less than 50. A video documenting the results of Ion tests on various bracelets is being concluded by an independant laboratory and will be made available on this website.

Pro Balance bracelets are designed to enhance ones life and perfect performance!
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Another cross-post.... but, I just had to include it here on this thread too...

ProBalance.gif
 
did you hear the latest on tv about these bands ... if you call in the next 1 hour ... you can get not 1, not 2 but 3 bands for the price of 1 ....
 
Long before silicon or copper bracelets, idiots were wearing beads and chains around their necks..and were willing to even go to war, murder and die for their belief that their trinkets had "power"..idiots ..bleh.. been around for mallenia!
 
Slootvreter said:
Catch 22. If the wearer knows it's only a placebo effect, it won't work, would it? Still, I cannot believe how many people buy this trash. :eek:
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One more belief on the way to the trash heap.

There were some news reports in the paper, as well as a discussion with a medical practitioner on Cape Talk, about research that showed that in about 10% of people the placebo effect is still there even if the people were informed that the pills they are taking are a placebo and have no effect. In the radio interview it was suggested that there may be a genetic component involved which enables some people to trigger the placebo effect easier.
 
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rbarryza said:
I want to lodge a complaint with the ASA so the same can happen in South Africa. Can't find an add in a magazine or paper though. Anyone have an example? I need a reference to a specific ad to lodge a complaint.
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Complaints to the ASA can be about websites as well.
 
Religion

Even if it is placebo, people like to have something to beleive in. Wether you have a power balance bracelet on or go to church every Sunday, it's all the same. Some people just need something to believe in to stimulate positive thinking.
 
Slootvreter said:
Catch 22. If the wearer knows it's only a placebo effect, it won't work, would it?
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markings said:
There were some news reports in the paper, as well as a discussion with a medical practitioner on Cape Talk, about research that showed that in about 10% of people the placebo effect is still there even if the people were informed that the pills they are taking are a placebo and have no effect.
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In drug trials, a placebo response is any response which cannot be attributed to the drug being tested. A psycho-somatic response is only one form of placebo response. Other forms of placebo response include response due to dietary changes, removal of an allergen from the environment, lifestyle changes such as more rest or exercise, and very importantly, many illnesses resolve on their own over time. Even if the patient then becomes aware that they took a placebo, their illness does not return.

Some people turn to alternative remedies which may not work and which they are aware may not work, as a conservative intervention before going to a doctor. In some cases they find relief from their medical problem and their gamble paid off. It is not because they are stupid or ignorant that they are unaware that the treatment doesn't work, but because they simply do not have the same passionate interest in these things as skeptics do to go on the internet and read about it. Some people enjoy reading Swift or Ben Goldacre or Richard Dawkins in their spare time, others have different interests. I firmly believe that an anxiety or insomnia sufferer who finds relief when taking Rescue Remedy is better off than somebody who has to resort to taking benzodiazepine tranquilisers. Most people ultimately go to a medical doctor when they believe they are seriously ill. An argument I have heard is that alterative practitioners are not qualified to accurately diagnose illness and that they may also deprive a patient of the correct medical treatment. I believe serious such cases where a patient ends up sustaining injury or death are rare and not confined to alternative practitioners. Medical doctors often misdiagnose and incorrectly treat serious illness. A family member of mine complained to his GP of fatigue and his complaint was dismissed as being due to old age when it eventually turned out he had cancer all along. There would be howls of indignation from the skeptic's movement if this had happened with a homeopath or chiropractor.
 
The next big scam will be laundry balls (plastic balls you put in the washing machine so you don't need to use detergent). Saw a TV advert where they say it raises pH (why would you want that in a wash) by friction (wtf).
 
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