Most health care practices help people feel better and can save lives. But there’s a side of health care that’s not only not helpful, but potentially harmful.

You’ve heard of “fake” news, but what about “fake” health care?

Hartford HealthCare is hosting a free community event to help you know the difference. It will be held Monday, July 31, 6–7:45 pm, at the Hartford Hospital Family Health Center at Blue Back Square, 65 Memorial Road, West Hartford, Suite #425.

Hosted by David Tolin, PhD, ABPP, Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute of Living, the event includes:

  • The distinction between science and pseudoscience, which typically includes practices and products that are marketed to the public as if they are scientific, or make scientific sounding claims, but don’t have the scientific support to go along with it.
  • How pseudoscientific treatments are marketed to the public and health care professionals
  • How to ask the right questions to detect beliefs, theories, or practices that appear to be scientific, but have no basis in scientific fact.

“The average consumer might not be able to tell the difference, because the bad stuff is often marketed in a really slick and appealing way,” Tolin said.

In addition to learning what pseudoscience is, attendees will see some examples of health care pseudoscience in action, and learn a “BS Detection Kit” that they can use to evaluate what’s being sold to them.