“I shall treat myself with an alternative medicine when I fall ill with an alternative disease.”
(Piero Angela, journalist, essayist and science
communicator, 1928–2022)
Alternative medicine refers to practices that are unconventional compared to scientific medicine, such as homoeopathy, acupuncture, herbal remedies, and so on.
An alternative disease, however, does not strictly exist.
Diseases are real and tangible; they obey the laws of biology and pathophysiology, not the whims of fashion or personal beliefs.
Piero Angela wittily suggested that resorting to scientifically unvalidated treatments only makes sense if one suffers from equally “alternative” diseases—that is, imaginary or unreal ailments.
A lifelong advocate of the scientific method, he warned us against baseless alternative therapies: if a disease is real (as are cancers, infections, diabetes, and so forth), it requires treatment based on scientific knowledge, not on suggestions or beliefs.
This reflection touches upon the relationship between science, medicine, and public opinion, and it underscores the importance of relying on concrete data and shared knowledge—especially in an age where information, both true and false, spreads with great ease.