What Happens When Alternative Medicine Doesn't Work?

 
Skeptico reports that Merck has just pulled a new AIDs drig because tests were showing that it didn't work [When will CAM do this?]. That's the way the system is supposed to work.

The sound, effective kind of medicine is based on science and evidence. Medicine that is not evidence-based is called "alternative." "complementary" or "traditional" medicine. Don't be fooled by these terms. They all mean the same thing; namely, that the medicine doesn't pass the test of evidence-based.

Skepico asks when was the last time that an alternative treatment was canceled because it wasn't working? There are lots of examples in the posting.

Homeopaths pulling (say) Belladonna for the treatment of urinary tract infections, because they determined it doesn’t work for that.