5 Medical Myths and Conspiracies Examined—An Evidence-Based Perspective

At PridePoint Health, we prioritize evidence-based medicine and value transparent conversations with our patients. We understand that conflicting health information, especially on social media, can lead to confusion and mistrust.

But why do medical myths spread so easily, and why are they so difficult to correct? In this article, we’ll explore the psychology behind misinformation, break down five common medical myths, and examine the scientific evidence that debunks them.

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Why Myths Stick & Facts Struggle

Our brains “stick'“ to myths as an easier way to understand the world

Research in cognitive psychology has shown that people are more likely to remember sticky “myths” than their corrections. Once an idea is established, revising it in light of new facts demands more cognitive effort than simply reinforcing the belief we already hold.

This is why misinformation spreads like wildfire—and why myths about vaccines, diseases, and healthcare persist even when science debunks them.

Think of misinformation as a three-headed dragon, fueled by fear, mistrust, and misunderstanding—each time one false belief is struck down, another seems to take its place. But the weight of evidence holds steady, grounded in rigorous research, reproducible data, and decades of peer-reviewed science that consistently separates fact from fiction. While misinformation spreads quickly, scientific truth endures—tested, challenged, and strengthened over time.

Fighting the Three-Headed Beast of Misinformation: Myths, Fear, and Mistrust.

Medical Myths are Rooted in Real Issues

Many medical myths originate from real frustrations and shortcomings within the healthcare system. These frustrations then become distorted into misleading narratives that obscure the truth.

Example: The pharmaceutical industry has well-documented issues with pricing, profit motives, and access to care → but this frustration can evolve into “prescription drugs are poison, and big pharma wants to keep you sick.”

Example: Some patients feel dismissed in traditional medicine, especially in rushed, insurance-driven healthcare → but this leads to the belief that “functional medicine and naturopathy are the only fields that truly investigate root causes.”

When legitimate concerns are simplified into sweeping generalizations, they can fuel distrust and make misinformation more difficult to challenge—especially when alternatives are framed as “hidden truths” that traditional medicine doesn’t want you to know.

This is why scientific consensus, transparency, and critical thinking are essential—so we can acknowledge real healthcare issues while ensuring that solutions are rooted in evidence, not just appealing narratives.

Let’s explore some common medical myths and what the science actually says.

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Myth #1: “The medical industry avoids cures because treating diseases is more profitable.”

Reality: Many diseases have been effectively treated or cured in recent years.

There’s a growing conspiracy that pharmaceutical companies or the broader medical system prioritize long-term treatment over cures for financial reasons. While there are certainly issues with drug pricing and healthcare costs, the idea that medicine doesn’t seek cures is simply not supported by evidence.

Many diseases once thought incurable now have highly effective treatments, long-term remission, or outright cures:

✅ Hepatitis C: Direct-acting antiviral medications cure over 95% of cases in just 8-12 weeks.

✅ Ebola: Monoclonal antibody treatments have significantly reduced mortality rates when administered early.

✅ Certain Cancers: CAR-T cell therapy has led to long-term remission in some leukemia and lymphoma patients.

✅ Peptic Ulcers: Once attributed to stress, we now know H. pylori bacteria is often the cause—and antibiotics cure it.

✅ HIV Research Advances: While there is no cure yet, modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) allows people with HIV to live long, healthy lives with minimal side effects, and several patients have been functionally cured following stem cell transplants.

But What About Cancer?

Cancer is not one disease, but rather hundreds of different types, each with its own genetic makeup. While some cancers have effective treatments leading to remission, others remain difficult to treat. That said, research into targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and mRNA-based cancer vaccines is advancing rapidly, showing that medicine is not “hiding a cure” but actively looking for better treatments.

🔍 Bottom Line: The claim that medicine avoids cures ignores the many real cures and groundbreaking treatments developed over the past few decades.

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"Myth #2: “Doctors push vaccines for profit.”

Reality: Doctors recommend vaccines because decades of rigorous scientific research confirm their profound individual and societal benefits. Financial incentives for vaccination are minimal or nonexistent compared to their public health impact.

• No Individual Bonuses: Physicians do not receive direct bonuses for vaccinating patients.

• Quality-Based Incentives: Some healthcare systems, insurers, and government programs offer public health incentives to clinics that meet vaccination targets, aiming to reduce disease burden at a population level.

• Preventive Value: Vaccinations prevent disease, reducing the need for expensive hospitalizations, long-term complications, and disability care.

In reality, many clinics actually lose money or break even on vaccines due to high storage costs, complex handling requirements, and low insurance reimbursements. While some quality-based incentives exist, they are not structured to enrich individual doctors.

Vaccines Have Led to the Eradication and Near-Elimination of Diseases

✅ Smallpox – Eradicated worldwide in 1980, saving millions of lives.

✅ Polio – 99.9% reduction in cases globally since 1988 due to vaccination.

✅ HPV Vaccine – Over 90% reduction in cervical, anal, and throat cancers.

✅ Measles, Mumps, and Rubella – Prevented thousands of childhood deaths and complications.

How This Also Disproves Myth #1

The success of vaccines doesn’t just debunk this myth—it also contradicts the claim that medicine “avoids cures.”

If profit were the primary motivation, why would doctors, scientists, and global health organizations work to eradicate diseases like smallpox and nearly eliminate polio—instead of keeping them around for expensive, ongoing treatment?

🔍 Bottom Line: Vaccines are recommended because they save lives and prevent suffering—not because doctors personally profit from them.

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Myth #3: “The flu shot gave me the flu.”

The Science Says: It’s biologically impossible for inactivated flu vaccines to give you the flu.

This myth is one we hear often. Flu vaccines do NOT contain live flu virus, so they cannot cause infection.

💉 Live vs. Inactivated Vaccines

Inactivated vaccines: Flu shot, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, Hepatitis A & B, HPV, etc.

• These vaccines contain no live virus, so they cannot cause infection.

Live-attenuated (weakened) vaccines: MMR, Chickenpox, Nasal Flu Spray, Rotavirus, etc.

• These use a weakened version of the virus. While they can replicate, they are too weak to cause disease in healthy individuals.

Why Do Some People Feel Sick After a Flu Shot?

• Immune Response Symptoms: Some people experience fatigue, mild fever, muscle aches after vaccination. This is not the flu but rather your immune system learning to fight the virus. The actual flu causes profound symptoms, including muscle aches, high fevers, and pneumonia, with 200,000 Americans hospitalized every year due to serious complications.

• Coincidental Illness: The flu season is long, and people often catch other respiratory viruses around the time of their shot. In order to prove causation, there must be less than a random chance that two events happen together by coincidence. Large studies have repeatedly shown no increased risk of flu-like illness after vaccination, meaning that getting sick after a flu shot is almost always due to other circulating viruses, not the vaccine itself.

• Timing: The flu shot takes 2 weeks to be effective. If you catch the flu right after getting vaccinated, you were already exposed before the vaccine had time to work.

🔍 Bottom Line: The flu shot cannot give you the flu. Similarly, other vaccines are designed to prevent illness, not cause it—they do not contain active viruses or bacteria capable of causing disease. Instead, they train your immune system to recognize and fight infections, reducing your risk of severe illness. Read more about the flu vaccine in our other blog post.

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Myth #4: “I’ve never gotten [insert illness] so I don’t need the vaccine.”

The Science Says: Not getting sick does not mean you are immune, and vaccines protect both individuals and communities.

This logic is similar to saying “I’ve never been in a high-speed car accident, so I don’t need to wear a seatbelt.” Just because you haven’t experienced a disease doesn’t mean you’re not at risk.

Herd Immunity & Protecting Others

Vaccination protects not just individuals but also vulnerable populations who can’t receive vaccines (e.g., newborns, immunocompromised individuals). When enough people are vaccinated, diseases struggle to spread, protecting everyone. Click here to learn more about herd immunity.

Below is a comprehensive vaccine safety table, showing the real risks of vaccine-preventable diseases vs. the minimal risks of vaccines. See references below.

Disease	Complications of Natural Infection	Benefits of the Vaccine	Risks of the Vaccine
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)	Measles: 1 in 1,000 chance of brain swelling (encephalitis) 1-2 in 1,000 risk of death Lifelong immune suppression Mumps: 1 in 10 risk of meningitis 1 in 20,000 risk of permanent deafness Infertility in males (rare) Rubella: 90% risk of birth defects if infected during pregnancy Miscarriage risk	97% effective at preventing measles with two doses 88% effective at preventing mumps Highly effective at preventing rubella and associated birth defects	Mild fever or rash possible 1 in 3,000 risk of febrile seizures (benign) 1 in 30,000 risk of temporary low platelets (ITP) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis, treatable)
COVID-19	Long COVID (10-30% of cases) Myocarditis risk is 2-5x higher than risk from vaccine Hospitalization: 1 in 5 unvaccinated adults over 50 Death: 1 in 100 for high-risk individuals	90%+ protection against severe illness and hospitalization	1 in 50,000 risk of myocarditis in young males (86% lower risk than unvaccinated viral illness) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Flu (Influenza)	200,000 hospitalizations per year in the U.S. 1 in 1,000 risk of death in high-risk individuals	Reduces flu-related hospitalizations and deaths Protects vulnerable populations	Soreness at injection site (common) Mild fever or muscle aches (rare) 1 in 1 million risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, severe allergic reaction
Chickenpox (Varicella)	Can lead to shingles later in life 0.85 in 100,000 children develop severe complications like skin infections, pneumonia, neurologic disorders (e.g. brain swelling) requiring hospitalization	Prevents chickenpox and future risk of shingles	1 in 20 chance of mild rash 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Shingles	1 in 5 persons above 50 years old will develop shingles over 20 year period. Risk increase with age Severe nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia), can last for months to years 10-20% of cases cause long-term complications	Over 90% effective at preventing shingles and long-term nerve pain	Temporary sore arm, fatigue (common) 1 in 100,000 risk of severe allergic reaction
HPV (Human Papillomavirus)	Can cause cervical, throat, anal, and genital cancers Women: 1 in 20 lifetime risk Men: 1 in 30 lifetime risk Approximately 1 in 100 sexually active adults develop persistent HPV infection leading to cancer	Prevents over 90% of HPV-related cancers	Temporary soreness at the injection site (common) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Tetanus	Causes severe muscle spasms, difficulty breathing Prior to vaccine, lifetime risk of 1 in 6,000 of acquiring tetanus Fatal in 1 of 3 cases even with treatment	97% preventable with vaccination	Mild arm pain, fatigue for 1-2 days (common) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)	Severe coughing fits can last weeks to months Can cause pneumonia, seizures, or brain damage in infants 1 in 23 of those unvaccinated become ill over 10 year period 1 in 100 infants become ill during outbreaks (unable to vaccinate until 6 months) Fatal in 1 in 100 infants	95% effective at preventing whooping cough, especially in infants Parents vaccinating themselves cuts their infant’s risk of whooping cough in 1/2. Maternal vaccination during pregnancy reduces infant’s risk by up to 90%	Soreness at the injection site (common) Mild fever, fatigue (rare) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Pneumonia (Pneumococcal Disease)	1.5 million hospitalizations per year in the U.S. 1 in 20 risk of death in adults over 65 Can cause meningitis and bloodstream infections	Reduces risk of pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections 30% reduction in children under 5 years, resulting up to 700,000 less hospitalized children every year in the United States (new PCV20 vaccine suspected to exceed these numbers) 75% reduction in invasive pneumococcal disease in older adults	Soreness at the injection site (common) Mild fever, muscle aches (rare) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Hepatitis B	90% of infants and 5-10% of adults develop chronic infection Can cause liver failure or liver cancer	Prevents liver cancer and chronic liver disease	Soreness at the injection site (common) Mild fever, fatigue (rare) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction
Meningitis (Meningococcal Disease)	10-15% of cases are fatal, even with treatment 1 in 5 survivors have brain damage, amputations, or hearing loss	Prevents meningitis outbreaks Protects against deadly bacterial infections with up to 83% efficacy in children	Soreness at the injection site (common) 1 in 1 million risk of severe allergic reaction

Notes: Of the 1 in 1,000,000 that experience anaphylaxis from vaccination, 98% are treated with no long term harm.

🔍 Bottom Line: Avoiding vaccines because you haven’t gotten sick ignores how disease risk works and the importance of herd immunity in protecting your community.

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Myth #5: “Functional and Naturopathic medicine find root causes, while traditional medicine treats symptoms.”

The Science Says: Modern medicine absolutely investigates root causes—but it focuses on evidence-based solutions.

✅ Evidence-based medicine looks for root causes:

• Example: Diabetes – Instead of just prescribing insulin, other underlying signs of metabolic syndrome are explored and nutrition and exercises counseling is recommended.

• Example: Hypertension – Guidelines recommend investigating diet, sodium intake, stress, kidney function, and other secondary causes before recommending a plan.

• Example: Chronic Fatigue – While there’s no single cause, thyroid issues, anemia, infections, and sleep disorders are investigated as standard of care.

The Problem With "Only We Find the Root Cause" Marketing

Healthcare professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including traditionally trained physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, naturopaths, and alternative health practitioners, may exploit this myth to market their services, promising a unique understanding that "traditional doctors won't tell you."

This is a red flag for misleading medical marketing. When any provider claims to have special insight that conventional medicine ignores, it often signals a sales tactic rather than sound science.

🚨 Functional Medicine & Naturopathy’s Role in Holistic Care—And the Risks of Unvalidated Testing

Functional medicine and naturopathic providers can play a role in holistic care, particularly when emphasizing lifestyle modifications, nutrition, and stress management. These areas align with evidence-based medicine and can be valuable when used appropriately.

However, many practitioners within these fields exploit this very myth—that traditional medicine only “treats symptoms” and fails to look for root causes—to market their services to desperate patients. They offer hope to people who feel dismissed or unsupported by the traditional healthcare system—but often at a steep financial cost with little scientific backing.

Why This Myth Persists—and Who Profits

As with many myths, this one has it’s roots in real issues with our healthcare system. It is undeniable that the insurance-driven healthcare system fails many patients, particularly those with chronic, functional, or complex illnesses. However, the real issue isn’t that traditional medicine “ignores root causes”—it’s that the structure of insurance-based healthcare does not adequately reimburse for the time-intensive care that functional illnesses require.

🚨 Key issues driving patient frustration:

• Short, rushed visits — Doctors don’t have time to counsel on lifestyle changes, stress management, and long-term health strategies because the insurance system requires fast visits and high patient volume to stay afloat.

• Limited behavioral health integration - Stress-related conditions often go unaddressed due to fragmented referral networks.

• Preventive care barriers - Chronic health conditions and functional illnesses require time, deep patient relationships, and a non-rushed approach—which is difficult to deliver in traditional healthcare models.

📢 Who benefits from this gap?

• Any practitioner who markets themselves as revealing the "real truth" while promoting excessive lab panels or costly supplements—despite limited to no scientific backing—is selling an illusion of uncovering root causes.

• Health influencers and alternative health providers – Many portray conventional medicine as uninterested in addressing the cause of illness to sell their own services and products. They exploit people’s desire for a quick fix—a lab panel, pill, or supplement that will provide the solution to their problem—while ignoring the reality that most chronic illnesses arise from a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors. True long-term health requires a comprehensive approach involving healthy eating, regular exercise, quality sleep, and cognitive therapy, not misleading shortcuts or unproven treatments.

The Problem With Unvalidated Lab Tests

Many clinics—not just functional or naturopathic ones—capitalize on patient fears and frustrations by offering extensive, expensive lab panels (e.g., “adrenal fatigue” panels, “food sensitivity” tests via IgG, heavy metal tests in non-toxic individuals) that have no proven diagnostic value. These can:

✅ Generate false positives, unnecessarily alarming patients and leading them down rabbit holes of costly and unnecessary treatments.

✅ Encourage overtreatment, including excessive supplements, "detox" regimens, and unproven therapies.

✅ Exploit patients financially, as these tests are often out-of-pocket expenses not covered by insurance.

A report in Science-Based Medicine details how some functional medicine clinics order reams of unnecessary tests, leaving patients with huge bills and no clearer understanding of their health (Science-Based Medicine).

The Conflict of Interest: Selling Distrust for Profit

Unlike traditional medicine, where diagnostic testing and treatment are separate, many alternative and cash-based clinics profit directly from the diagnoses they create:

🔴 Distrust fuels profit – The more a provider convinces patients that conventional medicine is fundamentally inadequate, the more they can charge for "real solutions."

🔴 Financially motivated care – Selling in-house supplements, proprietary treatments, and non-FDA-approved interventions creates a built-in incentive for overtreatment.

🔴 Lack of oversight – The supplement industry is largely unregulated, meaning companies do not need to prove efficacy, safety, or purity before making health claims (see: Harvard Health).

How Direct Primary Care (DPC) Can Offer a Solution

At PridePoint Health, we recognize the legitimate frustrations that many patients feel with the traditional healthcare system. That’s why we operate on a Direct Primary Care (DPC) model, which allows us to:

✅ Spend real time with our patients — Giving them the thorough care they deserve, without the rushed, 10-minute visits imposed by insurance-based care.

✅ Offer evidence-based care — Rooted in science, not sales tactics.

✅ Focus on whole-person health, Including stress management, behavioral health support, and lifestyle interventions.

✅ Maintain complete transparency — We do not profit from tests, treatments, or supplements, ensuring that every decision is based solely on patient well-being. Transparency also means acknowledging the limits of scientific knowledge—without filling the gaps with pseudoscience or unproven treatments.

🔍 Bottom Line: Modern medicine does investigate root causes—when supported by high-quality evidence. The real issue isn’t that conventional doctors ignore these causes, but rather that the insurance-driven system makes it difficult to provide the in-depth care patients deserve. This is why Direct Primary Care (DPC) models like PridePoint Health can offer a better way forward—providing comprehensive, unhurried care that is free from financial conflicts of interest and focused entirely on patient well-being.

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Click to learn more about the science of health research

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References

The following reputable sources were used to support the claims made in this blog post:

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19. Andrews NJ, Beebeejaun K, et al. Effectiveness and Impact of a Reduced Infant Schedule of 4CMenB Vaccine Against Group B Meningococcal Disease in England. Lancet. 2016;388(10061):2775-2782. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31921-3.

Nothing in this post creates a physician-patient relationship with the reader. 
Speak with your own health care provider for individualized medical advice