Wine and Magnets

New scams for selling magnetic devices are coming around all of the time, and have been since long before I was born. There are devices claiming to cure or ease all sorts of health problems by being placed on many areas of the body, in clothing, shoes, etc. There is a magnetic device to clamp around a water pipe claiming to prevent deposits. There is a device to clamp around a gasoline line claiming to increase the the miles per gallon for your auto. I have never seen any proper scientific tests that show that any of these things have a significant effect other than a possible placebo one. Most testing organizations will not even bother to test such devices anymore. Unfortunately, no matter how unlikely the claims, many such devices remain on the market. Federal regulators, with limited budgets in most countries, tend to concentrate on the many things that can cause harm such as medications with bad side effects, contaminated food, food additives etc. The more people that complain to regulators, the more likely they will investigate unlikely claims. It is up to the people making such claims in sales literature to prove that the claims are true or to cease making the claims. Beware of companies that use testimonials in their ads.