Many popular pharmaceuticals are presented as miraculous cures when, in fact, they have much lower effectiveness than the sellers claim. As a result, most of us believe most medicines to be far more potent than they are and assume they have fewer side effects than in reality. We may be more likely to accept a prescription than not, by default, based more on faith in the results than the true knowledge of their effectiveness.  The term "Snake Oil" refers to a medical solution that is promoted as a cure-all for various illnesses but is fake and worthless. A snake oil salesman sells these useless products for a quick profit and then escapes to avoid the consequences. Many of these were salespeople who traveled from place to place selling their goods. Regrettably, these individuals frequently focused on vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those who are unwell. Some things never change. You may have noticed the numerous medication ads and cover stories on the news that make them sound so wonderful. Are the medications as effective as they say? The answer is, sadly, usually no. How did they get away with this? Read on to find out.