12-step-program Quote by Lance Dodes
““Alcoholics Anonymous was proclaimed the correct treatment for alcoholism over seventy-five years ago despite the absence of any scientific evidence of the approach’s efficacy, and we have been on the wrong path ever since. Today, almost every treatment center, physician, and court system in the country uses this model. Yet it has one of the worst success rates in all of medicine: between 5 and 10 percent, hardly better than no treatment at all. Most of the expensive, famous rehab centers that base their treatment on the Twelve Steps likewise have offered no evidence for their effectiveness. Most of them don’t even study their own outcomes.””
About This Quote
The dominant AA model persists despite lacking scientific proof and low success rates, highlighting systemic reliance on ineffective treatment.
In simple terms: AA is widely used but ineffective.
Key Takeaway
Question evidence‑based alternatives.
Themes
addreatment
evidence
healthcare
addiction
policy
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
analytical
informative
When to use this quote
- rehab centers
- court systems
- physician referrals
- patient counseling
Key Concepts
efficacy
outcome measurement
systemic inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would shift policy?
- How can patients access better care?
A Different Perspective
Success rates are low; cultural inertia sustains it.
