One knows to begin with a disclaimer when challenging the deeply held beliefs of others. This is most especially true in these divisive times.
My disclaimer is as follows: For those who have been involved with one of the many twelve step programs and have found solace, companionship, a path out of addiction, or a pathway to a happier existence when a loved one struggles with addiction, I am truly glad for you. I have seen this happen with people in my own life and it seems wrong to dishonor any new found quality of life, however one achieves that goal. In short, if you feel good about your successes or perceived successes in a twelve step program and your judgment is to continue, by all means. I am satisfied that ones mental flexibility to listen to and/or absorb new ideas is the single most important bit.
That said, if we “know” (as in; we have abundant evidence for a thing) that a given methodology/treatment is not truly effective, it is incumbent upon us to stand up straight and say this clearly. First, because it is true. Further, in the interest of compassion toward our fellow humans, we wish to both point the way toward superior methods/treatments of serious maladies and away from the inferior. As the psychiatrist in the report observes, even if we were not able to offer a clearly superior treatment for a given disease, our moral obligation to inform others of the failures of a system currently in use, still applies. We arrive at this inference based upon the idea that operating from facts and evidence is unarguably superior to acting from belief alone.
—The fact that we have a very serious addiction problem in the United States and we have finite resources available for research/remediation and the diversion of precious resources to ineffective treatments is a shocking waste, well, that is another discussion.—
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