rochelle wrote:
And this is an area we and our associations need to be very strong and proactive in rather than reactive and fearful.
As my call to arms
I suggest that individual homeopaths (and organisations) make themselves familiar with the historical usage of prophylactics - and the more recent research on their effectiveness - and when challenged, point to these records while making a strong call for further research to assess the strength of their results and claims.
In taking this stance "they" will not be able to accuse you of ratbaggery or defending the indefensible, you will become a local hero to those who are just waiting for someone to stand up and do this, and it will push those who try to suppress information on prophylaxis into a corner where they have to start justifying why they repeatedly refuse to examine the historical records and initial studies that have been so promising.
If only we would realise that the public would be shocked by what we know (or should know) - that many would join us in the call for more research upon knowing this info (especially with the increasing community concerns about vaccines) - that as the criticism rose, many would fight with us just to find the truth and would stand on the side of the underdog against a suppressive establishment (Oh I am sounding a little like Causticum).
If only we realised that prophylactics can make or break homeopathy in a way that nothing else can - that this is an area that fits very nicely into the conventional research model in a way that homeopathic treatment does not - that prophylactics is a "this for that" approach that either works or does not.
If only we realised that in spite of the howls of ridicule and criticism that have been levelled against prophylaxis over the past 200 years, not a single piece or research (unlike studies on homeopathic treatment) has shown it to be ineffective - all have shown the opposite - do we realise what we are sitting on?????????????? Go, ahead - challenge the orthodoxy to show that it does not work - challenge them research the area for the sake of disease control and their own healtcare budgets. This is an area we have very little to lose in and so much to gain but we are so intimidated and fearful we do not realise exactly what it is we have in our hands - it is ludicrous to think about!!!!!!
So, Rochelle please feel very very free to pass this on to your Society and stir them into action so that when the British media next does a beat up as it did with the Malaria story, they can come out fighting rather than going to water - a lot of people would start cheering.
As a postscript - if anyone wants to help me with the Do No Harm site and get all the information I have up there, please contact me privately - there is so much to be done and I have so little time!