The Fight Back for Homeopathy
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:08 am
The Fight Back!
-- Dr. Manish Bhatia
Dear Roger,
A couple of weeks ago, I sent you an open letter ' Is Homeopathy Bleeding to Death? '
In response to my appeal to join hands, I received thousands of emails of support from homeopaths, patients and homeopathic enthusiasts. More than 700 people actually volunteered to be part of the international team that will not just work to check the bleeding but will also work proactively to promote Homeopathy in every corner of the world, in every way possible.
I feel inspired by your response and your letters. But in spite of my best efforts, I cannot reply to each of you personally. Therefore I am writing a public message to say thank you to all of you and put forward the future course of action.
So first of all, THANK YOU for the support, enthusiasm and solidarity that you have shown. It really feels that we are breathing the same air throughout the world and that we all have a burning desire within us to see homeopathy become the dominant system of medicine.
Now a couple of more serious issues and questions.
I told you in my last letter that The Lancet was planning another issue on Homeopathy. Well, the issue is already out. In its lead article, it summarizes:
Homeopaths in the UK have been feeling under pressure lately. Unfortunately for them, however, the cause of their anxiety is not a heavy workload but an active campaign against homeopathy, particularly its availability in the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
And another article focuses on Homeopathy in India. In this article, the highly regarded Lancet has put the 2,50000 strong and effective Indian professional homeopathic community in the box based on just ONE malpractice case! They didn't bother to look at the thousands of malpractice cases against conventional medical doctors! What an editorial policy they have!!
In a third article, the author says:
"Homeopaths can undermine public-health campaigns; leave their patients exposed to fatal diseases; and, in the extreme, miss or disregard fatal diagnoses. ...Homeopaths can misrepresent scientific evidence freely to an unsuspecting and scientifically illiterate public."
Before this issue, the editors of The Lancet sent the Society of Homeopaths (SoH) 13 questions to learn the stand of the homeopathic community on various issues. The SoH did reply, but none of their replies even got hinted anywhere in the issue. In fact this is what they got in the end:
"All these problems have been exacerbated by society's eagerness to endorse the healing claims of homeopaths"
So the polite and courteous responses of our organizations are still lying somewhere in a dustbin in The Lancet office.
Do you want to fight this media campaign which is spreading misinformation about Homeopathy?
NOW READ THESE MAILS FROM UK HOMEOPATHS:
"My practice has come down to a level where I started 9 years ago.."
"I have been in practice for 12 years and over the last few years have seen such a decline I am forced to look for other employment and I don't want to give up that easily."
"I am a homeopath in full time practice and manage (just) to make a living but this year the enquiries from new patients has gone down about 75%."
"I am a practicing homeopath who is limping along and have seen a demise in my practice. I have come to the point where I am considering giving up as I cannot support myself or homeopathy as I have done for the past 12 years"
"I'm one of those homeopaths who can no longer make a living out of homeopathy."
"I have a close friend who is a doctor at the RLHH - she says the situation there is dire and clinics have closed and private practice is down to a minimum - 1 or 2 a week!"
"I was already well established, so I am still in practice, but at the level where any further downturn in income will finish me off."
"..in Belgium the existing schools have practically no students anymore."
"My school in Finland is closing because of lack of students."
Each of these quotes is from a different homeopath.
The skeptics who are running this anti-homeopathy campaign will get a big boost after reading these lines. But ask yourself this question:
Why have we allowed it to get to this point?
1. We do not have any active International organization overlooking the growth of homeopathy. Most national societies, registers and organizations are working with a very narrow vision and have proved totally ineffective so far.
2. Most of the time we are busy giving and attending seminars but do not bother to work on the ground.
3. We are more concerned with 'My Clinic' and 'My Practice' and do little for 'Our Homeopathy'. We are not a cohesive community.
4. We keep waiting for someone else to take the lead. Most of us are too afraid to stick our neck out!
And this is not only a UK problem. I have received mails from UK, Germany, France, India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Turkey, Greece, Israel, South Africa, Ghana, Canada, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Iceland and dozens of other countries. Ninety nine percent of the people who wrote in, were able to see the truth in that letter. I got support from every corner of the earth, from homeopaths, vets, scientists, patients, enthusiasts, whole schools and even the biggest names in Homeopathy. In spite of our differences, we are still bound together somewhere with our love for Homeopathy. And we are facing similar problems around the world!
There were only two groups who failed to respond to my appeal:
1. Our societies and organizations, who are supposed to be writing these mails to you instead of me.
2. Our pharmaceutical companies, software companies and publishers .who are making the most money out of Homeopathy!
But don't get disheartened by what you have read above. Remember that there are close to half a million homeopaths and tens of millions of patients in this world who love homeopathy. If we all stand together no one will be able to stop us from growing and spreading! We just need to unite our energies. Are you willing?
The attacks are also a reflection of our growth, so there is something positive in it. Consider this as an opportunity to put our differences and egos aside and unite globally for a greater cause, or as Dr. Hahnemann would have said ...for the higher purpose of our existence.
SO WHAT TO DO NOW?
First, stop looking towards others, be it people or organizations, to do something for you. YOU have to do it yourself. The real power lies in you and not in organizations. It is your cause, so why wait for someone else? YOU are the leader!
And you are not alone. Just extend your hand and you will find someone else who loves Homeopathy just like you do. Let us become the 'bundle of sticks' that will work together to preserve and promote homeopathy.
I have got 700 volunteers. I need 25,000 more. Are you with me? If you are, write to me at editor@hpathy.com
We need good writers, speakers, marketing professionals, scientists, researchers, educationists, website designers and software programmers, graphic designers, course designers, public relations managers, seminar organizers, public campaign managers, motivational gurus .and above all spirited homeopaths who are willing to fight back!
If you see yourself fit in any of those roles or have specific ideas about how to turn the tide, write to me at editor@hpathy.com
WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?
We are not sitting idle after my last mail. The international workgroup is already taking shape and the discussions have started. We will soon act ...with plan, purpose and determination.
BUT ...don't think that a team of hundred people can turn around the tide for you. YOU cannot relax. We will need support from EACH one of you to reverse the tide and take homeopathy to the next level. The international workgroup will keep writing to you at regular intervals and will seek your help in making our collective dreams come true.
In the meantime, if you can do something at your local level, start doing it today! Don't even wait for my next mail.
ARE YOU READY ...FOR THE FIGHT BACK??
If you have any plans, ideas, suggestions or can help in any way in this movement ...write to me at editor@hpathy.com
Loads of love, peace, harmony and growth to all of you!
Yours in Homeopathy,
Dr. Manish Bhatia (aka Dr. B!)
-- Dr. Manish Bhatia
Dear Roger,
A couple of weeks ago, I sent you an open letter ' Is Homeopathy Bleeding to Death? '
In response to my appeal to join hands, I received thousands of emails of support from homeopaths, patients and homeopathic enthusiasts. More than 700 people actually volunteered to be part of the international team that will not just work to check the bleeding but will also work proactively to promote Homeopathy in every corner of the world, in every way possible.
I feel inspired by your response and your letters. But in spite of my best efforts, I cannot reply to each of you personally. Therefore I am writing a public message to say thank you to all of you and put forward the future course of action.
So first of all, THANK YOU for the support, enthusiasm and solidarity that you have shown. It really feels that we are breathing the same air throughout the world and that we all have a burning desire within us to see homeopathy become the dominant system of medicine.
Now a couple of more serious issues and questions.
I told you in my last letter that The Lancet was planning another issue on Homeopathy. Well, the issue is already out. In its lead article, it summarizes:
Homeopaths in the UK have been feeling under pressure lately. Unfortunately for them, however, the cause of their anxiety is not a heavy workload but an active campaign against homeopathy, particularly its availability in the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
And another article focuses on Homeopathy in India. In this article, the highly regarded Lancet has put the 2,50000 strong and effective Indian professional homeopathic community in the box based on just ONE malpractice case! They didn't bother to look at the thousands of malpractice cases against conventional medical doctors! What an editorial policy they have!!
In a third article, the author says:
"Homeopaths can undermine public-health campaigns; leave their patients exposed to fatal diseases; and, in the extreme, miss or disregard fatal diagnoses. ...Homeopaths can misrepresent scientific evidence freely to an unsuspecting and scientifically illiterate public."
Before this issue, the editors of The Lancet sent the Society of Homeopaths (SoH) 13 questions to learn the stand of the homeopathic community on various issues. The SoH did reply, but none of their replies even got hinted anywhere in the issue. In fact this is what they got in the end:
"All these problems have been exacerbated by society's eagerness to endorse the healing claims of homeopaths"
So the polite and courteous responses of our organizations are still lying somewhere in a dustbin in The Lancet office.
Do you want to fight this media campaign which is spreading misinformation about Homeopathy?
NOW READ THESE MAILS FROM UK HOMEOPATHS:
"My practice has come down to a level where I started 9 years ago.."
"I have been in practice for 12 years and over the last few years have seen such a decline I am forced to look for other employment and I don't want to give up that easily."
"I am a homeopath in full time practice and manage (just) to make a living but this year the enquiries from new patients has gone down about 75%."
"I am a practicing homeopath who is limping along and have seen a demise in my practice. I have come to the point where I am considering giving up as I cannot support myself or homeopathy as I have done for the past 12 years"
"I'm one of those homeopaths who can no longer make a living out of homeopathy."
"I have a close friend who is a doctor at the RLHH - she says the situation there is dire and clinics have closed and private practice is down to a minimum - 1 or 2 a week!"
"I was already well established, so I am still in practice, but at the level where any further downturn in income will finish me off."
"..in Belgium the existing schools have practically no students anymore."
"My school in Finland is closing because of lack of students."
Each of these quotes is from a different homeopath.
The skeptics who are running this anti-homeopathy campaign will get a big boost after reading these lines. But ask yourself this question:
Why have we allowed it to get to this point?
1. We do not have any active International organization overlooking the growth of homeopathy. Most national societies, registers and organizations are working with a very narrow vision and have proved totally ineffective so far.
2. Most of the time we are busy giving and attending seminars but do not bother to work on the ground.
3. We are more concerned with 'My Clinic' and 'My Practice' and do little for 'Our Homeopathy'. We are not a cohesive community.
4. We keep waiting for someone else to take the lead. Most of us are too afraid to stick our neck out!
And this is not only a UK problem. I have received mails from UK, Germany, France, India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Turkey, Greece, Israel, South Africa, Ghana, Canada, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Iceland and dozens of other countries. Ninety nine percent of the people who wrote in, were able to see the truth in that letter. I got support from every corner of the earth, from homeopaths, vets, scientists, patients, enthusiasts, whole schools and even the biggest names in Homeopathy. In spite of our differences, we are still bound together somewhere with our love for Homeopathy. And we are facing similar problems around the world!
There were only two groups who failed to respond to my appeal:
1. Our societies and organizations, who are supposed to be writing these mails to you instead of me.
2. Our pharmaceutical companies, software companies and publishers .who are making the most money out of Homeopathy!
But don't get disheartened by what you have read above. Remember that there are close to half a million homeopaths and tens of millions of patients in this world who love homeopathy. If we all stand together no one will be able to stop us from growing and spreading! We just need to unite our energies. Are you willing?
The attacks are also a reflection of our growth, so there is something positive in it. Consider this as an opportunity to put our differences and egos aside and unite globally for a greater cause, or as Dr. Hahnemann would have said ...for the higher purpose of our existence.
SO WHAT TO DO NOW?
First, stop looking towards others, be it people or organizations, to do something for you. YOU have to do it yourself. The real power lies in you and not in organizations. It is your cause, so why wait for someone else? YOU are the leader!
And you are not alone. Just extend your hand and you will find someone else who loves Homeopathy just like you do. Let us become the 'bundle of sticks' that will work together to preserve and promote homeopathy.
I have got 700 volunteers. I need 25,000 more. Are you with me? If you are, write to me at editor@hpathy.com
We need good writers, speakers, marketing professionals, scientists, researchers, educationists, website designers and software programmers, graphic designers, course designers, public relations managers, seminar organizers, public campaign managers, motivational gurus .and above all spirited homeopaths who are willing to fight back!
If you see yourself fit in any of those roles or have specific ideas about how to turn the tide, write to me at editor@hpathy.com
WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?
We are not sitting idle after my last mail. The international workgroup is already taking shape and the discussions have started. We will soon act ...with plan, purpose and determination.
BUT ...don't think that a team of hundred people can turn around the tide for you. YOU cannot relax. We will need support from EACH one of you to reverse the tide and take homeopathy to the next level. The international workgroup will keep writing to you at regular intervals and will seek your help in making our collective dreams come true.
In the meantime, if you can do something at your local level, start doing it today! Don't even wait for my next mail.
ARE YOU READY ...FOR THE FIGHT BACK??
If you have any plans, ideas, suggestions or can help in any way in this movement ...write to me at editor@hpathy.com
Loads of love, peace, harmony and growth to all of you!
Yours in Homeopathy,
Dr. Manish Bhatia (aka Dr. B!)
. I have been doing so for years writing on natural health care _ Thai Hot Stem articles.That will raise the bar and let the public take notice. Look what happened with Reiki - all the public commotion about it - now many Hospitals have at least one Reiki Practitioner and even Yale teaches it - its all in the promotion - lets start a real campaign for Homeopathy. Start writing to the press.