Minutus

Well, I have certainly started my day off on the right foot - I think not. The above programme was all about how millions of people are so disillusioned with UK's National Health Service that they are spending millions of pounds on alternative superstitious nonsense, which range from crystal healing; healing with one's own personal angels; quantum healing, and lo and behold Homoeopathy. AND GUESS WHO WAS SPEAKING ON THERE - Peter 'Fisher, London Homoeopathic Hospital. I wonder if he knew the sort of programme he agreed to take part in? AND OF COURSE they brought up the Lancet article - and that was gospel as far as they were concerned. They kept repeating how none of these alternative healing systems adheres to the double-blind trials, as is so important to establish scientific proof/reliability/acceptance. They ended by putting ALL alternative healing down to the placebo effect and set out to prove it by exploring kinsieology, and then saying that how spending a hour with someone who takes an interest in them is bound to make patients feel better and that that was all down to the placebo effect. They talked about the Middle Ages and how superstitions existed then, the same as now, and they classed people who follow homoeopathy and other alternative healing as belonging to the herd and that it was far better to be an independant thinker and believe in the real world and science when it comes to one's health. One thing they didn't bring up, though, was the role of homoeopathy with animals; they can't argue the placebo effect there, can they?
They also talked about vaccines and how people are so misguided that they are willing to risk the welfare of their own children in not vaccinating them.
I just wish someone could make a fantastic documentary that would counteract this, because whilst they interviewed alternative healers on the programme, they portrayed them as people doing more harm than good and relying on jargon that no one can prove one way or the other, and that the whole point of double-blind trials was to sort scientific fact from superstitious nonsense.
Christine
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Tania, you might bear in mind when writing to counteract the negative effects of homeopathy that the scientific community love the words "double-blind trials." Anything that doesn't apply to those standards is 'superstitious nonsense' and success is down to the placebo effect.
Christine

wel since we dont have large files of double-blind studies,
this becomes a problem. so i think we need to work on debunking
the myth of double blind studies.
i am reminded of a tv movie that i have seen a few times. it focuses
on a working family with a young boy that develops epileptic seizures.
the doctors are presented as people too blind to look at the harm they
are causing this child who slips further and further away with each of
the medications that they pour into him. the family finally discovers
a nutritional protocol that has been around for decades. it was
developed and administered at john's hopkins institute--a very well
known and respected medical facility/school. however, the doctors
poopoo it saying it is only anecdotal. the parents discover they have
a neighbor who has a medical license that he has maintained current.
when meeting with the md's about taking the boy to john's hopkins, they
again attack the idea as unproven and unscientific. the unpracticing
md friend now identifies himself as a doctor and counterattacks by
noting how many drugs never went through double-blind studies. further,
he questions the absence of double-blind studies on the effects of giving
multiple drugs at once and the long term effects.
the movie continues with the boy being treated by this special diet, coming
back to normal functioning within about 3 months and being considered cured
after being on the diet for 2-3 yrs. many of the case of the film were people
with childhood epilepsy who were cured by this diet and have been seizure free
for decades. this film is biographical which gives it some weight with the
public watching it.
so this is one arena that might add fuel to the homeopathic side: identifying
drugs that have never been 'scientifically' studied for short term, long term
or combination effects. and of course, trying to identify all the negative
drug studies that are supressed to the fda and the public. so much for
medical science!! we really need to climb out of a defensive and pleading
approach.
when the debate was held at the U of Conn recently, dr. roy was straight
forward and unapologetic in his presentation. the woman, whose name slips
my foggy memory, felt too defensive in her approach. if you recall, for
those who watched the debate, she kept saying things like 'i am not taking
any sides, but homeopathy could make use of this information.' i would
have preferred to hear her speak with greater definition; ie, 'this information
explains thus and such about the homeopathic principle of...'
we need to be careful to not become our own worst enemies.
tanya

Hi Tanya,
We DO have large volumes of double-blind studies!

Regards

Luise
--
One thought to all who, free of doubt,
So definitely know what's true:
2 and 2 is 22 -
and 2 times 2 is 2:-)
==========> ICQ yinyang 96391801 <==========

luise,
my understanding is that many of the studies are flawed-
possibly intentionally so, and that there are not that
many of them.
if i am in error, thank you.
tanya

Hi Tanya,

all this has been meticulously analyzed by Michael Emmans Dean in his
dissertation fo PhD.

This again was published as a book by the name of "The Trials of
Homeopathy", which can be had for Euro 24,- plus postage and
handling at the Carl und Veronica Classen Verlag in Germany.
Alternatively Dana Ullman probably still carries it.

Regards

Luise
--
One thought to all who, free of doubt,
So definitely know what's true:
2 and 2 is 22 -
and 2 times 2 is 2:-)
==========> ICQ yinyang 96391801 <==========

Well, maybe I will have to move it up my list, sigh...
Okay, it's on my "after Christmas" list now...
:-#