Minutus

Friends,
Well, it seems that Associated Press is continuing its anti-CAM
mis-information program. After Zicam was taken off the market for having
130 people lose their sense of smell over the past 10 years, AP is now going
after the entire field of homeopathy:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31411501/ns ... _medicine/
What is a tad ironic is that the serious side effects from conventional
drugs is so ubiquitous that it is no longer "news." And yet, when
homeopathic or natural medicine creates problems for people, it is "news."
When several ADD/ADHD medications have a very high incidence of
side-effects, even reduce the height of children, and lead to higher
incidence of sudden death, the FDA becomes deaf, dumb, and blind...
Below is my recently posted response on msnbc.com:
Homeopathic medicines have a 200+ year history of safety, though there have
been some new homeopathic medicines (such as Zicam) that are legally
considered "homeopathic medicines" but that are not very diluted. Although
there have been some side effects from Zicam, there have also been several
studies showing its efficacy in treating the common cold...and there are not
many other similarly effective drugs for this common ailment.

There is actually a larger body of research showing efficacy of homeopathic
medicines than your report suggests. Positive studies have been published in
the Lancet, BMJ, Pediatrics, Chest, and the Cochrane Reports showing
benefits for people with asthma, hayfever, childhood diarrhea, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), childhood diarrhea, and reducing the
side effects of conventional cancer treatment.

I seriously question the article's assertion that $3.8 million has been
spent on "homeopathic research" by the National Institutes of Health between
2002 and 2008. I only know of 2 studies that were NIH-funded, and these
studies were prior to 2000. One of these studies was conducted at a
Harvard-affiliated hospital and showed significant benefits from homeopathic
treatment for people with mild traumatic brain injury (published in a
leading conventional rehabitation journal).

There are good reasons that many of the most respected cultural heroes of
the past 200 years used and/or advocated homeopathic medicines, including 11
U.S. Presidents, 2 U.K. Prime Ministers, 7 popes, Charles Darwin, J.D.
Rockefeller, Mother Teresa, David Beckham, C. Everett Koop, Sir William
Osler, and so many others. My newest book, "The Homeopathic Revolution,"
provides details about their and others' experiences with homeopathy as a
safe and often very effective treatment modality...try it, and see for
yourself...

http://health.newsvine.com/_news/2009/0 ... lone-in-re
ports-of-side-effects?threadId=605954#c7703867
homeopathy is threatening to Big Pharma. Congratulations to us...we made it
into the big time...

Dana Ullman, MPH
Homeopathic Educational Services
2124 Kittredge St.
Berkeley, CA. 94704
(510)649-0294
(800)359-9051 (orders only in the U.S.)
(510)649-1955 (fax)
dullman@igc.org OR dana@homeopathic.com
http://www.homeopathic.com

These attacks are going to increase as homoeopathy becomes more of a threat to orthodox medicine. This is also the reason why we need to be very clear about the definition of homoeopathy - what it is and what it isn't.

It is foolish and naive to say that the definition should be determined by the marketplace. If this was to be encouraged, true homoeopathy would be done like a dinner within media and public opinion. Fortunately, legislators (and homeopathy will be increasingly regulated) tend to listen to the identifiable profession when determining definitions and practises.

We have to be very clear about the difference between complex remedies, potentised remedies, homoeopathic remedies, and homoeopathic application when we write and speak.

Attacks like this are always a two-edged sword that provide a wonderful opportunity to educate and clarify public perception. They also allow inappropriate practices to be identified and weeded out of homeopathy. Hooray!

--
Kind regards,

Fran Sheffield
Homeopathy Plus! (Tutorials - Remedies - Immunisation)
http://www.homeopathyplus.com.au
Do No Harm Initiative (Free Information on Homeopathic Immunisation)
http://www.d-n-h.org
Homeopathy for Autism (Guidelines for Treatment - Search for Practitioners)
http://www.homeopathy4autism.com
Dana Ullman wrote:

CODEX is marching faster and faster these days!
In the UK the assault is very heavy these days. The
media refuses to print counter letters to their
ludicrous assaults. The infamous randi has refused
to rise to his own challenge with Vithoulkas--actually
he backed down once the entire protocol had been set up
as I understand it.
The financial stats indicate that holistic healing receives
about equal monies from the public as allopathy. That must
really rankle their nerves. But with the Codex keeping wind
in their sails, Big Pharma with the FDA, and Monsanto with
the USDA are revving up mightily to take down homeopathy,
herbs, and any other form of healing they can't own and patent.
Isn't it time for people to organize a concerted response?
There is a group in the UK that is focused on the media. A
few people from this list are part of that group, too. One
of the efforts is to create a bumper sticker that supports
homepathy. Are there any people on this list that would be
interested is organizing a similar effort here? You can
contact me privately or on the list--whatever your comfort zone.
tanya

PS--Tanya, about that bumper sticker.
Somebody a while back (maybe NCH?) had one reading, "Homeopaths Do It
With Potency." Anyone have more?
Shannon