According to the BBC news, the World Health Organization has published an advisory that homeopathic remedies are of no value in curing AIDS, TB, malaria, and infectious diseases such as diarrhea. This was in response to a plea from the Voice of Young Science Network, whose members were concerned about the promotion of homeopathic remedies in Africa.
Well, we all know that magic water can’t do squat — unless hydration itself is the goal. But the quacks homeopaths must have their say, and so they counter:
However Paula Ross, chief executive of the Society of Homeopaths, said it was right to raise concerns about promotion of homeopathy as a cure for TB, malaria or HIV and Aids.
But she added: “This is just another poorly wrapped attempt to discredit homeopathy by Sense About Science.
“The irony is that in their efforts to promote evidence in medicine, they have failed to do their own homework.
“There is a strong and growing evidence base for homeopathy and most notably, this also includes childhood diarrhoea.”
The UK’s Faculty of Homeopathy added that there was also evidence homeopathy could help people with seasonal flu.
Dr Sara Eames, president of the faculty, said people should not be deprived of effective conventional medicines for serious disease.
But she added: “Millions die each year as those affected have no access to these drugs.
“It therefore seems reasonable to consider what beneficial role homeopathy could play. What is needed is further research and investment into homeopathy.”
Yes, by all means let’s have that research, but let’s also agree that if it shows no benefit, every homeopath will have to close up shop.
h/t: Butterflies and Wheels
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And in case you’ve been in Ulan Bator or similar parts in the last few months, you’ll need to see this:
Society of Homeopaths?
Faculty of Homeopathy?
Seriously???
What do they do? Sit around and laugh at the gullible rubes?
How do you make that dosage? – Add more water.
“…a strong and growing evidence base for homeopathy…” – where is that? In your dreams?
“Placebo Society of Medicine” would be a better name for those thieves.
“There is a strong and growing evidence base for homeopathy and most notably, this also includes childhood diarrhoea.”
Or, we could be logical:
Drinking large amounts of water can alleviate dehydration, the most common symptom of diarrhea. High fluid intake is generally recommended for those suffering from the flu as well.
I might be the teensiest bit impressed if they manage to cure hyper-hydration through homeopathic techniques. Until then, all I hear is the sound of quacks quacking.
There are things that homeopathy can cure:
1. it can cure a full bank account of a gullible person.
2. it can cure a skinny bank account of a charlatan.
Speaking of charlatans, “Charlatan” (Pope Brock, 2008) is a great read. About John Brinkley, who ran “rejuvenation” clinics in those pre-Viagra days (’20s & ’30s) implanting goat testicles.
I read that article on the BBC a couple of days ago. I don’t recall seeing the final section (the homeopathic “balance” bit you quote) at the time. I think they must have had complaints from homeopaths and added it.
I was cured by homeopathy… Of a raging thirst and that homeopathic lager went down a treat
What’s this? YET ANOTHER unscientific harrangue against Homeopathy with a little ridicule, innuendo and misrepresentation mixed in? Have you ANY idea of the harm you are doing to genuine MD’s and other health professionals using Homeopathy in their practice, scientific researchers working to uncover its mechanism and people attempting to find alternatives to the side effect ridden, uncontrolled cost ridden, lab “science” misinterpreted report infested institutionalized profiteering that constitutes a large portion of standard medicine?
Perhaps you could have started this campaign of innuendo against Barry Marshall and held up the discovery of H. Pylorii and the preposterous idea that some types of stomach ulcer might be caused by bacteria instead of the “standard” explanation of stress and diet?
Perhaps you hadn’t noticed, or prefer not to notice genuine scientific research by M. Ennis, who, by the way, remains a skeptic of Homeopathy but published her results clearly showing biological activity stimulated by a high dilution solution in which all the molecules of the stimulant had been diluted away (Inflammation Research, vol 53, p181).
Her experiments have been repeated, successfully and with improved controls, the results are the same and remain unexplained. Still think it’s “magic” water?
Want to acknowledge the Homeoapthic curative effects but then dismiss it all as “placebo”? Go ahead. Try applying the same “standards” to standard medicine and see what you come up with.
Homeopathy does not cure HIV and other diseases? NEITHER does allopathy – or do you consider radiation and chemotherapy a “cure” for cancer?
By attacking Homeopathy with ridicule, all you do is undermine science itself and pave the way for a bunch of politically well connected lab scientists (most have never even seen a real live human patient) with big industry connections to gain control of our medical system.
The Homeopaths have to put up or shut up – that will happen soon enough, we are only a few decades away from proving if their water really does have the “clusters” or whatever mechanism is producing the often good results that they get – that’s for them to prove. But you attacking genuine researchers or dismissing competent MD’s and other highly trained health professionals as “quacks”, that just plays into the hands of those who motivations for control has NOTHING to do with science, or “evidence”. Get it?
Wow, this must be a Poe. No one could lie like this about it.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
H pylori discovered or curable by homeopaths? The Helicobacter Foundation doesn’t buy that: http://www.helico.com/treat_general.html
And “we are only a few decades away from proving if their water really does have the “clusters”…”. Yeah – by which time the activated water shysters can retire here: http://www.crazywaterhotel.com/ from all the activated water they’ve sold at $500 a pop to gullible people like the hard-working Thai guy I often buy my lunch from.
Hello James,I have gone through the topic only few days ago.I have tried to open a discussion with newenglandbob & we were continued till 28 march 2012.But now the reply option is not available.Do you know, what is this newenglandbob?He/they fled away the field.Do such persons really qualified? I doubt it.Why they stand so strongly in opposition & don’t even go through the findings sited by you & I, too.Is it not a prejudiced behavior & if it is, is not a sound state of mind.I have also seen that web site sited by Hempestein &I feel that there is really a lacking of laboratory evidences to prove our effectiveness.What is your opinion? reply me sure.
me and my sir dr. Kalisankar bhtaacharya have already cured more than 20-30 patients of paulmonary and gladular tuberculosis.i have all proovement of those cases.so i could prove it,if i can get a chance.We are sucessfully treating three multydrugresistant T.B patients and bone T.b patients also.Except those i’m interested to prove once more, that homeopath can cure all those disease including t.b & malaria.This comment of W.H.O about homeopathy is totaly illegal.
Wow, how wonderful! That means you’ll surely win the £10,000 Ernst prize. Be sure to come back and tell us when you’ve won.
Your comments are not even readable Sinha. You must not be educated.
Hello Dr.sinha,why you left the argument.Let them do what they do.will you share me the case history of tuberculosis patients treated successfully by you & your honorable sir.Thanks with regards.
i don’t know where is the accuarate stopline of this worse comment about homeopathy by W.H.O.Due to recessed market of alopathic medicines,they are attacking us.But i think they can’t cure any sick person as better as homeopathy.
we are politically weak,so W.H.O can comment on homeopathy.if a chance is given to us,then we can prove what is the actual power of homeopathy…. .
No, Sinha, even more unintelligible, sorry. One has to make sense to discuss a topic.
If you can’t see the fact, it is your problem.If you can’t realize the truth, means you are prejudiced. So,before commenting,it is essential to study that system of treatment & then made a comment positive or negative.Please visit the web site-www.pbhrfindia.org. Be unprejudiced observer. Thanks with regards
You changed your name but still uneducated. It must be difficult to be such failure to post a plea 3 years later. This is hilarious.
You have no right to hurt any one saying him uneducated.This indicates your mentality.It does not matter when I answered.I read your comment & same day I posted my comment so sweetly. Perhaps,You are not acquainted with the sweet languages.I am Dr. suman. What is the need to hide my identity.But you first of all doubted it that I am some other fellow.How will you get satisfied? I have sent you the web address.I have gone through that web.pages.It contains pathological & radiological evidences.So,study that pages & update yourself.A blind man can’t see a tree,it does not mean that tree doesn’t exist.
I have EVERY right to say what is true. People like you have nothing of substance to say so you talk about tone.I do not care about your nonsense propaganda. I will continue to laugh and mock. There is no evidence that quackery like this works. There have been studies to prove that it is all nonsense. I will gladly call out your uneducated bullshit.
Hello, I have the same idea about you. I am sure that you have not even gone through that pages.You are a genius, so, you must apply your merit to find out the truth. But you are continue to waste your energy in abusing others.Accept it as a challenge. What others proved is not yours, but what I am saying is my proving. Don’t take it otherwise & continue a healthy discussion.
You are a quack, Suman. There are NO proper studies that show it working. QED, you quack.
The “homeopathic lager” bit at the end of the video really sums up the entire subject.
NO NEBob, not Poe unfortunately, altho I thought so too for the first paragraph and was applauding his poeful skills – google his name.
I had a couple of dullard friends from high school who went into quack medicine (chiropracty), and it didn’t surprise me. What did surprise was a rather bright friend – a superb gymnast – who became a homeopath. Since we were in college in the late 60s – mid 70s, I blamed this and all other negative life outcomes on bad acid.
@Hempenstein:
Please do not insult our intelligence by mentioning any “prizes” put forth by the “amazing” Randi for anything. A Greek Homeopath named Vitoulkas spent 5 YEARS in “negotiations” with Randi to set up a test for Homeopathy. Vitoulkas catered to Randi’s every whim and requirement. THen, at a crucial moment in the final negotiations, Randi fell ill. OK, no big deal there…. Vitoulkas waited…and waited… until one day, to Vitoulkas’ amazement, it was reported on Randi’s web site that Vitoulkas had “broken off” the negotiations. Astounded, Vitoulkas contacted Randi and finally got through only to be told that all negotiations were discarded and that Vitoulkas would have to begin again!!!
One can immediately imagine how this process could be extended indefinitely – for example, can the challenger “prove” that cosmic rays will not interfere with the results?
The whole thing was, in my opinion, a beautiful publicity stunt and nothing more. Anyone who attaches any significance at all to Randi, his challenge or anything else related to him is participating in and prolonging a publicity stunt, in my opinion, and nothing more.
You’re really ill. That challenge was made last year. And you know damn well that that is the case because you posted in reply to a NewScientist link about it.
Pwned.