Complementary therapies

[zeno]

then. Homeopathic preparations do not work any better than placebo.

 

 

Homeopathic ‘placebo’: much more effective than conventional medicine’s placebo

 

Allen Roses, of GSK told a scientific meeting in London that the "vast majority of drugs only work in 30 or 50% of people." It was reported on the front page of the Independent newspaper on 8 December .

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj;327/7428/1366

 

BMJ Clinical Evidence says only somewhere between 26-34% of 2,500 commonly used treatments have some proven benefit. The Bristol study [bristol Homeopathic Hospital] concluded 70%+ of patients reported some improvement with homeopathic treatment. The Berlin study came up with similar percentages and concluded that patients using homeopathy had better outcomes than patients using conventional medicine. Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital’s ongoing audits of patient response return similar percentages.

 

It’s worth emphasising that while controls might be absent in these studies, the patient cohorts tend to have a high percentage (80%+) of chronic complaints of which an equally high percentage (80%+) have failed to respond to conventional treatment. If they failed to respond to conventional treatment, in which the placebo effect is likely to be considerably stronger than in homeopathy, then it’s reasonable to suggest that these are patients who are not particularly susceptible to placebo response. If they failed to respond to conventional treatment, then it’s reasonable to suggest that for these patients, homeopathy proved to be the more effective option.â€

 

SOURCE: http://homeopathy4health.wordpress.com

Nancy

 

Do you really need me to explain the difference between a 'customer satisfaction survey' and proper scientific research? The Bristol and Glasgow 'research' was just that (as was the recent Northern Ireland 'research'): customer satisfaction surveys. Why do you think that this kind of market research is in any way adequate for deciding how to treat people with serious medical conditions?

 

I don't suppose you're interested in independent, unbiased analyses that show that there is absolutely no benefit whatsoever over placebo for any homeopathic preparation? Thought not. But in case any one else is interested in the truth, just search through The Cochrane Collaboration:

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international not-for-profit and independent organization, dedicated to making up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of healthcare readily available worldwide. It produces and disseminates systematic reviews of healthcare interventions and promotes the search for evidence in the form of clinical trials and other studies of interventions. The Cochrane Collaboration was founded in 1993 and named after the British epidemiologist, Archie Cochrane.

[Dr. Nancy Malik]

IIPCOS: An international project to investigate the effectiveness of homeopathy in medical primary care in upper and lower respiratory tract complaints including allergies, ear complaints, abdominal pain/cramps, injury/bruising and teething.

 

It was an international, perspective outcomes study in 6 study centres with 348 patients in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and USA

 

The primary outcome criterion was response after 14 day’s treatment defined as “cured†or “major improvement†according to GHH outcome scale.

 

The results: 75% of the patients were managed with just 14 of the total 60 available medications.

 

These medications, in order of frequency were as follows: Puls, Lyco, Sulphur, Ferrum Phos, Hep Sulph, Bell, Kali Bi, Arnica, Merc Sol, Ars Alb, Phos, Rhus Tox, Bryonia, NV.

 

Consultation times were shorter than 16 minutes in 75% of patients. The response rate after 14 day’s treatment was on average 80.5%.

 

Homeopathic treatment of children between 2 & 11 years proved to be particular successful.

 

Over 90% of patients were “very satisfied†or “satisfied†with treatment and were willing to receive homeopathic treatment again.

 

Asian Journal of Homeopathy, 01 Feb 2008, pp. 3-19

[paulb]

what's the cure rate for colds and minor allergies over 14 days by leaving them alone. whats the research to support it against life threatening illnesses.

[Guest posiedon]

Asian Journal of Homeopathy

Can't you get it through your silly head woman!

It's no good posting articles from magazines that agree with your nonsense,

It's like me trying to get you to give up meat, and posting articles from "The vegan monthly.

paulb

whats the research to support it against life threatening illnesses.

In a word. Zilch.

[Pooks]

Not that I agree or disagree but Shetlink is a 'discussion forum' and as such should be used as that.

 

We could all sit here day in and day out, quoting whatever takes our fancy but that would only result in a Social News Website such as Digg or Reddit.

 

Shetlink is a "discussion" forum and as such should be treated as one. If you have a link or a passage quoted from somewhere else then please make the effort to back it up with your own words.

[Guest posiedon]

pooks

Shetlink is a "discussion" forum and as such should be treated as one. If you have a link or a passage quoted from somewhere else then please make the effort to back it up with your own words.

Nancy Malik doesn't know the meaning of discussion, she's just a copy/paste troll, and not just on this forum.

 

A simple question for you Nancy.

You say homeopathy works because water has a memory, is it a selective memory then? Why does the water retain a memory of whatever you put into it? (and then completely dilute out) But doesn't remember any of the thousands of other things it has been in contact with?

I don't expect an answer, Nancy doesn't do answers.

[paulb]

yuck what an horrible thought, active homeopathic wee.

[zeno]

yuck what an horrible thought, active homeopathic wee.

You should see the stuff they actually put in their preparations (except that there none of it left by the final dilution!):

 

Rhino Nasal Discharge

Ringworm (Bovine)

Rooster (Feather & Blood)

Rota Virus (Poultry)

VACUUM CLEANER DUST

SHEEP MASTITIS MILK

OWL MALARIAL BLOOD

GANGA WATER

GANGA WATER (CALCUTTA)

GANGA WATER (GAUMUK)

GANGA WATER (VARANASI)

CHIMPANZEE URINE

 

A full list of woo sold by a UK manufacturer, Helios, can be found here.

[khitajrah]

Medorrhinum springs to mind... nifty word, icky thought.

[Medziotojas]

British scientists have appealed to the World Health Organisation to publicly condemn homeopathy as a treatment for serious diseases, such as HIV, TB and malaria.

 

The researchers, many of whom have worked in developing countries, called on the WHO to act amid fears that vulnerable patients are dying after turning to homeopathic preparations instead of effective medicines.

 

The WHO works with national organisations that promote homeopathy and other alternative medicines in their public health programmes.

 

Homeopathy practitioners have opened clinics throughout Asian and sub-Saharan Africa and offer to treat patients with HIV, malaria, influenza and childhood diarrhoea, none of which have been shown to respond to homeopathy. Many patients are told that conventional drugs work only temporarily and that homeopathic preparations are cheap and effective alternatives with fewer side effects.

 

Full article here

[Michael]

Damn right ^

[Mag]

NICE (The National Institute for Clinical Excellence) are recommending acupuncture for persistent low back pain:

 

http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG88NICEGuideline.pdf

 

(page 12)

[Queenie79]

NICE (The National Institute for Clinical Excellence) are recommending acupuncture for persistent low back pain:

 

http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG88NICEGuideline.pdf

 

(page 12)

 

I wonder how people might be able to access that? Probably not enough capacity in Shetland.

[JustMe]

So far as I know one of the doctors in the Lerwick Health Centre is trained in acupuncture

[tarotangel]

There is definitely one that I know of but there might be two but not sure.