Apology: "Homeopathy is not witchcraft, it is nonsense on stilts"

[onewheeldave]

Some people want homeopathic remedies and it's their taxes etc which fund the NHS in the first place.

 

Many of those people want to have the choice to use homeopathic remedies despite knowing full well that there is no scientific evidence for it working.

 

Given the very small amount of funding devoted to homeopathy (relative to the overall cash used for conventional treatments), IMO, it should be left alone.

 

Tom Dolphin-

"Homeopathy is not witchcraft, it is nonsense on stilts. It is pernicious nonsense that feeds into a rising wave of irrationality which threatens to overwhelm the hard-won gains of the enlightenment and the scientific method," he said.

 

Why these rationalists seem to increasingly feel the need to attack, bully and deny people the right to choose the treatments they want (even if, in the eyes of the 'rationalists' those choices are deemed 'irrational') is beyond me, but, I wish they'd cut it out.

[HeadingNorth]

Some people want homeopathic remedies and it's their taxes etc which fund the NHS in the first place.

 

Many of those people want to have the choice to use homeopathic remedies despite knowing full well that there is no scientific evidence for it working.

 

Given the very small amount of funding devoted to homeopathy (relative to the overall cash used for conventional treatments), IMO, it should be left alone.

 

Tom Dolphin-

"Homeopathy is not witchcraft, it is nonsense on stilts. It is pernicious nonsense that feeds into a rising wave of irrationality which threatens to overwhelm the hard-won gains of the enlightenment and the scientific method," he said.

 

Why these rationalists seem to increasingly feel the need to attack, bully and deny people the right to choose the treatments they want (even if, in the eyes of the 'rationalists' those choices are deemed 'irrational') is beyond me, but, I wish they'd cut it out.

 

 

All of these arguments could be applied equally well to people wanting 8 pints of beer a day to make them feel better, supplied free on the NHS.

 

My wife's condition would improve if we could move to Florida. I want a move-to-Florida remedy; I want the choice to have that option on the NHS even though I know there is no scientific evidence for it working. Why should I be denied, if those who choose homoeopathy should not?

[onewheeldave]

I doubt that there's a significant portion of the population who would be happy for a allocation of 8 pints of beer to be make available on the NHS (funded by their taxes).

 

 

There is however a significant portion who would like homeopathic remedies to be available.

[HeadingNorth]

I doubt that there's a significant portion of the population want would be happy for a allocation of 8 pints of beer to be make available on the NHS (funded by their taxes).

 

 

I'd bet on it being more than half, all of whom could very easily claim to have some depressive condition which would be alleviated by large quantities of beer.

[JFKvsNixon]

There is however a significant portion who would like homeopathic remedies to be available.

 

That may be the case, but the NHS has a responsibility to target their much needed resources towards treatment that's clinically proven to be effective.

[Guest sibon]

 

Many of those people want to have the choice to use homeopathic remedies despite knowing full well that there is no scientific evidence for it working.

 

It isn't the lack of evidence that is the problem. There is no evidence. because it doesn't work.

 

The real problem is the fact that there is no scientific basis for homeopathy.... or a glass of water would cure all of our ills.

 

Why these rationalists seem to increasingly feel the need to attack, bully and deny people the right to choose the treatments they want (even if, in the eyes of the 'rationalists' those choices are deemed 'irrational') is beyond me, but, I wish they'd cut it out.

 

You can choose homeopathy if you want to, but not on the NHS please. If you want to waste your money, fine, but I don't want to waste mine.

 

It isn't bullying to state that it is a bogus pseudo-science and that it has no place in modern medicine. Nonsense on stilts is a very apt description.

[Tony]

I doubt that there's a significant portion of the population who would be happy for a allocation of 8 pints of beer to be make available on the NHS (funded by their taxes).

 

 

There is however a significant portion who would like homeopathic remedies to be available.

 

it looks like you are missing the point. As you rightly say there are lots of people who want it, but (again, as you say) it does not work.

 

It is a waste of money and resources and causes people to get sick and die. That doesn't sound like a great plan.

[onewheeldave]

I'd bet on it being more than half, all of whom could very easily claim to have some depressive condition which would be alleviated by large quantities of beer.

 

You reckon half of the UK population would like the NHS to make available 8 pints of beer/day to anyone who wants it? Even knowing that they are going to be taxed to fund this huge expenditure?

 

I doubt it myself

 

Plus, of course, 8 pints/day is scientifically proven to be very bad for health, so it's not really going to be available on the NHS.

 

Whereas, with homeopathy, even the most stringent opponent, however much they believe that the remedies are, on their terms, ineffective (other than placebo effect), must, by defintion, also believe that, chemically speaking, a homeopathic remedy can do no harm (as, chemically speaking, there is no active drug it it) (other than any harm which may be judged to have indirectly occurred due to the patient refusing to use conventional treatments).

 

So, again, very different to 8 pints beer/day.

[HeadingNorth]

You reckon half of the UK population would like the NHS to make available 8 pints of beer/day to anyone who wants it? Even knowing that they are going to be taxed to fund this huge expenditure?

 

I think more than half would be claiming the medication.

 

 

In any event, since you freely admit that homoeopathy consists of no medicine whatsoever, it is ludicrous to argue that it should be available on the NHS. People can buy their own chalk and eat it.

[onewheeldave]

I

 

You can choose homeopathy if you want to, but not on the NHS please. If you want to waste your money, fine, but I don't want to waste mine.

 

But you don't soley fund the NHS, we all do.

 

And, a significant portion of those who do fund it, wish to have homeopathic remedies availabe.

 

Let's guess a figure of say, 1% of the taxed population wish homeopathy to be available on the NHS and, guessing a second figure of say 0.01% of the NHS budget being allocated to homeopathic remedies- I'd argue that that's fair.

 

What seems unfair is a situation where you, get to decide what their money is allowed to be spent on.