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

[onewheeldave]

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.

 

I never said it didn't work.

 

While I'm pretty confident that a homeopathic remedy has no measurable chemical effect, that's not the same as saying it doesn't work.

[onewheeldave]

I think more than half would be claiming the medication.

 

 

 

Have you any evidence for that belief?

[Guest sibon]

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.

 

Not really. The best course of action is to let the health professionals decide. The BMA seem to think that homeopathy has no merit.

 

That places the ball squarely in the homeopathists' court. It is for them to prove conclusively that homeopathy works, or it has no place in the NHS. After all, we no longer employ medicine men, do we?

[Guest sibon]

I never said it didn't work.

 

While I'm pretty confident that a homeopathic remedy has no measurable chemical effect, that's not the same as saying it doesn't work.

 

Has anyone ever proved that it does work?

[JFKvsNixon]

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.

 

The health care professionals in the NHS need to decide where they spend their money, not the general population because they are in the best position to decide upon the best treatment available and also they are accountable for the money that they spend and the care given. As a result they have to focus their time and money on the treatments that get results.

 

The NHS shouldn't turn it's back on all alternative therapy treatments, for example research has suggested that acupuncture is a good treatment for post operative nausea and vomiting. However, the care that the NHS does give to it's patients has to be evidence based, and I'm afraid that there is no evidence that homeopathy works.

[El Robbo]

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).

 

Yes it can do harm. Somebody taking homeopathic medicine instead of the proper treatment will often end up requiring more expensive treatment later on, with the homeopathy just taking up time which could have been far better spent with other early treatments, the earlier you tackle something the more likely to cure it quickly you are, and so far more cheaply.

 

Homeopathy instead of proven treament can waste time, money and lives.

[onewheeldave]

Not really. The best course of action is to let the health professionals decide. The BMA seem to think that homeopathy has no merit.

I disagree. The people providing the cash should have at least some say in how that money is spent. Particularly since, were those who support homeopathy are concerned, there is a tendency to not place 100% trust in (conventional) 'health professionals' to decide entirely how our health services are run.

 

After all, where the NHS is concerned, most of the actual 'health professionals' should probably stick to their respective fields of expertise, rather than being involved judging the rights of the public to choose their preferred methods of treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That places the ball squarely in the homeopathists' court. It is for them to prove conclusively that homeopathy works, or it has no place in the NHS. After all, we no longer employ medicine men, do we?

 

A lot of the people who use homeopathy and who want to continue to have it available on the NHS, do not care that there is no conclusive proof that it works.

 

While, to people like you, that may seem irrational, it is, regardless, the choice they make and, IMO, a choice they are entitled to.

 

Let's be clear here- many of these people are unconcerned that homeopathy is scientifically unproven- they still wish to have the right to choose to use it (on the NHS) and, they contribute a significant portion of the funds that make the NHS possible in the first place.

[pattricia]

Homeopathy is one of those curious things that doesn't actually work but it does. theres no hard scientific evidence for it but theres plenty of hearsay and anecdotal evidence that it does.

 

Should it be provided on the NHS? Probably not

 

Im divided in my thoughts on Homeopathy. Is it all in the mind ? Even if it is, the mind is a powerful tool within the healing process dont you think ?

[Tony]

When there isn't enough money for stuff that does work can you justify spending NHS money on stuff that doesn't?

 

Free visits by Bill Bailey and Stephen Fry would be more efficacious.

[milquetoast1]

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).

Homeopathy Don't Kill People, Homeopaths do. See this story:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/28/homeopathy-baby-death-couple-jailed