Matharu's Rants and Raves » homeopathy

The bogus, the scammers, the quacks, the pseudo-scientists and other pedlars of bullshit

Kulvinder Matharu — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:48:01 +0000

Bunch of stuff from The Quackometer which I’ve only just got round to read.

1. The MHRA is not an effective organisation. Far from it:

MHRA accused of “clothing naked quackery”
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/09/mhra-accused-of-clothing-naked-quackery.html

2. Misled graduates in career hurdle:

McTimoney Chiropractic College in Deep Trouble
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/10/mctimoney-chiropractic-college-in-deep-trouble.html

3. The ASA struggles with clamping down on homeopathic advertising abuse. Perhaps the ASA need a greater regulatory standing and enforcement powers:

The Advertising Regulator Struggles with Homeopaths
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/10/asa-struggles-with-homeopaths.html

And some related and interesting here’s stuff from elsewhere that I’m also catching up with:

Dummy Medicine, Dummy Doctors, and a Dummy Degree, Part 2.2: Harvard Medical School and the Curious Case of Ted Kaptchuk, OMD (cont. again)
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/dummy-medicine-dummy-doctors-and-a-dummy-degree-part-2-2-harvard-medical-school-and-the-curious-case-of-ted-kaptchuk-omd-cont-again/

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

Homeopathy cures and prevents malaria and HIV…what?

Kulvinder Matharu — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:55:18 +0000

Jeremy Sherr’s clinics promoting homeopathy in Africa is, as Quackometer puts it, murderous.

Homeopathy has been shown to be a placebo and, as a placebo, can have certain benefits for a narrow range of ailments through use of psychological effects. And there are probably better ways to harness this placebo effect. But to use homeopathy to treat and prevent diseases such as malaria and HIV is immoral. It is illegal in the UK to make claims that homeopathy cures/prevents malaria and HIV, so why are we allowing homeopaths make such claims in Tanzania and in other African countries?

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

Homeopathic Thuggery

Kulvinder Matharu — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:24:24 +0000

Steven Novella article highlights Boiron’s intimidation of blogger Samuele Riva:

Homeopathic Thuggery
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/homeopathic-thuggery/

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

The Complementary Medical Association denounce the Advertising Standards Authority

Kulvinder Matharu — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:48:22 +0000

Wow. Just wow. Quackometer takes apart an email from the President of The Complementary Medical Association which was discrediting and denouncing the Adverting Standards Authority (ASA). A must read for those who care about evidence-based medicines and the fight against nonsense and quackery.

Quacks Denounce ASA as Incompetent and Threatening
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/08/quacks-denounce-asa-as-incompetent-and-threatening.html

Quack, quack!

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

More garbage from homeopaths exposed by Quackometer

Kulvinder Matharu — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:54:37 +0000

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

Murderous advice of homeopaths

Kulvinder Matharu — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:28:26 +0000

Quackometer article that describes “the depths of the murderous advice being handed out by homeopaths in Kenya”.

Abha Light Must Close
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/05/abha-light-must-close.html

And the article makes it clear that the Society of Homeopaths are complicit. Again we find the “deluded and superstitious practices of homeopathy” are directly responsible for harm. A tragedy, a scandal.

Note: scientific understanding not only shows the implausibility of homeopathy theory but, critically, high-quality trials have shown that homeopathic treatments are nothing more than a placebo.

Director of the Society of Homeopaths Threatens Libel Action Against Paul Offit

Kulvinder Matharu — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:40:24 +0000

Well, we know that homeopathy is nothing more than a placebo and we know the dangers of using homeopathy instead of real medical treatments. We also know the falsehoods promulgated by homeopaths of how homeopathy is supposed to work. Now it would appear that Richard Barr, the director of the Society of Homeopaths, is threatening libel action against Paul Offit’s new book “Deadly Choices: How The Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All”. Further information information on Richard Barr’s role in the infamous Andrew Wakefield scandal can be found at The Quackometer:

Director of the Society of Homeopaths Threatens Libel Action Against Paul Offit
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/03/director-of-the-society-of-homeopaths-threatens-libel-action-against-paul-offit.html

One thing does seem clear, the libel laws in the UK or at least in England, are not for a modern society.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

CBC Marketplace programme on homeopathy

Kulvinder Matharu — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:59:58 +0000

The CBC recently aired a “Marketplace” programme on homeopathy. By all (credible!) accounts it was a very good piece of investigation and exposé of homeopathy. Two articles worth reading are:

These are the CBC videos on YouTube:

Part 1

Part 2

I think that the programme should have emphasised the results from clinical trials rather than the lack of active ingredients in homeopathic treatments. It is clinical trials that indicate if an hypothesis is correct, and homeopathy fails big time; there is no doubt in the results. Still, good programme.

Science, through proper clinical trials, has shown that homeopathy is nothing more than a placebo, and homeopaths are ignoring such evidence. Homeopathy is not a mystery; it’s a placebo. What is a mystery is why this nonsense gets so much support; homeopaths keep pushing their pills and sometimes at the expense of real medicine, causing harm in the process. That mother giving homeopathic treatments in lieu of real vaccinations should be reported for child abuse. And treatment for cancer? It certainly seems that homeopaths are unethical.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

Homeopathy kills

Kulvinder Matharu — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:05:49 +0000

It still amazes me that the sham called “homeopathy” has any foothold in the medical market. Homeopathy has been shown to be bullshit, being nothing more than a placebo. Homeopathy “treatments” can stop or delay people from seeking real treatment, see What’s The Harm. Homeopathy endorsements from oafs such as Prince Charles contribute to the bullshit and the harm. And not just the harm from a physical perspective, but harm from an intellect perspective where it is insidious in its ability to destroy critical thinking.

Here’s another post from Quackometer regarding the rather disgraceful privileged position of homeopathy in the UK and the BBC’s recent Newsnight programme:

In Five Years, the Society of Homeopaths Have Learnt Nothing
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/01/in-five-years-the-society-of-homeopaths-have-learnt-nothing.html

Remember, homeopathy kills.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

Vehement attacks on Quackometer

Kulvinder Matharu — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:39:41 +0000

I couldn’t believe this:

I Have Been Putting on my Shoes
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/11/i-have-been-putting-on-my-shoes.html

The article describes John Benneth’s vehement, unpleasant and ultimately unjustifiable attacks on Quackometer. The homeopathy movement is based on demonstrable untruths but homeopaths are in denial. It’s this, if anything, that explains why homeopaths are increasing embracing lies and other gutter strategies. The whole movement should be ashamed.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010