Frost over the World-Homeopathy and US elections-25April08

Sir David talks to Simon Singh, co-author of Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial, and Jayne Thomas of The Society of Homeopaths.

Singh says that homeopathy does not work and that people with serious medical conditions should see a conventional doctor.




Thomas argues that homeopathy is very effective and has a role to play in the treatment of all diseases and conditions.

Also, Laura Schwartz, a former Bill Clinton aide, tells Sir David that Hilary Clinton's victory in Pennsylvania has allowed her to stay in the Democratic contest.




But she says Clinton's negative campaign strategy is turning off voters and damaging Obama's chances if he wins the Democratic nomination.

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[digitised]

@panda181881 But you do not know it was homeopathy that cured him.

Cancer can go into remission for a number of reasons, and just because he happened to be using a homeopathic treatment does not mean it HAD to be that treatment that was the cure. Some people give up with medicine and just try to live it out, then find out 6 months later their cancer has gone. If they happened to have taken up smoking to enjoy themselves would that prove smoking was the cure?

Of course not, you need more data!

[technoway]

panda, I am glad your Grandpa's cancer is gone, but I am sure it was not the homeopathic remedies. Sometimes cancer goes into remission, and rarely it even goes away.

The medical community has a way to tell when medicines work that factor out false positives and negatives. These are called randomized double blind studies with statistical analysis of the outcomes. These show homeopathy does not work.

[0mniaV1nc1t]

@den151redbank Odd that you direct me to check your sources at pro-homeopathy organisations. As a scientist I'm understand how to read scientific papers and identify good methodology, and it tend to be smaller trials that show positive results for homeopathy. All the high-quality meta-analyses reveal no statistically significant benefit. Sometime homeopathy does marginally better than placebo, sometimes marginally worse - just what you'd expect when comparing two placebos.

[den151redbank]

@0mniaV1nc1t Unfortunately for you and your campaign against CAM homeopathy has been proven to produce significant and sometimes substantial health benefits in 100's of high quality studies published in 86 respected, peer-reviewed national and international journals. Some of them can be seen at the web site for the National Center for homeopathy; others at the web site for Avilian co uk and more at the web site for extraordinarymedicine org.

[0mniaV1nc1t]

@den151redbank The lack of good evidence for the efficacy of homeopathic remedies isn't evidence of a conspiracy. You sound like a creationist.

[0mniaV1nc1t]

@den151redbank What the fuck are you talking about? The survival rate for certain cancers is over 70% with modern medical interventions... how many of those patients do you think would survive on homeopathy alone? Oh... wait, I forgot that you're a crank.

[mnmm1]

@technoway

"...double blind studies with statistical analysis of the outcomes. These show homeopathy does not work."

It is unfortunate to hear this line aped by countless people trying to sound authoritative (not knowing your background, I cannot say in your case) who do not have the background or knowledge to make such statements. As a clinician who has read many of these studies, I understand that the majority of these DBPC, randomized trials failed to use individualized treatment.

[dave19941000]

On CBC's Marketplace, a dozen people overdosed on this stuff (there is a "maximum amount to take") on purpus, what happened? nothing. It is either water or sugerpills, depending on weather it's solid or liquid.

[CymroGoch]

@OMGreally103 You're an idiot.

[OMGreally103]

OMG really, so what most of you are saying is that you never try something new to help you feel better. you would rather take stuff that has to warn you of all sorts of possible nasty side effects, and it still may not help. if you dont try you will never know. modern medicine just trys to expand on what is already known through homeopothy, it is not a replacement it is an alternative or complimentary method. my opinion the guy was rude and didnt really know what he was talking about.

[OMGreally103]

OMG really, so what most of you are saying is that you never try something new to help you feel better. you would rather take stuff that has to warn you of all sorts of possible nasty side effects, and it still may not help. if you dont try you will never know. modern medicine just trys to expand on what is already known through homeopothy, it is not a replacement it is an alternative or complimentary method. my opinion the guy was rude and didnt really know what he was talking about.

[Montse120]

Basically, what the woman said is that homeopathy is nothing more than a psychological treatment.