| Well, well, modern medicine gets caught at its own | | | | a privileged position to finance detractive campaigns |
| game. Turns out, with financial pressures on the British | | | | against homeopathy by manipulating the media as well |
| health system and long delays in delivering care (which | | | | as academic institutions and the medical establishment. |
| paradoxically has produced better health among | | | | The basic argument against homeopathy is that in |
| middle-age British than US males, i.e. less doctoring = | | | | some controlled clinical trials, comparison with |
| better health). | | | | conventional treatments shows that its effects are not |
| British docs are disparaging homeopathy (a system for | | | | superior to those of placebo. However, the placebo |
| treating disease based on the administration of dilute | | | | effect is nevertheless a 'cure' and, as such, worthy of |
| doses of a chemical that in massive amounts | | | | further investigation and analysis. |
| produces symptoms in healthy individuals similar to | | | | It is concluded that no arguments presently exist |
| those of the disease itself.) | | | | against homeopathy and that the recurrent campaigns |
| One British doctor told the London Times that the | | | | against it represent the specific interests of the |
| National Health Service is funding "bogus" therapies | | | | pharmaceutical industry which, in this way, strives to |
| while patients struggle to get drugs like Herceptin. | | | | protect its profits from the "threat" of a safer, more |
| The problem here is that Herceptin is a bogus drug, | | | | effective, and much less expensive treatment |
| foisted upon the world with marginal benefits (maybe | | | | modality." [Medical Science Monitor 11: SR27-31, 2005] |
| 2-3 months added survival) for desperate cancer | | | | Lest You Be Swayed |
| patients at unprecedented cost (~$50,000 per course). | | | | Lest you be swayed by the homeopathic physicians, |
| Meanwhile, Prince Charles has thrown the weight of | | | | who do have an argument against the harsh |
| Royalty towards unorthodox medicine. So it's the | | | | medicines used by conventional medicine, some of the |
| doctors versus the Prince, which would not make | | | | most recent reports show that homeopathy is |
| much of a novel or movie. | | | | ineffective against anxiety disorders [Journal Clinical |
| The Homeopathic Debate Rages | | | | Psychiatry 64: 282-87, 2003], attention deficit |
| Dr. Michael Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at | | | | hyperactivity disorders [Journal Alternative |
| University College London, says alternative medicine | | | | Complementary Medicine 11:799-806, 2005], or |
| was being promoted despite a lack of evidence and | | | | childhood upper respiratory infections. [British Journal |
| "at a time when the NHS is under intense pressure." | | | | Clinical Pharmacology 59: 447-55, 2005] when |
| The doctors describe homeopathy as an "implausible | | | | compared against placebo. |
| treatment for which over a dozen systematic reviews | | | | Placebo Effect Versus Molecular Shadows |
| have failed to produce convincing evidence of | | | | A British doctor aptly writes: "Homeopathy is a popular |
| effectiveness". [BBC News May 23, 2005] | | | | but implausible form of medicine. Contrary to many |
| A more favorable review from this side of the Atlantic | | | | claims by homeopaths, there is no conclusive evidence |
| says: | | | | that highly dilute homeopathic remedies are different |
| "There is evidence from randomized, controlled trials | | | | from placebos." [Trends Pharmacological Science 26: |
| that homeopathy may be effective for the treatment | | | | 547-48, 2005] |
| of influenza, allergies, postoperative ileus, and childhood | | | | Ah, and now we get to the heart of the debate, the |
| diarrhea. Evidence suggests that homeopathy is | | | | claim that homeopathy is no more effective than |
| ineffective for migraine, delayed-onset muscle | | | | placebo, an assertion also made in the British Journal |
| soreness, and influenza prevention. | | | | Lancet in August of 2005. [Lancet 366: 726-32, 2005] |
| There is a lack of conclusive evidence on the | | | | The Lancet report calls for an end to the practice of |
| effectiveness of homeopathy for most conditions. | | | | homeopathy. The Italian doctors call for an end to |
| Homeopathy deserves an open-minded opportunity to | | | | allopathy. |
| demonstrate its value by using evidence-based | | | | However, conventional medicine maintains that the |
| principles, but it should not be substituted for proven | | | | placebo effect is "real" and that this mysterious and |
| therapies." [Annals Internal Medicine 138: 393-99, 2003] | | | | unexplainable effect must be considered in clinical trials |
| Two doctors in Italy enter the debate by saying: | | | | of any therapy. |
| "Throughout its over 200-year history, homeopathy | | | | Homeopathists claim their ever-so dilute medicines |
| has been proven effective in treating diseases for | | | | (diluted to the point of being undetectable by the most |
| which conventional medicine has little to offer. | | | | sophisticated methods of chemical analysis) leave |
| However, given its low cost, homeopathy has always | | | | behind a molecular shadow that activates a healing |
| represented a serious challenge and a constant threat | | | | response. So each side of the argument has its own |
| to the profits of drug companies. Moreover, since drug | | | | Ouija board. |
| companies represent the most relevant source of | | | | This article is continued in part 2. |
| funding for biomedical research worldwide, they are in | | | | |