Homeopathy: proudly advancing science into the 1800s

EoR has been browsing through Homeopathy: Medicine for the New Millennium (1985, 26th edition copyrighted 2000) by George Vithoulkas in which he "Describes the foundations upon which this seemingly miraculous method is built". As the cover proudly declaims, Vithoulkas was:

Awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize for Health 1996.

His biography inside also emphasises this achievement:

In 1996 his untiring endeavours to spread classical homeopathy were acknowledged internationally when he received the Alternative Nobel Prize for Health in the Swedish Parliament for his 'Outstanding contribution to the revival of classical homeopathy.'

This just demonstrates how homeopaths like to skew results to claim any thin legitimacy they desperately crave. The Right Livelihood Awards are, indeed, known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, but that is not their official designation and it seems like desperation to splash the 'Nobel' word across the front of a homeopathic book. The claim that it was awarded in the category of 'Health' also seems spurious:

Unlike the Nobel Prizes (for Physics, Physiology/Medicine, Chemistry, Literature, and Peace), the Right Livelihood Award has no categories. It recognises that, in striving to meet the human challenges of today's world, the most inspiring and remarkable work often defies any standard classification. For example, people who start out with an environmental goal frequently find themselves drawn into issues of health, human rights and/or social justice. Their work becomes a holistic response to community needs, so that sectoral categories lose their meaning.

Regardless of its millennial claims, the book is replete with phrases such as "we must look back again to the days of Hahnemann". Perhaps EoR misread, and the millennium referred to was the previous one? Like any good text on homeopathy, there are invocations equally to God and Einstein so that those who believe in religious cures are catered for, as well as those who demand science (even if it's magical science). Quoting nineteenth century homeopath J T Kent (who features prominently throughout the book as an authority for the New Millennium):

They will tell you that the bacillus is the cause of tuberculosis. But if man had not been susceptible to the bacillus he could not have been affected by it... The bacteria are results of the disease... the microscopical little fellows are not the disease cause, but they come after... They are the outcome of the disease, are present wherever the disease is, and by the microscope it has been discovered that every pathological result has its corresponding bacteria. The Old School considered these the cause...but the cause is much more subtle than
anything that can be shown by a microscope.

There's also a lot about vital forces and miasms. And the true believer will, of course, not use any real drugs at all (not least because it seems homeopathy is so fickle and weak, almost anything can interfere with it):

Allopathic drugs are among the most powerful interfering factors. An occasional aspirin for temporary aches or pains is generally no problem, but consistent use of analgesics, tranquillizers, antibiotics, contraceptive pills and especially cortisone can completely counteract the action of homeopathic remedies. In some instances, even dental work can produce the same effect. Therefore, homeopathic patients should refrain from all other therapies except for true emergencies and, if possible, only after consulting the homeopath.

Of course, the anecdote is required evidence (indeed, the only evidence), and there are plenty of them, many involving cancer cures. The best is this one, about a woman with serious metastasised lung cancer who Vithoulkas initially refuses to treat (because he considered the case too 'serious'!). The tale is long, but EoR felt that any editing would reduce the overwhelming crescendo of madness and improbability:

She then started pleading with me to at least listen to her symptoms. Seeing my insistence in refusing to take her case, she told us a story which made me change my mind. She said "One night I prayed to God to help me with my health, and then I heard the voice of God telling me, 'Go to Vithoulkas, he will cure you'" and this was the reason why she was insisting so much to see me. I said to her again: "I do not know what God told you, but what I do know is that with homeopathy it is impossible to cure such a case". She kept on pleading so much that I finally agreed to listen to her case. As it came out it was one of the strangest stories I have ever heard in my whole career. She was a 43 year old woman from a very rich family in Australia. Her father had died several years before but the strange thing was that her mother had developed a really vicious hatred for her, to the extent that in one of their fights she had wished openly that her daughter, the patient, would die from cancer. Two years after the mother's vicious wish, the daughter actually developed cancer of the lungs, which was soon metastasized to the bones and then to the brain. The patient had also developed an equally strong hatred for the mother, to the extent that she also wished her dead. The complication for the patient was that in spite of the fact that the family was very rich, the wealth was controlled totally by the mother in Australia, who provided very little to the daughter. She, in turn, mixed with the high society of London, borrowed money from her affluent friends to cope with living in the style of the rich and in the hope that when the mother died - she was already approaching her eighties - she would be able to pay them back. As I progressed with the taking of her case, listening to all the symptoms, I found out that the indicated remedy - strangely enough - was clear in this case, something that happens very rarely and indicates that there is really hope for the patient. Homeopathy has different ways of evaluating the strength of the defence mechanism which is actually stimulated and brings about the cure. Therefore, after 3 hours of taking her case, I had come to the conclusion that there was actually a possibility for an improvement in this woman. I then told her this but the problem was that she was taking many strong painkillers and the homeopathic remedy would not work together with them. I explained the situation to her, to which she answered immediately that this was not a problem, she could stop the painkillers right now! I said that this would be impossible as the pains on the bones would be so intensely aggravated before the homeopathic remedy could act that she would not be able to stand them even for a few days. She left for London the next day. After a week I received a telephone call from her. Her first words were: 'I am well.' I asked what she meant, had she really stopped the painkillers? She said, "Yes, the same day I started your medicine". "And there was no pain?" She said none! I could not believe my ears. Anyhow I gave further instructions and forgot about the case. In three months she telephoned to say that she had been back in the hospital in London where they monitored her case and she told them how well she was. She said, "I danced in front of them in order for them to believe that I could walk again without pain". I still could not believe my ears, but anyhow I gave further instructions for the medication. A month later I received a telephone call in my house, very early in the morning, about 3 a.m. in London and 5 a.m. in Athens. She was on the phone screaming that she most probably broke her ribs during her sleep in the night and the pain was excruciating, unbearable. She could hardly speak from the pain. I told her that these pains were a relapse from the metastasis and not from a broken rib! I thought that's it, I could never control the pain again, but all the same I instructed her to try a remedy and to phone me in the evening. Sure enough she telephoned to say that there was no more pain any more! These relapses happened another three times in the 11 months of treatment, and were always controlled by the homeopathic remedy. One day she telephoned in a panic saying that the right eye was bulging out and could not see. There was also a severe pain in the head. Again the homeopathic remedy controlled the symptoms. After a year she considered herself cured and stopped telephoning. Three years later I inquired from the lady in charge of the clinic in London who had initially phoned me about the patient to know what had happened with this case. And she told me the most amazing story I could have heard. The mother in Australia had died but before her death, she gave all her property to a foundation in Australia, leaving the daughter with all her debts. The patient despaired so much that she went to an expensive restaurant in London, ordered a luxurious meal and took with it enough pills to kill herself. I mention this case here though I cannot know to what extent the improvement really was, whether after a year or two the cancer would have come back and killed her, as the case was monitored from the London hospital and I had no access to their findings. But this case really shows the extent to which homeopathy can be effective if it is practised properly. For many decades, homeopathy was practiced in a very bad manner. Instead of trying to find the indicated remedy for each individual case, which requires a lot of time, doctors would prefer to give ten, fifteen or even twenty remedies together hoping that the right one would be within these twenty. With such a practice results were very poor and people got the impression that this method was good only for simple ailments like common colds and headaches.

You can't make this sort of stuff up.

Homeopathic study reveals client satisfaction survey not best assessment tool

Another day, another customer satisfaction survey presented by Homeopaths as 'evidence'.

"Homeopathic prescribing for chronic conditions in feline and canine veterinary practice" involved 21 homeopathic veterinary surgeons collecting data on 400 cats and 1504 dogs over a twelve month period. Owners were asked to assess the clinical outcome on a 7 point scale (from -3, major deterioration, to +3, major improvement). Strangely, homeopathic prophylaxis, or 'immunisation' (the paper uses the word in quotes, presumably because it's not immunisation at all) were not included.

Conditions assessed in cats were dermatitis, renal failure, overgrooming, arthritis, hyperthyroidism and 'all others'. If you were a disbelieving skeptic, you'd probably hypothesize that something as serious as renal failure would not respond particularly well to a few drops of water. It is, in fact, this condition that stands out with a whopping 14.4% in the -3 and -2 rating. You would also expect other conditions that are variable in nature to score more highly. Again, arthritis is the stand out here with an 80% +2 or +3 rating of treatment.

In dogs arthritis also rated highly (beaten only slightly by spondylosis). Even lymphoma scored 40% in the +2 or +3 rating (though 53.3% rated the treatment -1, 0 or +1 — effectively no change). 'Fear' is an interesting result, scoring a stand out 68.4% in the middle range. EoR would have thought that a holistic treatment like homeopathy, which (purportedly) works on a whole body energetic level, would have been an ideal treatment for an emotional condition. Perhaps not, after all.

The paper notes that homeopathy was not the single variable in the survey. Many animals received multiple CAM treatments. Specialist referral and conventional treatment was high for lymphoma.

The authors note the limitations to their study:

Positive bias in outcomes data is an inevitable consequence of study design that is neither controlled nor randomised, and our overall 63.3% (cats) and 68.9% (dogs) with +2/+3 outcomes require further comment. These findings are in line with the 50 - 68% recorded in equivalent observations in humans.

Nevertheless, we have no intention of overstating the conclusions from this type of study. Because of the deliberate absence of a control group, we are unable to take into account many possible confounding factors such as waxing and waning of symptoms over time or regression to the mean. In addition, about 25% of cases overall did not receive FU [follow up] during the period of data collection; owner-assessed change in these animals is therefore unknown. Moreover, ‘desire to please’ is a normal facet of clinical information obtained directly from a client, and each owner will have differing views as to what constitutes moderate or major change in their pet’s state of health. As in all our other systematic observational studies, including that in horses, a causal relationship between homeopathy and clinical outcome is not an inference from this investigation.

EoR wonders if other homeopaths will be as cautious in their reporting of this study.

As an aside, EoR was fascinated to read that the study was supported, in part, by a donation from the Psionic Medical Society. EoR had never heard of them before, but they appear to be a UK charity that has been in existence since 1969 with the aim

To promote the study and improvement of the science and practice of psionic medicine for the relief of suffering and to promote understanding of its methods and application.

---

Mathie, RT, Baitson, ES, Hansen, L, Elliott, MF, and Hoare, J (2010). Homeopathic prescribing for chronic conditions in feline and canine veterinary practice. Homeopathy (2010) 99, 243-248. doi:10.1016/j.homp.2010.05.010.

Homeopathy serially diluted

According to Google Trends homeopathy is on a steady decline of interest. If the current trend continues, it should disappear from view around 2016. Of course, what happens then is anyone's guess. By the Law of Infinitesimals, if homeopathy disappears it will become infinitely powerful. EoR expects the universe will implode into a singularity (but at least it will have a boosted immune system and all its chakras correctly aligned).



It's also well worth noting that the majority of times when interest in homeopathy has peaked has been for all the wrong reasons if you happen to be selling this impossible magical therapy. In fact, the only time people seem to show a renewed interest in homeopathy is when they appear to be wondering "People really fall for this???"

A homeopathic dilution of ethics

Sadly, EoR was unable to attend the oxymoronically titled Australian Homeopathic Medicine Conference, but it is clear that recent events have had little or no impact. There is no discussion of legal or ethical issues, but topics included "Homœopathic Treatment of Uterine Fibroid and Ovarian Cyst", "Efficient Homœopathic Care of Critical Cases of Malignancy from an Overseas Perspective" and "Treating People with Cancer, is Homœopathy an Option ?".

Yes. Homeopathy is an option. Just not a very bright one.

The fun isn't quite all over though, since the public are invited to "Experience Homeopathy" at a public open day on the 12th of November.

Experience Homeopathy – Public Open Day 2010 is a free event for any member of the Victorian community who would like to learn more about the principles of the profession, practice of homeopathy and the scope of treatment.

The discussion of principles should be interesting, but EoR suspects it's not ethical principles, but only magical principles, especially since one of the speakers is

a world authority on homoeoprophylaxis - the use of homoeopathic medicines for specific infectious disease prevention. He has undertaken the world's largest long-term study of parents using such a program, completing a PhD research program at Swinburne University, Melbourne, in 2004 on this subject.

EoR is amazed that you can get a PhD for describing how minute doses of water prevents infectious diseases. A quick check at Swinburne University shows that it's a PhD from the Graduate School of Integrative Medicine which is now, apparently, defunct. And the paper doesn't prove homeoeoprophylaxis, but rather (EoR's emphasis):

The Potential Value of Homoeoprophylaxis in the Long-Term Prevention of Infectious Diseases, and the Maintenance of General Health in Recipients

Not only did it fail to prove homoeoprophylaxis works:

The effectiveness of the program could not be established with statistical certainty given the limited sample size and the low probability of acquiring an infectious disease. However, a possible level of effectiveness of 90.3% was identified subject to specified limitations. Further research to confirm the effectiveness of the program is justified.

but the author's conclusion is bizarre:

It also appeared possible that a national immunisation system where both vaccination and HP were available to parents would increase the national coverage against targeted infectious diseases, and reduce the incidence of some chronic health conditions, especially asthma.

In other words, homoeoprophylaxis has no discernable effect, but it works really well, as long as you use it with real vaccination.

While other homeopaths are forced to publish retractions for making similar claims, these homeopaths blithely continue to make these claims to the public, proving how homeopaths have so successfully diluted their principles until they have disappeared entirely.



EoR shakes his head in bemusement.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, spam.

EoR is being spammed by the Back on Your Feet Natural Health Clinic, an organisation he would have remained blissfully unaware if not for the confused attempts to spam a woo clinic on a sceptical blog. Some alties just don't have a clue.

Nonetheless, EoR was delighted to expand his knowledge of the wonders of homeopathy. For example, EoR had mistakenly assumed that homeopathy was not accepted by real medicine because it conflicted with all known rules of physics, and because it performed no better than a placebo. In reality, it is because the consultations take longer.

A typical appointment with a homeopath does take about an hour, however, and that is one reason why this science has always existed on the fringes of mainstream society. Its cures are highly efficient, but when it comes to individual appointments, they do take time.

Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) was not only the genius who invented homeopathy, but he apparently also had a time machine in his basement.

When homeopathy originated, in the fifteen hundreds, it became immediately popular with royal and aristocratic families.

It seems it was the aristocracy who were the only people able to take advantage of the wonders of woo, but you don't need to worry because we're all the equivalent of royalty these days.

Today, we often think of the old-world existence of royalty as a “life of leisure,” but in truth, without any modern appliances or conveniences, and with states and principalities to manage, these nobles were busy individuals. A more realistic assessment of their lives would be to say that in terms of free time and income, they compared to the lives of the middle class today. Although we do all different kinds of work now, it is not usually the sun-up to sun-down toil that characterized the days of the peasants, so many of us, like the royals and aristocrats of old, have a lifestyle that is also conducive to reaping the benefits of homeopathy.

That sounds like spin for "people with disposable income can spend it on useless remedies".

EoR also thought that headaches and neck pain were caused by invisible subluxations that could only be cured by the amazing manipulations of chiropracters, but he was mistaken about this as well.

Headaches, Upper back and Neck pains are more often than not due to an attack of wind.

At this time of year when we go outside into the cold, the westerly winds attack us like a knife in the back. If your body is weak the wind will get under the skin lodging itself into the muscles. The muscles will spasm to stop further penetration into the body. Once in spasm, the muscles will pull the vertebras out of alignment impinging on the nerves and give you neck pain.

With this neck pain you are most likely to experience headaches as well. If the headache is caused by wind it usually feels like a clamp or a wet towel tightly rapped around the head. You’ll feel dizzy, blurry and have heavy eyelids as if you need sleep. You’re likely to have a runny nose and tension at the back of your head, just below the skull. (This area is called the wind gate because it’s where the wind enters)

This can be avoided by wearing a towel around the shoulders at all times. Should that fail, cupping, acupuncture and herbs will cure it, especially since the evil wind can be so insidious:

It can dive 6 levels into the body, all the way to the bone marrow. If it gets there, you will be in a lot of pain and no matter what you do to get warm it won’t work. At this stage you will need herbs for sure. So don’t let it get there!

Of course, no good altie lets their propaganda go by without a call to spam further:

Feel free to pass this on to a friend or love one. And if your friend wants to receive these articles please ask them to submit their details

EoR trusts the Back on Your Feet Natural Health Clinic is happy now it has received suitable recognition. And, since they consider The Second Sight to be a "nice blog. Good information" that they will now shut up shop.

The Principles And Practice Of Magic

Scholarly homeopathic texts (if that isn't an oxymoron) are immensely amusing, as they strive to present a system of magic within a pseudoscientific context, complete with tables listing various levels of elements, and graphs mathematically recording strange world views. Such a text is Principles and Practice of Homeopathy: The Therapeutic and Healing Process by David Owen (London: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2007).

This text comes with endorsements from people with so many letters after their names that it's like a Scrabble convention: Francis Treuherz MA RSHom FSHom (" exciting and innovative"), John Saxton BVet Med VetFFHom Cert. IAVH MRCVS President, Faculty of Homeopathy Homeopathic teacher ("a tour de force"), Dr Nick Goodman MbBS MFHom FACNEM, Dr Philip Bailey MBBS MFHom (author of Homeopathic Psychology - presumably, psychology in infinitesimal doses), Professor David Peters, School of Integrated Health, University of Westminster, London, UK ("this book drips holism") and David Reilly Consultant, Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital; Researcher and Teacher, Glasgow Homeopathic Academic Centre, as well as a foreword by Bob Leckridge BSc MB ChB MFHom.

What can you learn from this tome? Take, for example, the chapter by David Lilley on The Chronic Miasms.

Disease is an expression of creation’s perfection; it has meaning, deep significance, and is essentially beneficent. The vital force is always working at its optimal best. Even malignant disease is a manifestation of the vital force’s efforts to bring about the least harmful result in a profoundly disturbed constitution. It would rather produce a cancer than permit a process that impacts upon the emotional and intellectual spheres and impedes spiritual unfoldment. This is not always possible. However, when successful, the inherited legacy of disease is concentrated and encapsulated in a malignant lesion or process. Constitutionally a cleansing of the miasmatic state is achieved, which is manifested particularly in the emotional life. Individuation is accelerated. When the cancer miasm is dominant it often brings with it a state of increasing spiritual awareness, empathy, and a greater capacity for unconditional love.
pp231-232

That should make clear the religious underpinning of homeopathy with its calls to 'creation', 'vital force' and 'spirit'. You see, cancer is actually about "spiritual unfoldment". Having cancer is therefore a wonderful thing, as it enhances you and moves you on to a higher state of being.

The Carcinosin subject has an abiding love of nature, of animals, and of humanity, which moves them to altruism of the purest form. Their minds and senses are aesthetically attuned to all that is elevated, noble, and splendid in literature, music, and dance. Their love and compassion are intense, selfless, universal, and unconditional. The miasm of cancer facilitates the ascent of the human soul towards its divinity.
pp233-234

This is in a 'medical' textbook. Published by Elsevier*. Cancer makes you divine. And this sort of rubbish is a magical belief system that is two hundred years (at least) out of date.

But homeopathy is a science now. And science is a systematising method of knowledge (even though the book is constantly torn by its desire to simultaneously embrace the holistic "illness is a journey to wellness" trope). So Misha Norland in the chapter on Signatures:

The five elements can be thought of as gradually moving from spirit into matter and are:
1. Etheric energy – which is immaterial, reveals itself as primal non-verbal experience and as intuition.
2. Elemental fire – almost immaterial, the energy of combustion, heat and light, reveals itself as images.
3. Elemental air – dense enough to fly in, reveals itself as thoughts. These are products of the intellect, representing our discriminative awareness ‘playing’ over experiences and memory.
4. Elemental water – yet denser, to swim in, reveals itself as feelings. These inform us of our likes and dislikes.
5. Elemental earth – solid, to build with, reveals itself as sensations. These are experienced in the body directly by the five senses.
Physical pathology is the final outcome of derangement of the above elemental levels.
p279

Yes, elements, but not in the sense of the Periodic Table (presumably, this development is far too recent for homeopaths to have become acquainted with it and integrated it into their purportedly 'holistic' system). There's clearly derangement occurring here, but it seems to be concentrated in the homeopathic practitioners. EoR suspects homeopaths get all their cures from the Ebers Papyrus.

Of course, no good homeopathic text can allow vaccination to go by without pointing out the terrible evils that it causes.

Tautopathy is a type of isopathy where the causative agent is a conventional drug, where the adverse effects point to their range of action and they can be helpful when prepared homeopathically in treating iatrogenic disease or in reducing adverse effects. For example, a potency of a vaccine can help ‘unlock’ a case of vaccine damage.
p56

Homeopathy: making up imaginary diseases, and then curing them (by imaginary methods). Simple, really.

EoR does, however, find himself in agreement with Mr Owen's concluding remarks:

One thing is certain, in the future – and perhaps very rapidly – a number of the premises explored in this book will be outdated.
p420

Though he does need to point out that they've actually been outdated for two centuries. But maybe the homeopaths are still succussing and diluting that particular piece of information.

Contemporary scientifically advanced homeopaths enabling the holistic illness journey towards spiritual enlightenment

---

*Though the imprint was bought by Elsevier, itself known for links to arms dealing and fake journals.

Homeopathy: Still Offering To Kill Babies

Not content that following the precepts of homeopathy to 'cure' anything can lead to the deaths of babies and cancer sufferers (not to mention many others), the woo-meisters who sell sugar pills are now claiming that whooping cough can be prevented and cured by their magic.

HOMEOPATHS are recommending "unproven" herbal remedies, including belladonna and phosphorus, for whooping cough.

A whooping cough epidemic has swept the country, and tragically turned fatal this week when a five-week-old boy died.

Homeopaths say their treatments can prevent and cure whooping cough, while doctors say that is "complete rubbish".

Drosera and pertussinum are other herbal remedies commonly recommended.

Australian Medical Association immunity spokesman Dr Rod Pearce said anyone recommending homeopathic "vaccinations" or treatments was illegitimate.

Unfortunately, the article doesn't point out that the belladonna, phosphorus, drosera and pertussinum products are all exactly the same: they contain nothing other than sugar or water or whatever substance the homeopath puts in the little bottle in order to fill it up (because selling a completely empty bottle would be just an obvious scam).

The homeopaths practice what they preach, diluting their argument to nonexistence:

The Australian Homeopathic Association did not return The Advertiser's phone call.

Of course, since telephones didn't exist two hundred years ago, they may prefer to use more traditional methods of communication, and are sending a horse and buggy with an urgent epistle to the newspaper.

Homeopaths in the UK also continue to offer homeopathic 'vaccines':

Homeopaths are offering "alternative vaccinations" which doctors say could leave patients vulnerable to potentially fatal diseases, a BBC investigation has found.

Three practitioners admitted giving patients a homeopathic medicine designed to replace the MMR vaccine.

How do they know they work? They don't. And they're happy to admit it:

When asked if the homeopathic remedy offered the same protection as the MMR, she replied: "I'd like to say that they were safer, but I can't prove that."

Even the homeopathic publicity organisation says it doesn't work:

The practice of replacing conventional vaccines with homeopathic alternatives has been condemned by the Faculty of Homeopathy.

It said there was no evidence for homeopathic treatments being able to protect against diseases, and said patients should stick to conventional medicines.

Just as in Australia, though, it appears that individual homeopaths can claim their water drops cure whatever they like, and get away with it with impunity.

Antivaxxers are also convinced, in the face of a complete lack of evidence, that homeopathy is the magic cure as this reply to a mother concerned by the death from whooping cough in South Australia:

See a homeopath asap!!!! They will be able to vacinate you homeopathically. Once you've got it not much treats the cough super effectively. aBX are often given but they only render you not infectious. Once the damage has been done the cough will hang around for about 3 months (100 day cough). Homeopathics, large doses of vit C, general immune boosting will help for sure.

WC vaccination is really really ineffective something like only 70% effective or there about so you cannot rely on it at all. Also it is a new strain going around so even if you got your blood tested they are testing for immunity to the old strain.

EoR may be slow, but he fails to see how a 0% effectiveness rate is better than a 70% effectiveness rate.



Edit: coverage of the South Australian death also at
The Sceptics' Book of Pooh-Pooh
Thinking is Real
Australian Skeptics

Homeopathy: Sharp As A Sackful Of Wet Mice

Homeopaths are such fun. Not only are their beliefs completely at odds with reality, it's also fun to see how they change them to suit conditions. Like Polly Millet's report of A Case of Epithelioma in a Horse.

The article describes how she prescribed various remedies based on the horse's personality in order to

“tune” her vital force and thereby resolve the tumor

What EoR finds interesting, though, is her process of "bucket dosing" — placing the magic drops in the horse's water bucket.

In our barn, the buckets are never shared, so I could safely put Iris’ remedy in her bucket. I also knew that the remedy would become a little stronger each day, in the horse barn equivalent of what homeopaths call “potentization” (successive steps of diluting and shaking). Our buckets are thoroughly cleaned once a week and are refilled from a hose several times a day. Essentially, Iris got a more and more dilute solution for a week after the remedy was added. Since horses really mess with their water when they drink, and the pressure from the hose “shakes up” the water, it may well have been a little more potentized each time she drank, as well!

So here we have a homeopath stating that you don't need the ritual leather bound Bible, nor the 'regulated 10 thumps, turn around three times, pray to the gods and repeat' steps either. Just sloshing the mysterious remembrances of lycopodium while scrubbing a bucket is enough. Just think about all those millions of homeopathic remedies you're imbibing every time you drink from a cup that has previously been washed by water that has, also, previously been sloshed around and washed by countless others. And who could imagine the powerful potentisation that has taken place with all that sloshing of every molecule of water in the past few billions of years in the oceans and sky, and in numerous sewerage systems. Which, to EoR, is definite proof that all homeopathy really is full of shit.



Nice girl, but about as sharp as a sack of wet mice

On The Efficacy Of Sugar Pills

In an attempt to avoid all those vaccine-damaged children that litter our landscape as a sorry indictment of the whole failed enterprise of Western Medicine, Meryl Dorey and others are fond of recommending homeopathic treatments instead.

Now that the Lancet has published a study showing how ineffective sugar pills are to infants, will Dorey and her ilk change their tune (EoR realises this is a rhetorical question, and is reminded of leopards and spots) since homeopathic pills are nothing but sugar? Will we, instead, soon be seeing a whole cohort of homeopathy-damaged children?

"Our findings indicate that sucrose is not an effective pain relief drug. This is especially important in view of the increasing evidence that pain may cause short and long-term adverse effects on infant neurodevelopment," said Dr Rebecca Slater, who led the Medical Research Council-funded study at University College London. "While we remain unsure of the impact sucrose has, we suggest that it is not used routinely to relieve pain in infants without further investigation."

And where exactly is the homeopathy adverse events reporting system? Why are the homeopaths covering this up? Could Meryl Dorey's reptilian overlords be playing both sides against each other?

Oral sucrose as an analgesic drug for procedural pain in newborn infants: a randomised controlled trial

Alternative Medicine: Natural, Gentle, Holistic, Bullshit (2)

Australian Doctor discusses again in "The Price of Faith" the case of Penelope Dingle's fatal encounter with alternative cures.

Her homeopath, Francine Scrayen, holds a diploma from the Oceanic Institute of Classical Homeopathy (which seems to exist in a post box), as well as a "postgraduate diploma" from Belgium. Proper notekeeping, and medical diagnosis, appear to be subjects not covered in her extensive studies.

(She) duly documents the symptoms in her notes, described by the Coroner's report as both voluminous and detailed, albeit light on details about treatment she actually provided.

EoR wonders how you can detail a treatment that contains nothing?

After a whole year of rectal bleeding, Ms Scrayen notes "perhaps see a doctor". Nonetheless, Ms Dingle decided to forego conventional treatment, which would leave her infertile, and continue with alternative treatment.

During the inquest, Mrs Scrayen denied she had any influence over this decision. She denied telling Mrs Dingle she could cure cancer through homeopathy or treat the cancer without the need for medical treatment.

The Coroner rejected these denials, saying she regarded Mrs Scrayen as "not a witness of truth".

At this time, Mrs Dingle and her husband effectively shut down all contact with the conventional medical world, apart from two doctors EoR has already commented on.

This course of events left Mrs Scrayen in charge of Mrs Dingle's cancer treatment. Despite Mrs Scrayen's detailed notes, there are few clues as to what her homeopathic cure involved. But, according to the Coroner's report, one condition of the treatment was that Mrs Dingle should not accept mainstream pain relief. Mrs Dingle, apparently on the advice of Mrs Scrayen, believed it would affect the efficacy of the homeopathic remedies.

There's that old chestnut about how fragile homeopathic remedies are (which is always a good way to explain why they don't work). Light, perfume, bad thoughts, conventional medicines. They all destroy the wonderful magic spirit angels so easily.

There were claims that Mrs Dingle spent nights screaming in pain and, as a result, was on the phone to her homeopath dozens of times a day for help. She was sometimes told that the pain was "between her ears".

No, the pain was the hopelessly inadequate and unqualified person who had offered her a miracle.

"Well, sometimes it was pain and sometimes — well, the majority of it would be to check whether the remedy was doing something or not... Sometimes it was, but it didn't hold. That's what I kept on saying to her. The remedy works, but it doesn't hold; the remedy works, but it doesn't hold."

Mrs Scrayen then institued another traditional therapy, something she had heard a childhood nurse mention, and suggested Mrs Dingle "insert plugs of Velvet soap in her rectum so she could push through 'the blockage'."

When nurses finally visited Mrs Dingle at her home she was emaciated, weighed around 35kg, in great pain and with a grossly distended abdomen. She refused analgesics "after consulting with her husband." Finally, she was transferred to hospital. Before she had turned away from conventional treatment, she had been told her cancer was treatable. Now her cervix, uterus, ovaries, bowel from the pelvis and fallopian tubes had to be removed surgically. She died in August 2005.

The Coroner said Mrs Dingle was surrounded by "misinformation and poor science", including from her husband, Dr Dingle, a man with no medical qualifications who contributed to decisions about her care.

Homeopathy is accused of being stuck in the medical beliefs of two hundred years ago (which, apart from adopting various buzzwords into meaningless discourse, such as 'quantum entanglement', it is) but this idea that suffering must not only be endured, but is somehow good for you reaches even further back.

Another value found within religious pain is that of relief of guilt or pre-emptive payment for sins done wrong, which falls with the aforementioned juridical model. Many psychoanalysts, including Freud, share a similar perspective towards pain usage. This is often the reason found within the motivations of Christian saints and martyrs. In some instances, punishing the body can be viewed as a way for the person to “pay” for their committed sins, serving to both relieve guilt and anxiety towards the justice they believe will be served at death. Obviously, this can hold a positive psychological value to the person who chooses to inflict pain on themselves for this reason.

Tanveer Ahmed notes that alternative therapies fit perfectly into the worldviews of those who are not 'religious' but are, instead 'spiritual':

Alternative therapies are not confined by the limits of testable knowledge, making their potential power of explanation enormous, and leaving patients thinking their troubles have real spiritual significance.

For example, a naturopath will diagnose problems with a mix of genuine biological and physiological terminology, adopting a sense of medical authority. But the problems will be addressed with questionable, untested treatments such as homeopathy or herbal products.

Patients are left reassured they are not dealing with a quack, but retain a link with nature and the spirit. They are told their condition is unique to them and the power to heal exists inside their own bodies.

Alternative Medicine: Natural, Gentle, Holistic, Bullshit

Things have gone quiet concerning the death of Penelope Dingle from cancer which she unsuccessfully sought to treat through homeopathy and alternative means, but the 13th August 2010 issue of Australian Doctor provides some extra information that the mainstream media seemed to ignore.

The article is mainly concerned with two (real) doctors who treated Ms Dingle, and who have been referred to the medical board as a result.

Dr William Barnes recommended vitamin C and Carnivora (Venus Flytrap extract). According to the Coroner's report, Dr Barnes stated this would stop her cancer growing (and only cost around AU$500 a week). Two days later, Ms Dingle apparently changed her mind, preferring instead to rely on 'classical' homeopathy (EoR assumes that's somehow different from 'modern' or 'postmodern' homeopathy). Dr Barnes testified that he told her homeopathy was unlikely to work, but the coroner dismissed this claim, pointing out that Dr Barnes was supportive of homeopathy "at least in some circumstances".

Ms Dingle underwent emergency surgery only when she was on the point of death, after which she again sought out Dr Barnes for help to 'improve' her immune system while undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

He offered her intravenous vitamin C and B with Carnivora, along with intramuscular mistletoe and other alternative treatments. The coroner said Dr Barnes' treatment, which ran from late 2003 and continued for most of 2004, cost $30,000.

Dr Igor Tabrizian was consulted in April 2003 for nutritional advice.

The coroner accused Dr Tabrizian of failing to take adequate notes, compile a detailed history or access the results of Ms Dingle's colonoscopy or MRI scan. The coroner said "it was difficult to reconcile his responsibilities as a doctor" with his failure to assess her condition, though stressed that neither Dr Barnes nor Dr Tabrizian had caused or contributed to her death.

Ms Dingle's homeopath, Francine Scrayen, on the other hand, appears to have kept exemplary records. Indeed, she apparently documented for a year that Ms Dingle had blood in her stool and abdominal pains before suggesting she get a medical diagnosis. Ms Scrayen testified that she had "assumed" that Ms Dingle was suffering from haemorrhoids and that

"according to Hering's law of cure, [this was an] old symptom coming back."

Hering's Law states

From above downwards.
From within outwards.
From a more important organ to a less important one.
In the reverse order of their coming.

It is a magical incantation that predates modern medicine and its understanding of micro-organisms and disease causal factors, but it is still a favourite of homeopaths, especially to placate sufferers of healing crises which, while they may appear to the uneducated eye as an indication that you are geting sicker are actually something completely different:

A healing crisis is the opposite of a dis-ease crisis yet in many ways feels the same, and symptoms are often similar. It's very important to make the distinction between the symptoms of dis-ease process and those of the healing process. Healing crisis usually occurs after a period of increased well-being, and may last a few days. Each healing crisis releases physical problems from the past. When a healing crisis comes, do not attempt to stop it! This confuses most people because, "If I feel sick, I must be sick," when in actuality, the discomfort of the healing crisis is an indication of your own body working to heal itself, from the inside, out.

You're not really dying from cancer, you just think you are!

The coroner observed that Ms Scrayen was "not a competent health professional" who had "minimal understanding of relevant health issues." He also observed

"Unfortunately [Ms Dingle] was surrounded by misinformation and poor science."

Dingle Update

Inquest into Dingle death

The State Coroner has delivered his findings in the Penelope Dingle case. The homeopath involved, Francine Scrayen is described as

"was not a competent health professional" and had given "dangerous advice" to Mrs Dingle when treating her.

Dr Peter Dingle is described as

"a victim of his own misinformation" and had "no qualifications in health and wellness".

It is also recommended that the two doctors involved, William Barnes and Igor Tabrizian, be referred to the Medical Board of WA.

Mr Hope said Dr Barnes' suggestion Mrs Dingle use vitamin C and Carnivora to potentially stop the tumour growing and Dr Tabrizian's failure to examine her properly was enough reason to refer them to the board.

Despite this, the Coroner seems ambivalent about homeopathy.

Giving his recommendations, the coroner said homeopathic treatments should not be outlawed but nor should they be legitimised.

But he recommended federal and state health authorities review their legislation regarding complementary and alternative treatments.

This sounds like the recent UK decision that homeopathy should continue be supported precisely because it doesn't work. And despite the fact that

He said that if she had not spent a year seeking the advice of Mrs Scrayen rather than seeing a doctor, she may have survived.

Homeopathy - Doesn't Work, Deserves Government Funding

Some excerpts from the UK Government response to the Science and Technology Committee report 'Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy' :

8. We agree with many of the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations. However, our continued position on the use of homeopathy within the NHS is that the local NHS and clinicians, rather than Whitehall, are best placed to make decisions on what treatment is appropriate for their patients - including complementary or alternative treatments such as homeopathy - and provide accordingly for those treatments.

37. Homeopathy has a long tradition in Europe and is a recognised and widely used system of medicine across the EU. The Government takes the view that consumers who choose to use homeopathic medicines should be fully informed about their purpose and assured that standards of quality and safety are maintained. If homeopathic medicines were not subject to any kind of regulatory control consumers would not have access to such information or assurances. Conversely, if regulation was applied to homeopathic medicines as understood in the context of conventional pharmaceutical medicines, these products would have to be withdrawn from the market as medicines. This would constrain consumer choice and, more importantly, risk the introduction of unregulated, poor quality and potentially unsafe products on the market to satisfy consumer demand.

40. The main public health risk that can arise from homeopathic medicinal products is their inappropriate use in serious conditions. The National Rules Scheme (NRS) is based on the premise that public health protection is better served where it is clear that the use of these products should be restricted to minor self-limiting conditions. In response to recommendation 30, that claimed indications should not be permitted in products without demonstrated efficacy, we do not think public health will be enhanced by increasing the proportion of over the counter medicinal products sold without information as to their intended purpose.

48. The regulation of homeopathic products enables the MHRA to protect the public from unsafe products and unwarranted claims to treat serious illness. The requirement for regulation of homeopathic products is laid down in a European Directive and is a treaty obligation of the UK.

To summarise the twisted logic: homeopathy doesn't work, so it should only be used for conditions that would resolve themselves anyway (because, if you refused this placebo, the conditions would resolve themselves anyway). Homeopathy should, nonetheless, still remain government supported and funded because, even though they don't qualify as 'medicines', consumer choice requires that they be called 'medicines'.

The Miracle That Is Homeopathy

Colic is a major cause of horses being euthanized. But it doesn't have to be so. When the veterinarians have failed, given up, and gone for the easy euthanasia option, there's still the powerful healing ability of homeopathy that can pull the distressed animal through. Frank J. King, Jr., ND, DC relates one particular anecdote where

The vet left me his euthanizing drug thinking I would need to use it soon.

Now, EoR doesn't know what the law is in the USA, but no vet would leave such dangerous and restricted drugs with an owner in Australia and tell them to 'do it yourself'. This seems bizarre and unbelievable to EoR.

We administered a homeopathic indigestion/colic formula every 15 minutes for one hour and noticed a slight improvement within that hour. Over the next three hours, we gave two doses per hour with continual improvements. We gave one dose every hour until bedtime and one dose in the middle of the night; by morning the mare seemed normal, minus a lot of hair on one side. We continued one dose in the water bucket per day for about three weeks.

What amazed me is how this mare blossomed since the life and death colic incident. She put on more muscle than ever, was much calmer and thrived on minimal feed?.what was a constitutional weakness now became a constitutional strength. Her digestion and assimilation system were functioning incredibly well. She became one of our easiest keepers!

Assuming that this anecdote is actually real, Frank J King, ND, DC has apparently never studied the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy.

Of course, a large number of colics resolve themselves, especially minor ones, and giving magic water drops just leads people to claim The homeopathic remedy helped to normalize the condition gently and speedily and is compatible with veterinary care. The veterinary care can be ignored, since it's clearly the homeopathy that leads to any recovery. Self-resolving colic (or 'cured' through magic means) does not remove the underlying cause (feed, worms, sand, torsions, intussecptions etc) and so the condition is likely to recur.

Homeopathic remedies are fragile creatures, however. They weaken with time. They are utterly destroyed if you merely brush a finger against them. Strong smells will neutralise them. Cordless phones and mobiles, of course, are utterly evil and must be shunned at all times. Putting your pillules in a drawer will protect them (because electromagnetic radiation and smells are unable to penetrate wood, presumably).

Regardless of their fragility, you can always have your horse treated via eCapsules.

Adapted from the Harmonic Translation System by New Science, the unique energetic signatures of common supplements and healing modalities (such as Bach Flower Remedies, homeopathics, crystals, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, tissues, nosodes, sarcodes, tissues and antidotes for a variety of infections and diseases, and much more), are translated into color, geometric patterns and sound, then packaged as an eCapsule that can be played on the client's computer.

Apparently, this is especially effective for illnesses that real veterinarians have 'failed' to diagnose. Possibly qi stagnation, or past life emotional trauma.

eCapsules, at least, resolve the issue of how you get your horse to actually take those gentle, holistic, vibratory miracles. One of the suggestions is to apply the remedy under the tail/anus. Remind EoR never to shake hands with a homeopath. And what on Earth is "the sunprotection stuff that (you) just put in water trough"?

Speaking of Health Fascists...

During the Third Reich the (mostly pro-homeopathy) Nazi leadership wanted to solve the homeopathy question once and for all. The research programme was carefully planned and rigorously executed. A report was written and it even survived the war. But it disappeared nevertheless – apparently in the hands of German homeopaths. Why? According to a very detailed eye-witness report, they were wholly and devastatingly negative.
Commentary on the Paris et al. paper by Edzard Ernst, published in British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (via DC's Improbable Science).

Liek was a hands-on practitioner but also something of a romantic, yearning after simpler times when science was not the be-all and end-all of medicine, when the doctor-patient relationship was (purportedly) intimate and sacred. As founding editor of Hippokrates, a magazine of general health interest with strong ties to homeopathy and the natural foods movement, he helped to usher in a broader and more holistic medicine of the sort embraced by many Nazi leaders—medical men like Kurt Klare, Karl Kötschau, Walter Schultze, and Ernst Günther Schenck, but also high-placed politicos like Heinrich Himmler, Julius Streicher, Rudolf Hess, and even Hitler himself.

(...)

Homeopaths likewise joined with Nazi enthusiasts to argue that mercury could cause memory loss and that arsenic could cause depression. The homeopathic stress on the potency of rare (or absent!) trace elements fit well with the idea that powerful bodily disturbances were likely to come from our surrounding ourselves with exotic substances like mercury, lead, and arsenic. The idea of prevention fit well with this notion that health could be restored by avoiding exposure to rare but powerful agents corroding the German Volkskörper.
Robert N. Proctor: The Nazi War on Cancer

Opening the international congress of the Homeopathic Society in the name of the Fuehrer on 8 August 1937, Rudolf Hess offered the following stout defence on the creed :« The new Germany considers it politically necessary to proceed in the verification of all phenomenons whatsoever. However, certain physicians have not hesitated to attack and reject not only new therapies but also others whose origins go back to a distant past, as is today the case of homeopathy, without even making the effort to subject these therapies to serious examination. For this reason, I have taken under my protection the XII International Congress of Homeopathy in Berlin, to express the interest of the National Socialist State in all modes of therapies that are useful to the people´s health ».

As a result of this high-grade intervention, it would appear, a well-known homeopath, Dr Fritz Donner (assisted by a pharmacologist and an internist), was ordered to come up with the necessary proofs. His findings were not published and they were withheld from the medical community for many years. It was only in 1969 that a translation of the Donner report appeared in a French magazine (the results were never published in Germany).

Henri Broch, who was responsible for the report coming to light, cites inter alia two letters of Fritz Donner to, respectively, E. Unseld, president of the German Association of Homeopathic Physicians, and H. Schoeler, editor-in-chief of the Allgemeine homöopathische Zeitung. These confirm that all of Donner´s findings were negative and that he came under pressure to conceal the results of his research. As Donner himself stated (translated from the french) : « One cannot inform homeopaths about the real nature of homeopathy, nor can one publish it in a homeopathic journal. In the best homeopathic tradition, anyone can come up with the most glaring absurdities and they will be published; by contrast, the fundamentals of an important medicine against diphtheria will never be published and the researcher who works on these sources will be threatened with immediate dismissal ».
Eric's HOMEOPATHY page

Hitler gets the results from his latest Homeopathy RCT

EoR wonders why 'modern' homeopaths (inverted commas because today's homeopaths are unchanged from those of two centuries ago) are so reluctant to mention their favourite therapy's embrace by the Nazis. They seem to be happy to claim support from anyone else.

The Magic of Germany

Well, now it seems it's Germany's turn to realise that homeopathy is bullshit. In the very country that brought us the genius of Samuel Hahnemann, this favourite form of magic seems to be falling out of favour. Der Spiegel reports that the Social Democrat Party is calling for the State to no longer fund homeopathic treatment (English summary here — EoR finds it amusing that it only takes two comments before Big Pharma is invoked, completely missing the point of who is calling for the support to be ended).

The print edition of Der Spiegel has a much longer article, but one thing struck EoR: the people who support homeopathy. Prince Charles. Karl Lagerfeld. And these attendees at the Homeopathic World Congress, Berlin 1937.



As if that's not scary enough, here's a picture of just how scientific the production of homeopathic remedies is. Just like Big Pharma. It's all modern and sciencey. Notice the sterile clothing. The white coat. The gleaming metal and plastic. Computer controlled equipment. Charts on the wall. And a leather cushion to beat your magic potion against.

It's Never Been Tested, But We'll Treat Everything With It Anyway

Homeopaths are at the forefront of amassing rigourous scientific evidence of the incredible power of water to heal every disease and illness known. They are particularly favoured of the customer satisfaction survey, conducted some time after providing a non-blinded treatment.

It appears homeopathy is equally effective in horses.

There are more than 138 randomized controlled trials of homeopathy in human medicine, but fewer than 20 have been performed in all of veterinary medicine and not one has involved horses.

To gain insight regarding the kinds of problems that veterinarians in the UK treat via homeopathy and owner-assessed changes after homeopathy, twelve members of the Faculty of Homeopathy veterinarians recorded data systematically at 777 consecutive homeopathic appointments for horses over a period of 12 months.1 A spreadsheet enabled the recording of information, which included:

date of appointment;
horse and owner identity (anonymised);
sex of horse;
main medical problem treated;
whether the condition was chronic or acute;
whether the appointment was new or a follow-up;
owner-assessed clinical outcome on a seven-point scale, ranging from -3 to +3, compared with the first appointment; homeopathic medicine(s) prescribed;
and whether any conventional or other complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) was being used concurrently to treat the condition.

Data from 289 horses comprised a total of 305 individual conditions identified as chronic in nature, of which 234 had a follow-up assessment. At the final appointment for chronic cases during the study period, 4.3 per cent were receiving conventional medication and 17.1 per cent were being given another CAM treatment in addition to homeopathy.

The homeopathic veterinarians treated more than 100 different conditions. The eight chronic conditions most frequently treated with homeopathy were:
arthritis
headshaking
laminitis
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
sweet itch
dermatitis
sarcoidosis
Cushing’s syndrome

At the time of the final appointment, owners assessed the impact of the homeopathy on a scale from -3 (major deterioration) to +3 (major improvement) compared to the first appointment.

For the 234 cases, a final score of +2 or +3 (moderate or major improvement) was reported in 86.7% of cases.

1. Mathie RT, Baitson ES, Hansen L, Elliott MF, Hoare J. (2010) Prescribing for chronic conditions in equine veterinary practice in the UK. Vet Rec. 2010 Feb 20;166(8):234-8.

Unfortunately, EoR's institutional subscription doesn't include The Veterinary Record, so he's unable to assess the full paper, but the summary provided is cause for concern. Where was the control group? Why use a vague 'improvement' assessment scored by someone (the owner) who is not a medical expert? Why only assess "clinical outcome" at final appointment (which, presumably, was anywhere up to twelve months later than the initial appointment). Why only choose those with chronic conditions (homeopathy is claimed to be able to treat anything)? What was done to eliminate the natural variability of chronic conditions? Of all the amazing numbers given (777 appointments, which then becomes 289 horses, which then becomes 234 horses that were actually part of the survey) why isn't the most important (the actual number of owners making the satisfaction survey response) given?

Most importantly, if there's never been a study of homeopathy to treat equine conditions, why is it being promoted so liberally?

And, finally, were all the vets involved paid up members of the The British Veterinary Voodoo Society?

I'm Not A Doctor, But...

Andy points EoR to Husband and healer 'must share blame'.

Coroner Alastair Hope has been urged to find that prominent Perth toxicologist Peter Dingle and wife's homeopath contributed to her death

On the final day of the inquest yesterday he was also urged to refer two doctors - William Barnes and Igor Tabrizian - to the WA Medical Board over their treatment of Mrs Dingle and to consider whether Mr Dingle's "emotional abuse" of his wife amounted to torture.

(...)

Counsel assisting the Coroner, Celia Kemp, said Mrs Dingle played a part in the "misadventure" that led her to forgo conventional treatment and accept the homeopathic treatment of Francine Scrayen. She said Mrs Dingle did not make the choice alone but with the influence of her husband.

"Dr Dingle's strong anti-conventional views would have influenced his wife," she said.

She said it was likely Dr Dingle, who holds no medical qualification, advised his wife against surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

EoR's observation of Dr Dingle's advice giving in the media is that he is announced as "Dr" Dingle. No clarification or disclaimer is provided as to the fact that he is not a medical doctor. If someone asks about a specifically medical condition Dr Dingle does, however, invariably state that he is "not a medical doctor". This is immediately followed by "but" and a whole slew of advice (usually involving eating more nuts and fish oils and so on and so forth).

As an example, consider this page from Dr Dingle's blog (which EoR blogged about long ago). EoR leaves it to his readers to determine whether or not Dr Dingle provides medical advice on that page, and in relation to exactly how many conditions. It's not a pretty sight.

More recently, he advises on Breast cancer Anti depressants and Fish oils, wondering "how many woman (sic) have died in the interim" of breast cancer and combined depression drug use. Fish oil, of course, is a wonder substance (and not at all a drug) that works far better in combination with chemotherapy than chemotherapy alone to prolong life. Perhaps Dr Dingle will any day now publish an article wondering how many woman have died in the interim from using alternative therapies?

The jury is still out (if such a metaphor is appropriate) on whether or not SSRIs affect Tamoxifen (EoR's emphasis):

If you take both an SSRI antidepressant, such as fluoxetine or paroxetine, and also take tamoxifen, speak with your doctor about the potential interaction between them. Your doctor may advise switching either to another type of antidepressant or another form of hormonal therapy.

If you are postmenopausal, you may be able to switch to an aromatase inhibitor, a hormonal therapy that is not affected by CYP2D6 inhibitors. In addition, make sure your doctor knows about all the medicines you take, since there are some other medications that are CYP2D6 inhibitors.

Tamoxifen remains the standard optimal treatment for premenopausal women. But regardless of menopausal status, you may be able to switch to another type of antidepressant to manage tamoxifen-related hot flashes. For medical options and other tips on managing hot flashes, read a recent article from our newsletter.

Clinical depression is a serious condition, so do not stop taking your antidepressant without consulting your doctor. Many other treatments exist for depression, including medicines that do not inhibit CYP2D6.

EoR notes that Dr Dingle makes no warning about stopping antidepressant medication in conjunction with a (real) doctor on his blog.

The level of evidence for fish oil as a treatment for depression is shown when most Google hits are for sites such as fishoilfordepression.org, christinas-home-remedies.com and oilofpisces.com. Unfortunately, the jury's still out on this one as well, with some small scale studies indicating there may be an effect (Eor's emphasis again):

A number of studies suggest that fish oil supplements may be an effective add-on (adjuvant) therapy for depression. In fact, some studies suggest that fish oil supplements may be as effective as prescription antidepressant medication — but the two in combination are more effective than either taken alone. However, more research is needed to confirm these results.

(...)

At this time, it's probably premature to make a strong recommendation for or against fish oil supplements as a treatment for depression. Consult your doctor before starting any new dietary or herbal supplement to treat depression, especially if you take other medications.

Dr Dingle again doesn't mention the strength of the studies he relies on, whether there are any contradictory studies, or whether his proclamations are based on preliminary evidence or not. Of course that, like urging people to give up their antidepressants in favour of an unproven alternative, are not in contradiction of the Hippocratic Oath because he doesn't have to adhere to any such restrictive medical standards. Not being a medical doctor.

Hopefully, though, the fish oil is working for Dr Dingle now that his friends at the ABC (though they are still showing him on Can We Help?) and 6PR have abandoned his well-reasoned and considered health advice. At least the newage journal Nova still has a place for him.

Dilbert on Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a Religion After All

Andy points EoR to this report: Victoria tries to dilute homoeopathy problem.

A red-faced Victoria (New Zealand) University is distancing itself from a homoeopathy course offered through its continuing education programme.

"Homoeopathy: increasing your health awareness" will teach participants about the "internationally recognised, scientific medical system" in a one-off lecture.

The lecture is being given by "Art Buehler, the senior religious studies lecturer". Well, EoR can certainly see the link between religion and homeopathy. Faith in the face of all evidence to the contrary. The ritual gestures (succussion). The ritual text (Hahnemann's Organum).

EoR can also imagine just how the lecture is going to go:



Then there's this slightly older gem that EoR has discovered: Increase your height.

Forget about growth hormone injection or limb lengthening operation. They are way to expensive and dangerous for you. What you need is a safe, effective and affordable way to grow taller naturally and easily by using homoeopathic medicine

EoR loves seeing homeopathic 'doctors' arguing with each other. It reminds him of Edward Lear's and Lewis Carroll's (rather better) efforts. One advises:

I think, Baryta Carb 30 on alternate days is much better than to give it three times a day. Dr.D.Sharma, please don't mind.

So, taking the correct variety of (identical) water on the correct days is really important.

The full debate (which EoR admits he has not read beyond the first page) goes on for 33 incredibly mind numbing pages. At least it keeps them off the street.

They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;
They pursued it with forks and hope;
They threatened its life with a railway-share;
They charmed it with smiles and soap.

They shuddered to think that the chase might fail,
And the Beaver, excited at last,
Went bounding along on the tip of its tail,
For the daylight was nearly past.

"There is Thingumbob shouting!" the Bellman said,
"He is shouting like mad, only hark!
He is waving his hands, he is wagging his head,
He has certainly found a Snark!"

Somewhere in Perth...

In a homeopath's consulting rooms, a woman is having her cancer 'treated'...



Google shows 108,000 results for homeopathy cancer treatment perth (excluding as many of the Dingle links as possible).

Of course, as Michelle Hookham, President of the Australian Homeopathic Association reminds us, It is against the code of conduct for homeopaths to claim that they can cure or treat cancer.. It may be against the code of conduct, but it appears it doesn't stop them from doing it.

Clearly the Australian Homeopathic Association is just as effective in controlling its members absolute lack of standards as the treatment they promote is effective in curing or treating cancer.


World Homeopathy Week at Dr Boli's Celebrated Magazine