Posts

February 21, 2013

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3:41 PM | ‘What Doctors Don’t Tell You’ cites paper that demonstrates there is no such thing as homeopathy

Back in that supermarket a few days ago, I again found myself driven to taking a thumb through the latest edition of QuackRag What Doctor’s Don’t Tell You, whose unscrupulously permissive advertising policy is being systematically exposed by The Nightingale Collaboration. Though I didn’t buy the rancid rubbish, I alighted on a small piece entitled ‘Homeopathy is more than placebo’, from which I noted the reference cited as voucher for that statement. From BMC Cancer, no less. I’ll […]

Rostock, M., Naumann, J., Guethlin, C., Guenther, L., Bartsch, H. & Walach, H. (2011). Classical homeopathy in the treatment of cancer patients - a prospective observational study of two independent cohorts, BMC Cancer, 11 (1) 19. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-11-19

Citation

January 24, 2013

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12:06 PM | Haled comment

Traipsing to a(nother branch of that) supermarket just before Christmas, I passed an independent bookshop in the throes of its closing down sale, as is the way of this world. Re-approaching later from the opposite direction, laden with some unnecessary extra victuals, I decided to enter and see if an interesting bargain might be had. I managed to check any temptation to more spending until, taking another scan along on the 'Health' shelves, I put my bags down and took... Read more

January 18, 2013

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4:45 PM | A few (unoriginal) words on evidence-based versus complementary and alternative medicine

(A variation on some accommodating words proffered elsewhere, though unlikely to make the cut...) . Science is disingenuously misrepresented by those whose agenda rely on contra-scientific promotional tactics, such as devotees of ‘Complementary and Alternative Medicine.’ Refutation necessitates an appreciation of the psychology underlying people’s needs and preferences. CAM appeals to our intuitive nature. We seek patterns and readily attribute cause and effect: post hoc ergo propter hoc […]

January 01, 2013

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9:36 PM | Ear candling? – don’t be an ass!

If you’ve ever publicly aired an opinion on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, its products, practices and practitioners, and (cough) philosophy, then, not uncoupled from the probability of encountering adherence to fallacious logic and the provoking of irrational wrath, you may well have met with the defensive protestation that you are being offensive. Like that is somehow relevant. But, this entrenching attitude goes, rather than criticise or question, you should perhaps instead […]

April 20, 2012

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7:39 AM | Holistic chemophobia

What do you make of a tweet like this? “Become very aware of where chemicals are present in your life and do what you can to minimise them.” It comes from DrLibbyLive (Libby Weaver). Her bio says she’s a “holistic nutrition specialist” and her website tells us she completed her PhD examining biochemical and nutritional [...]Holistic chemophobia is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog

May 10, 2011

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5:02 AM | Treat the Body, Treat the Mind

This past weekend my wife and I participated in a Qi Gong retreat, which we found quite energizing and healing. Ever since my decision to train as a physician acupuncturist, I’ve worked to learn more about bodywork. In addition to my Chinese medicine studies, I’ve dabbled in movement-based healing practices. I’ve done more yoga in [...]