Homeopathy

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by powerof0, Jun 29, 2010.

  1. powerof0

    powerof0 Level III

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2010
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    15
    I just read this article:
    "Doctors call for NHS to stop funding homeopathy" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/10449430.stm

    So I never knew that the NHS would fund treatments that are clearly unsupported by scientific evidence, clinical data, etc (homeopathy seems to be pretty pseudoscientific...). So what do you guys think of this proposal? And what are some of the other "pseudosciences" that you have heard of?
     
  2. arcrutus

    arcrutus Level I

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    Messages:
    140
    Likes Received:
    2
    I think that they should continue to fund it....the article says "The cost of homeopathy on the NHS is low - just 0.001% of the £11 billion drugs budget." Which is truly minuscule when you take into account how much money 11 billion dollars is. I think that people have the right to take whatever medicine they so choose, and there is a lot of evidence that supports placebo pills.

    I'm not saying we should use them as a cure for cancer, but I'm sure they have their uses. When I was younger I was given Homeopathic Chinese medicine when I had a flu/cold and I always THOUGHT it worked. So I think they can have some benefit.

    I think that since the NHS still funds things like acupuncture already it should scrap Homeopathy just yet. People should just be more educated as to what their medication is actually doing to them physically.
     
  3. 21528

    21528 Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2010
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
  4. RRRJ

    RRRJ Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2010
    Messages:
    112
    Likes Received:
    0
    I agree.. there isnt much proven science behind homeopathy
     
  5. Lully

    Lully Level I

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2010
    Messages:
    142
    Likes Received:
    4
    Let's all pretend that the effectiveness of homeopathy isn't proven by many, many scientific researches... let's pretend that it's what it's all about... it's not about money, it's not about politics and it's definetly not about assuring the monopoly of half a dozen pharmaceutical industries...
    Speaking as somone who have seen and studied the effects of homeopathy even in those who didn't believe in this kind of treatment, I can say that it really works... of course, just like allopathy, it doesn't cure everything... once, I took 6 different antibiotics before one was good enough to get rid of my tonsilitis, but does that mean that allopathy doesn't work or is less effective? Of course not... why not treat homeopathy with the same regard?
     
  6. RRRJ

    RRRJ Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2010
    Messages:
    112
    Likes Received:
    0
    i'm glad it worked out for you - i've never really known anyone who's actually tried homeopathy ;) interesting
     
  7. Jamie

    Jamie Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    4
    I personally think homeopathy is a pseudoscience with no real evidence or proof. Any forms of homeopathy that proved successful (like the story shared above) can really just be attributed to the placebo effect.

    Taking that into consideration, if its really just a placebo, then there's no need for it to be funded. Find something super cheap to make your placebo from and it will work all the same :)
     
  8. candyman

    candyman Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2010
    Messages:
    52
    Likes Received:
    2
    i havent been to a dr in 11 years. always took care of everything homepathic have a big old book of stuff and it just tastes bad sometimes but it usually works.
     
  9. FastBullet

    FastBullet Level IV

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2007
    Messages:
    2,137
    Likes Received:
    45
    Homeopathy's efficacy beyond the placebo effect is unsupported by the collective weight of scientific and clinical evidence.While some individual studies have positive results, systematic reviews of published trials fail to demonstrate efficacy conclusively. Furthermore, higher quality trials tend to report results that are less positive, and most positive studies have not been replicated or show methodological problems that prevent them from being considered unambiguous evidence of homeopathy's efficacy.

    This says it all ^^[taken from wiki] <3
     
  10. candyman

    candyman Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2010
    Messages:
    52
    Likes Received:
    2
    understandably but now we have viruses and bacteria that are resistant to scientific medicine and when the super buig comes out and everyones immune system sucks due to all the antibiotics and everything else your given when you go to the dr with a cold or the sniffles. the human body can do amazing things on its own, you just have to deal with it. i mean look theres polio vaccines and theres still people with the disease and now they are using altered versions of the bug as a weapon or a medicine. thats not a good thing. ill stick to my chicken soup.
     
  11. Lully

    Lully Level I

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2010
    Messages:
    142
    Likes Received:
    4
    As I've said before, there's huge evidence based on serious research of the efficacy of homeopathic treatments, even disproving the so called placebo effect. I've already quoted these articles on another topic, but it's a good start if you want to get some scientific information:
    I'm not trying to be rude or disrespectful of your opinions, it's just that I've been studying and researching this subject for some time and I feel it's my job to spread information about it...

    Everyone is allowed to have different opinions... even the scientific community disagrees about this subject! Even my professors at the hospital disagree! I just think that you should always build your opinions fully informed about both sides of the story...

    @FastBullet
    Please, please! Don't trust wiki when it comes to scientific information as it's usually outdated or absolutely wrong... go to scientific libraries like PubMed, NSDL, SciELO... I'm not saying you won't find any studies there trying to disprove homeopathy, because you will, as there's huge amount of evidence for both parts. I'm just saying that you might want to be fully informed to make your own conclusions. Although if you've already researched about the subject and the quote from wiki just reflects your opinion, I'm sorry for the lecture :yup:
     
  12. candyman

    candyman Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2010
    Messages:
    52
    Likes Received:
    2
    i think it should be more personal based as i react to antiboitics horribly, i have no energy and feel like death. well usually worse then before i take them. so i just stick it out till im better.
     
  13. FastBullet

    FastBullet Level IV

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2007
    Messages:
    2,137
    Likes Received:
    45
    I haven't studied a thing, I just searched some info's and got a book in my language about it. I can learn it all after I graduate college, you HAVE to experience these things yourself to learn the truth. <3
     
  14. powerof0

    powerof0 Level III

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2010
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    15
    This appears to be true.

    Also, despite my attempts at research, I have yet to find a scientific mechanism of how homeopathy can possibly work. Wikipedia sums it up pretty well...

    Water has a memory? They can't be serious...

    Regarding scientific evidence for homeopathy, isn't it a bit odd that studies in support of homeopathy rarely appear in reputable journals (The Lancet, etc.)? Also, there seem to be very few reviews and meta-analyses that find homeopathy to have any pharmacological effect.
     
  15. Captain

    Captain Level I

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2010
    Messages:
    46
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ontario
    I think it's just one of those "if you believe it, then it's true" kind of deal. It's a placebo to a hypochondriac.
     
  16. dawgi100

    dawgi100 Level I

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2012
    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    2
    if it works it works. Who cares WHY?
     
  17. Jokerman

    Jokerman Level I

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2012
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    2
    It works. Mostly. :) A few years ago, I fell down the stairs and got a head injury. My head was bleeding and I had a 1 inch long cut. I used homeopathic medicines and got cured completely within a month. And I didn't even need stitches. :)
     
  18. imperialdarknes

    imperialdarknes Level III

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    Messages:
    381
    Likes Received:
    1
    it works quite well actually