"Evidence Check: Homeopathy" in UK parliament

[chaggle]

Good letters from Matt. 2 points - would the length of the letters put busy MP's off from giving them the attention they deserve? Also - although I'm British and a taxpayer, I don't live in Britain so do I have a 'right' to write to 'my' MP?

[Drop Bear]

Good letters from Matt. 2 points - would the length of the letters put busy MP's off from giving them the attention they deserve? Also - although I'm British and a taxpayer, I don't live in Britain so do I have a 'right' to write to 'my' MP?

So do I here in Oz,but I don't bother.My Federal member is our ex Mayor. Local government in Australia pretty corrupt,and has recently been arse deep in scandals of various kinds. Australia has an incumbent Labor government at the Federal level and in most states, including mine. Here Labor is centre right. There is no longer an effective political left in Australia.

I've met my local member several times. He is also speaker of the State House of representatives and has the IQ of a carrot. He moves his lips when he reads. Not much point writing to him either.


PS: Our Tory party is called "The Australian Liberals".The extreme right is the minor party "Family First" founded and supported by
"The Assemblies Of God" fundamentalist church.'

[Matt]

Good letters from Matt. 2 points - would the length of the letters put busy MP's off from giving them the attention they deserve? Also - although I'm British and a taxpayer, I don't live in Britain so do I have a 'right' to write to 'my' MP?

As an ex pat you can still vote. If you're registered to vote in your last UK constituency then I'm sure that gives the the same rights as any other consituent. Your MP has an obligation to represent your interests.

[Matt]

Yes they are rather long....

[Matt]

The extreme right is the minor party "Family First"

Whenever anyone with a political bent start mentioning anything to do with "family" it's a big clue that they're a wanker.

American Family Assocaition
Big Brother.
Fatherland.

Can't think of any exceptions.

I've news for these people, my family includes the sort of people they'd happily see persecuted. They have no idea what family means.

[polomint38]

I've news for these people, my family includes the sort of people they'd happily see persecuted. They have no idea what family means.

You?

[Matt]

You?

I may have dabbled where they wouldn't have approved.

[chaggle]

David Tredinnick MP and writer Simon Singh debate whether patients should be given the option of homeopathic remedies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today...00/8757810.stm

At one point Tredinnick says "We need more research"

[Matt]

Four new Homeopathetic EDM's
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...px?EDMID=41216
Moaning that the BMI condemned homeopathy

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...px?EDMID=41217
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...px?EDMID=41218
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...px?EDMID=41219
Highlighting medical trials he claims support homeopathy.

[Farsight]

Hello, what's this? I'm against homeopathy on the NHS. And I'm against homeopathy anywhere else. But I do feel cynical about the way certain people attack "alternative medicine" to further their media careers whilst keeping quiet about things like Stafford. They don't give a fig about patient care, and they downplay the power of the placebo:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14309026/

http://www.emedexpert.com/blog/gener...er-of-placebo/

I'd like to see more research on the placebo effect, because IMHO that's what complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is riding on.

[Matt]

Placebo power is fine, but don't forget that with genuinely effective treatment you get the placebo effect as an added bonus too.

ETA Stafford?

[Farsight]

Granted. But something that's considered to contribute to the placebo effect, is "tender loving care". And it's sometimes lacking. There's no tick-box for it. It was very badly lacking at Stafford hospital. See http://www.channel4.com/news/article...claims/3677437 for some recent news. I feel unhappy at seeing "knight in shining armour" pundits promoting themselves by attacking easy targets like homeopathy and chiropractors, whilst steering clear of the big important stuff like the "400 patients who died needlessly in appalling conditions".

[brianp]

I feel unhappy at seeing "knight in shining armour" pundits promoting themselves by attacking easy targets like homeopathy and chiropractors, whilst steering clear of the big important stuff like the "400 patients who died needlessly in appalling conditions".

Of course it's a tragedy when a hospital completely fails in its duty to patients, particularly when this results in suffering and death. Such failures should, of course, be exposed and those responsible dealt with - preferably by way of criminal charges such as "manslaughter by gross negligence".

But is the farce of Alternative Medicine, particularly Alternative Medicine on the NHS, any less tragic and any less "criminal"? Alternative Medicine kills just as surely as a failed hospital. How many people who need urgent medical help try Tincture of Bullshit 30C or whatever instead? After all, they might argue, if the NHS fund homeopathy and there's even a Royal Homeopathic Hospital, it must be effective. And what about the 1.6 billion spent annually in the UK on CAM - how many new hospitals, doctors, nurses etc could that fund? Alternative Medicine is a disgusting scam and should be exposed - it's nothing but Snake Oil and has no place in 21st century medicine.

[Farsight]

I think it is less tragic and less criminal. It pales into insignificance compared to this sort of thing:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...0k-payoff.html

"...In total C.diff infected 1,176 patients, killing 90 and hastening the deaths of 180 others. Nurses were too rushed to wash hands and left patients to lie in their own excrement, while bedpans that had been washed still contained visible traces of faeces, the report found. Beds were also much too close together and patients with infection were being treated on open wards instead of in isolation..."

And there's no criminal charges, just a payoff. Yes, alternative medicine is snake oil, and IMHO it shouldn't be available on the NHS. But the self-promoting pundits who pick on this "emulate Dawkins" easy target gloss over the patient-care aspect that delivers the placebo result, and don't seem to be concerned about patients lying in shit all day.

[brianp]

I think it is less tragic and less criminal. It pales into insignificance compared to this sort of thing:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...0k-payoff.html

If you want to make a point, don't quote the Daily Wail.