After “knocking the hell out of alternative medicine”, let me offer you some real solutions

I recently got this comment which might seem reasonable to some readers: 

“What is most humorous about the author and this website is how he knocks the hell out of alternative medicine and therapies yet never provides readers with any alternatives, despite claiming to be an expert. For example: it’s like needing new tyres for […]

Read the rest here: After “knocking the hell out of alternative medicine”, let me offer you some real solutions

UK Homeopathy Regulation: Homeopathy and Autism - Part Three

The potential implications of the accreditation of the Society of Homeopaths (SoH) as a voluntary register by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) were discussed in a previous post. As discussed in the last post, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) did rule against Teddington Homeopathy's promotion of CEASE Therapy. Teddington Homeopathy chose not to comply.

This ruling does set a precedent and one that the SoH would do well to take notice of...

Read more: UK Homeopathy Regulation: Homeopathy and Autism - Part Three

A method of ending discussions with belligerent twits

It has been pointed out that many of the discussions we have on this blog are like pigeon chess. The term comes from a comment made by Scott D. Weitzenhoffer about Evolution vs. Creationism: An introduction: “Debating creationists on the topic of evolution is rather like trying to play chess with a pigeon — it knocks the […]

Read the rest here: A method of ending discussions with belligerent twits

UK Homeopathy Regulation: Homeopathy and Autism - Part Two

The previous post outlined (probably with some errors) the basics of the diagnosis and causation of Austistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It also touched on the prognosis for those diagnosed. It raised questions about the competence of lay homeopaths in terms of their ability to diagnose ASD, whether their ideas about causation bear any relationship to reality and hinted at the ethics of offering treatment.

This post will examine the nature of homeopathic treatment of autism, in particular CEASE therapy...

Read more: UK Homeopathy Regulation: Homeopathy and Autism - Part Two

Is the Royal College of Nursing promoting quackery?

You might think that the question asked in the title of this post is a bit impertinent. Let’s see whether you change your mind after reading on.

“Come along for a ten minute taster sessions and experience the Bowen Technique. It is appropriate for a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, including back pain, sciatica, neck, shoulder and knee […]

Read the rest here: Is the Royal College of Nursing promoting quackery?

Alternative medicine for chronic pain: ‘State of the Art’ review in the BMJ

The BMJ has always been my favourite Medical journal. (Need any proof for this statement? A quick Medline search tells me that I have over 60 publications in the BMJ.) But occasionally, the BMJ also disappoints me a great deal. 

One of the most significant disappointments was recently published under the heading of STATE OF THE […]

Read the rest here: Alternative medicine for chronic pain: ‘State of the Art’ review in the BMJ

Inside the brain of a homeopath

The website of the HOMEOPATHY HUB gives us intriguing access to the brain of a homeopath. It tells us that “protecting patient choice is at the heart of everything we do. Homeopathy, which is the second largest system of medicine in the world, is a form of treatment which plays a vital role in the lives of hundreds […]Read the rest here: Inside the brain of a homeopath

Brain Dust and other surprises

I know, many of you think that proponents of alternative therapies are a bit daft, intellectually challenges or naïve. This may be true for some of them, but others are very much on the ball and manage things that seemed almost impossible. Who, for instance, would have thought it possible to combine all of the following features, concepts and […]

Read the rest here: Brain Dust and other surprises

"UK Homeopathy Regulation": Qualified to judge?

After this morning's traditional Edzard Ernst reblog, this happened:

@SkepticsAmalgam https://t.co/vVQImev15K is my take on the issue.

— UK Homeopathy Regs (@UKHomeopathyReg) 6 May 2017

So it seemed like an ideal time to reblog that excellent post as well. It begins thusly:

Qualified to judge?

One of the claims that is frequently made by some homeopaths is that the ASA has used expert witnesses who are not in a position to draw conclusions about homeopathy because they have no qualifications in homeopathy. It is often an accusation made of anyone who criticises homeopathy.

Not Occult
Occult can be defined as "knowledge of the hidden". It seems apt in this context as some have accused homeopathy of being "occult" in the common sense of the word.
The idea put forward that homeopathy can only be judged by those "qualified" in homeopathy is strange. There is a vast amount of "information" (some of which is wildly contradictory) on homeopathy in the public domain...

Read the full, informative and comprehensive post here: UK Homeopathy Regulation: Qualified to judge?

Who is an EXPERT in homeopathy?

Regular readers of this blog will have noticed: when homeopathy-fans run out of arguments, they tend to conduct an ‘ad hominem’ attack. They like to do this in several different ways, but one of the most popular version is to shout with indignation: YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED!!! 

The aim of this claim is to brand the opponent as someone who […]

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Is homeopathy effective for allergic rhinitis? Mathie et al think so; I disagree

As the data suggesting that homeopathy is effective for improving health is – to put it mildly – less than convincing, a frantic search is currently on amongst homeopaths and their followers to identify a specific condition for which the evidence is stronger than for all conditions pooled into one big analysis. If they could show that it works for just […]

Read the rest here: Is homeopathy effective for allergic rhinitis? Mathie et al think so; I disagree

Acupressure works … oh no, it doesn’t !!!

This double-blind RCT aimed to test the efficacy of self-administered acupressure for pain and physical function in adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). 

150 patients with symptomatic KOA participated and were randomized to 

• verum acupressure, 
• sham acupressure, 
• or usual care. 

Verum and sham, but not usual care, participants were taught to self-apply acupressure once daily, five days/week for […]

Read the rest here: Acupressure works … oh no, it doesn’t !!!

CAM-use delays cancer diagnosis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the use of CAM among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was associated with delays in presentation, diagnosis or treatment of breast cancer. A multi-centre cross-sectional design was used and the time points of the individual breast cancer patients’ journey from first visit, resolution of diagnosis and treatments were evaluated in […]

Read the rest here: CAM-use delays cancer diagnosis

UK Homeopathy Regulation: Homeopathy and Autism - Part One

Questions about the competence of lay homeopaths are often raised even by other homeopaths. Although Codes of Ethics and Practice often state that a practitioner must practice within their limits, there seems to little understanding of what these limits might be...

Read full post: UK Homeopathy Regulation: Homeopathy and Autism - Part One

The cracking sound during spinal manipulation: much to do about nothing

Belgian researchers (if I remember correctly, I was the external examiner of the PhD of one of them) conducted a survey aimed at examining the beliefs about the cracking sounds often heard during high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) thrusts in individuals with and without personal experience of this technique. 

The researchers included 100 individuals. Among them, 60 had no history of […]

Read the rest here: The cracking sound during spinal manipulation: much to do about nothing