Posts Tagged 10:23
Dear Luciana Berger MP: Homeopathy? Really?
Posted by Marsh in 10:23, Activism, Homeopathy on August 27th, 2010
Get your QED ticket now!
It’s been a little while since the furore over the pro-homeopathy EDMs and David ‘hand in the till’ Tredinnick‘s one-quack crusade to have homeopathy recognised as the greatest thing since succussed bread, but one name that stood out to me on the roll-call of signatories and seconders was that of Luciana Berger MP, and it was a name I couldn’t let lie.
You see, Luciana is MP for Wavertree, Liverpool – not more than a couple of miles from my home, and the constituency in which I’ve spent much of my 9 years in Liverpool. What’s more, Luciana seems to be a pretty reasonable MP – she’s in favour of equal rights for women, equality for those of all sexualities, against all forms of racial discrimination and generally appears to be a fairly-well-informed MP, certainly when compared to Mr Tredinnick, whose EDMs she’s signed.
It struck me that rather than based on ideology, Luciana’s support for Tredinnick’s pet pills might well be a simple case of her not knowing what homeopathy is really about – which is relatively understandable, given the high percentage of the public who think ‘homeopathy’ is just another term for ‘herbal medicine’ and aren’t acquainted with the scientific literature.
Clearly, then, the best approach would be to politely offer to engage over the issues and present the science, rather than berate Luciana with the intensity and single-mindedness we ought to save for those whose belief in homeopathy is blindly ideological (Tredinnick, yes, we mean you). To this end, on the 11th of August I took it upon myself as representative of the 10:23 Campaign and the Merseyside Skeptics Society – a pro-science group with significant numbers in her very constituency – to contact Luciana and offer her our side of the story.
She hasn’t yet responded, which is what has prompted me to share this letter with the MSS readers, to not only convey what I believe to be the best way to engage with those who may not fully understand what homeopathy is, and also to prompt Luciana into the response I sincerely hope she is willing to provide. To reiterate – I don’t believe she deserves abuse, or indeed anger, but wish to simply open the lines of dialogue to put forward the science on homeopathy. Perhaps when given the chance to hear what homeopathy is, and why it’s implausible, the evident common-sense Luciana displays in other policies will win out on the subject of the sugar pills. The full letter is provided below. Read the rest of this entry »
Announcing ‘QED: Question. Explore. Discover.’
As part of the 2011 skeptical calendar in the North West, we are delighted to annouce ‘QED: Question. Explore. Discover.‘ – a new two-day skeptical science festival.
Taking place in Manchester in February 2011, the event will feature a host of well-known science and skeptical personalities, as well as providing a platform for grassroots organisations to promote their activities. Jointly run by members of the Merseyside Skeptics Society and Greater Manchester Skeptics Society, the conference will also be the stage for a new stunt from the 10:23 Campaign – the homeopathy-awareness group who in January 2010 organised a series of ‘mass homeopathic overdoses’ to show the treatments to be ineffective.
A spokesman for the event said, “The science and skepticism scene in the North West is really taking off, and the QED conference fits in perfectly with it. Showing people how accessible science can be, and how to tell real science from nonsense, is an increasingly important goal with the levels of information people are bombarded with on a daily basis. QED will provide an excellent opportunity for people to engage directly with experts in these fields, in a relaxed,informal and entertaining environment.”
With the speakers being announced over the coming weeks, the organisers aren’t skeptical about the quality of the guests:
“We know that every attendee will be as excited by our guest list as we are, but we’re keeping those cards close to our chest for a little longer. But we can however reveal that musician and podcast host George Hrab has agreed to fly over from the US to host the event – which gives a glimpse at the quality of guests we’ve lined up. QED promises to be a great chance for the grassroots skeptical community of the UK to come together for what should be a great weekend”
George Hrab is a musician and host of the Geologic Podcast – a highly-popular science and comedy show – and has performed for President Clinton at the White House as well as playing in front of 5000 fans at the Astrodome during Super Bowl XXXVIII’s festivities.
The QED event will be held on February 5th and 6th in the Manchester Piccadilly hotel. Tickets are on sale soon, available from www.qedcon.org. All proceeds from the event will be split between Sense About Science and the National Autistic Society.
Germany To Say ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ To Homeopathy?
Posted by Marsh in 10:23, Activism, Homeopathy, Media, Skepticism on July 13th, 2010
Homöopathie: Es gibt nichts in ihm
It’s admittedly and regretfully rather rare that we at the Merseyside Skeptics Society cover stories of a non-English language nature. That’s entirely mea culpa, malheureusement my non-English language abilities are limited at ‘meilleur’. Still, it would be ridiculous of us not to mention the Wünderbar developments coming out of Germany, where top magazine Der Spiegel ran with the cover story:
Homoöpathie: Die groβe Illusion (‘Homeopathy: The grand illusion’) – Source: Der Spiegel
This, of course, is HUGE. Not least because Germany is oft-cited as a prime example of a healthcare system in which homeopathy is given the ‘respect’ it deserves (I’d argue 10:23 actually gave the respect homeopathy REALLY deserves), but also because Germany is the home of homoeopathy and Hahnemann – all of which making the prospect of the magic water getting ‘Das Boot’ from the German equivalent of the NHS an incredibly sweet pill to swallow.
Far be it from me to wallow in all of the delicious, delicious developments too much, but here’s a glimpse at the online version of the Der Spiegel article, for any of our Deutsch companions out there. What’s that at the bottom? Why, that would be the 10:23 Campaign, cited as an influence! Needless to say (although I will anyway), our collective bosoms swell with pride here at 10:23 HQ. My aforementioned linguistic limitations prevent me from doing it justice in the original German, and the Google translate is admirable if patchy (“Many patients believe the cash to pay only that which helps also detectable. Ennoble why the health insurance with their approach to homeopathy.” – I swear Google hires Master Yoda to do their translating…). With that in mind, allow me to quote from the English version of Deutsche World:
The 200-year-old dubious medical treatment may soon be dropped from German medical insurance providers as a cost-saving measure. The the United Kingdom may also do the same.
Too right we might.
In recent days, the over-two-centuries-old practice of homeopathy has come under fire in Germany.
Dr. Karl Lauterbach, the chair of the parliamentary health committee, recently called for public health insurers to stop funding the practice, which typically involves solutions of small amounts of herbs or other medicines heavily diluted with water and then shaken or stirred to “add energy” to the solution.
According to its proponents, homeopathy can heal patients as well – if not better – than conventional medicine, while its detractors, including nearly all medical doctors and scientists, say that it is no more powerful than a placebo.
What’s more:
“If everybody pays for his beer, then he can pay for his homeopathy,” said Dr. Kay Brune, a professor in the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuernberg, in southern Germany.
Brune added that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that homeopathy actually causes any meaningful and healing bio-chemical reactions in patients, but that doesn’t stop people from believing in a practice that has been so deeply ingrained into the German psyche.
“Homeopathy has a very long tradition in Germany,” he added in an interview with Deutsche Welle. “The founder, Hahnemann was a brilliant physician. But at that time doing nothing was helpful to the patient. In 200 years, the pseudo-science has not taken any steps forward.”
Now, of course, we aren’t arrogant enough for one second to think that we had a huge part to play in this – but if the actions of the 10:23 Campaign and our amazing support (not least the hundreds of national and international ‘overdoses’ who joined in back in January) had even a small effect on this development, I safely speak for everyone at 10:23 and the MSS in saying how immensely proud we are to have been involved.
What’s been staggering over the last 6 months, and in fact back to October when we started letting the 10:23 cat a little out of the bag, is the phenomenal response we’ve had from ordinary people – not just doctors and working scientists. We’ve been blown away by the level of involvement support, coverage and interest 10:23 has had so far, and as we’re starting to see the homeopathic dominoes tumbling here in the UK – and in Germany too, now – the level of interest continues to amaze me. On our side we have the science, we have the support, and we have the momentum.
Homeopathic Feedback
Posted by Marsh in 10:23, Homeopathy on July 5th, 2010
Recently I wrote on this site a letter you can send to your MPs, urging them to support the campaign to remove homeopathy from the NHS. If you haven’t sent the letter yet, please do! I also sent this letter out as an email, to everyone who signed up for updates on the 10:23 Campaign site. Inevitably, some interested parties on the site were homeopaths. Which means I get entertaining and enlightening feedback – awesome!
Here’s one of my recent favourites, with my response. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (for full clarity, I’ve not corrected any grammar, presentational issues, and to be clear I’ve not missed a word of what I received):
Why the “fight against Homeopathy” if you think it doesnt work? Homeopathy is safe, and inexpensive.It is in the interests of multi-national drug companies to suppress homeopathy because it is effective and doesnt have side-effects. Check out France and Germany. Also check out the history books where you will find “witch-hunt” and “witchcraft” referring to suppression of Americans in the 1950′s.Read Doctorow’s “The book of Daniel” :Berthold Brecht and Arthur Millers “Crucible” .
Your campaign is targeting well-trained practitioners who are unable to make a living, largely because of adverse publicity.I am wondering about the business interests of Simon and other leaders of your campaign, and whether there may be involvment with any drug companies.If so I would politely ask any of you to declare this, please.Last week the World Health Organisation were exposed:-members of the committee who upped the status of swine flu to pandemic, were found to have business interests with the multi -national pharmaceutical company who produced the vaccine.The bill for vaccine cost Great Britain £1.2 Billion, and most of it was refused and unused.There has been no pandemic. Magdalena Whitehouse BA RGN PCH RShom.
Pick your way through that one, if you will! Well, I did, and here’s my response Read the rest of this entry »
Call To Action: Homeopathy Early Day Motions
Posted by Marsh in 10:23, Homeopathy, Pseudomedicine on June 25th, 2010
The first half of the year has been a fantastic time for the fight against homeopathy. Aside from our own high-profile demonstration, there’s been significant backing from the Science and Technology Select Committee,calling for an end to homeopathy on the NHS. In addition, the British Medical Association Junior Doctors Committee outed homeopathy as ‘witchcraft’, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland condemned the pseudomedicine and its sale in pharmacies. This has all been excellent.
However, there are still significant challenges ahead – not least in the form of David Tredinnick MP, recently appointed to the Health Select Committee despite his beliefs that astrology has a role to play in healthcare, and that surgeons won’t operate under a full moon as the lunar cycle has an effect on the clotting of blood. Both of which are, of course, untrue. This isn’t the extent of Mr Tredinnick’s misunderstanding of health advice – he recently tabled 4 Early Day Motions, urging MPs to support homeopathy and to ignore the findings of the Science and Technology Select Committee. These EDMs are based on flawed science and false assertion, and should not be supported by your local MP.
Fortunately, Julian Huppert MP has tabled amendments to each of Mr Tredinnick’s motions, in order to correct the inaccuracies, misunderstandings and misguided support for homeopathy. These amendments are based on clear reviews of the studies in question, and are backed by scientists and experts in the fields – as such, they also have the backing of the Merseyside Skeptics Society, and the 10:23 Campaign.
At the moment, many MPs may not know much about homeopathy, and may not know it is based on quackery and magical thinking; most crucially, they may not know how important an issue it is to you. With this in mind, we urge you to write to your MP to let them know how strongly you feel. The website Write To Them (http://www.writetothem.com/) makes writing to your MP very easy, and for your convenience you can find below a standard letter to copy and paste into the body of your letter.
Please, take 2 minutes to let your MP know that homeopathy is not an effective healthcare option, does not offer value for taxpayer money, and should not be supported. Ask your MP to sign EDM amendments 284A1, 285A1, 286A1 and 287A1. Ask your friends to do the same. Spread the word – together, we can make a difference.
Visit http://www.writetothem.com/ and paste the following into the body of your letter – as Write To Them blocks identical letters, please adjust the wording in the letter as you see fit, to best express your views Read the rest of this entry »
Ernst Praises Hahnemann?
Posted by Marsh in 10:23, Homeopathy, Pseudomedicine on June 21st, 2010
Resident MSS Doctor and Skeptics in the Pub goer Selva shares his views on Edzard Ernst and Samuel Hahnemann…
In a recent Pulse magazine article professor of complementary medicine Edzard Ernst praised the founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann.
“In my view, Samuel Hahnemann, the German doctor who invented homeopathy about 200 years ago, is a man who should be celebrated.”
Can this be true? Surely one of the most respected proponents of evidence based medicine cannot be advocating homeopathy as a treatment.
In his article he cites the hammering homeopathy has received over the last year including the House of Commons select committee’s damning report, the BMA describing homeopathy as “witchcraft”, and my particular favourite – comedians taking the “homeopathic mickey” (sadly 10.23′s not insignificant role doesn’t get a mention).
Fortunately normal service resumes further in the article – to quote Prof Ernst:
“His primary achievement is not to have developed homeopathy. His true achievement is that, in the course of doing this, he has shown us how important non-specific effects – often also called the ‘art’ of medicine – are in terms of getting patients better. To put it bluntly, Hahnemann has taught us that patients can improve even when we give them nothing but placebos.”
This somewhat conciliatory line is admirable, but I think also provides the crack which has allowed homeopathy to be practiced for so many years as an NHS treatment. Most doctors either haven’t been aware of the implausibility of homeopathy, or have been happy for other practitioners to provide placebos to patients, in the knowledge that there is some perceived benefit. Homeopathy is often given for intractable problems, where EBM doesn’t always provide sufficient benefit. As Prof Ernst says, the act of being empathic and providing sufficient time is often enough to make the patient feel better. Read the rest of this entry »
