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WHO Sounds Alarm on Homeopathy

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(Newser) – The World Health Organization has issued a warning against homeopathic treatments for TB and other life-threatening illnesses, reports the BBC. The organization issued the alert after pressure from a group of young researchers who complained that homeopathy was being promoted in poor countries as a treatment for TB, infant diarrhea, HIV, and malaria. "When homeopathy stands in place of effective treatment, lives are lost," said the researchers.

Medics working in the UK and Africa said promotion  of homeopathy, which "does not protect people from or treat" serious illnesses, was interfering with medical care in rural and impoverished areas, where they are already struggling to deliver help. WHO scientists said homeopathy has "no place" in the treatment of TB nor offers "any benefit" in the treatment of diarrhea.

Mario Raviglione, the director of the STOP TB Department of WHO, answers journalist's questions about drug-resistant tuberculosis, during a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, last year.
Mario Raviglione, the director of the STOP TB Department of WHO, answers journalist's questions about drug-resistant tuberculosis, during a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, last year.   (AP Photo/KEYSTONE/Salvatore Di Nolfi)
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It is irresponsible for a healthcare worker to promote the use of homeopathy in place of proven treatment for any life-threatening illness. - Dr. Nick Beeching

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15 comments
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MarkFL
Aug 21, 09 4:59 AM CDT
Many people do not understand that the way to make a homeopathic product is to dilute it hundreds of times. This means that the original substance is not even present. The idea is that the "spirit" of the original substance remains. The fact that this ridiculous BS is even available for purchase is unbelievable. Even more absurd is that people seem to think that homeopathic is synonymous with all natural. Magician James Randi (jref.org) ate 6 bottles of homeopathic sleeping pills at once. That pretty much says it all. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
westonism
Aug 21, 09 5:21 AM CDT
Oh my god. Is that a glimmer of reason I see? You have restored my faith in mankind. Unfortunately it will wear off as soon as I start reading other peoples comments.
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IN RESPONSE:
shonangreg
Aug 21, 09 10:32 AM CDT
And I think it was Richard Feynman who drank a cup of homeopathic cyanide to the horror of homeopathic practicioners and the laughter of everyone else.
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MarkFL
Aug 21, 09 5:11 AM CDT
Correction. He ate I full bottle of 45 pills while testifying before congress on the subject. He does this same thing whenever he gives a talk on the subject. Simply succuss (that is the homeopathic process of dilution where you literally shake your non solution to the right and left as though it matters how you shake it to retain the spirit) my previous comment to the power of 6x and it will no longer exist. 6x, for those non-homeopaths out there, means that the original substance is present in a ratio of 10 to the negative 6th power (1/1000000 of the original substance). HA! Reply
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riffran
Aug 21, 09 5:32 AM CDT
you put your left foot in you put your left foot out..you put your left foot in and then you shake it all about....sorry Markfl...I had to...was listening to stephen brewer singing AC/DC hokey pokey.......In all seriousness though, there IS some merit in the art of homeopathy, such as eating local honey to help alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms, and a slew of others. But misinformation in areas of little to no education can exacerbate a horrible illness due to reliance on something that does not work in the face of real serious diseases Reply
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