If only the debate were really over

[MrGongGong]

But also proportionately so, wouldn't you say? - and, even then, NHS has no business spending any taxpayers' money - howevef small the sums may be - on anything that is of no demonstrable benefit to anyone!
.

At least when you sacrifice a goat you can make a decent curry out of what's left.

[ahinton]

At least when you sacrifice a goat you can make a decent curry out of what's left.

Sure, but you have to pay someone to select and kill the goat and then use whatever parts of it in "treatment" as the practitioner might decide, so the expenses involved might still outweigh the value of those leftovers...

[MrGongGong]

Sure, but you have to pay someone to select and kill the goat and then use whatever parts of it in "treatment" as the practitioner might decide, so the expenses involved might still outweigh the value of those leftovers...

That's true
but i'm sure Fergus Henderson would have some ideas

[ahinton]

I do have a problem with my teenage child being offered oral drugs, and no alternative, with really potentially bad side effects for a minor skin complaint.

But surely your objection here rests solely on the possible risk of side-effects which appears to blinker you to some degree to the likely effectiveness of said drugs? I don't know what you'd advocate for your child in place of such drugs but I would hope that, whatever it might be, it would be dependent initially on the specific nature of the skin complaint concerned in order that the treatment be appropriate for the particular condition. You mention "oral drugs", by which you appear to mean drugs administred orally/ might you raise similar objections to drugs being prescribed for such a condition that were to be administered intravenously or by being applied directly to the affected skin area? and, if so, why and, if not, why not?

I don't have a problem with me being offered as well as a homeopathic remedy for another minor condition.

In presuming you to have omitted "to me" between "offered" and "as well", are you suggesting that one rule for your child and another for yourself is acceptable to you?

The very use of the term "homœopathic remedy" is as oxymoronic as it is unacceptably misleading and will remain so until such time as scientific proof can be provided that homœopathic products are capable of providing such remedy; as that's not happened in almost two centuries, I'm not about to hold my breath...

[ahinton]

That's true
but i'm sure Fergus Henderson would have some ideas

He might indeed, for what they may or may not be worth (and so, for that matter, might chefs as diverse as Hugh Fearnley-Whittigstall and Heston Blumenthal), but don't let's forget that he's never yet had recourse to homœopathic treatment for his Parkinson's...

[burning dog]

There'a a half hour long advert for this lot on ITV at the moment posing as a documentary. Well, their business partners Newcastle University say they're OK, so that's all right.

Evidently eating Blueberries can lower our stress levels by 60%. "Stress levels" produced by the "worry glands" in our backsides I presume.




PB Bioscience Limited www.pbbioscience.co.uk
Business Description: PB Bioscience combines the expertise of two scientific specialisms; one in mitochondria, the other in nutrition. This unique combination has led to the formulation of personalised nutrition technology which optimises the use of dietary antioxidants, for healthier living. The company has developed a sophisticated testing device that will empower everyday consumers to optimise their antioxidant status and their resistance to harmful oxidative stress. Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cell damage and by optimising the performance of the cells, PB Bioscience can help to overcome the effects of our stressful lifestyles. The testing device will allow people to find out which antioxidants in their diet would successfully boost their body’s own cells. This means PB Bioscience will be able to advise consumers on how to optimise their diet to achieve their personal best. PB Bioscience also provides services to industry sectors which use antioxidants.
Founders: Dr Georg Lietz / Professor Mark Birch-Machin

[Serial_Apologist]

The problem of "offering patients choice" has been unfortunately exemplified recently in the case of prescribing antibiotics at patients' insistence. I don't know why doctors don't simply tell patients to go away and seek another doctor.

[burning dog]

The problem of "offering patients choice" has been unfortunately exemplified recently in the case of prescribing antibiotics at patients' insistence. I don't know why doctors don't simply tell patients to go away and seek another doctor.

A case for a placebo,,,, Mentiormycin?

[ahinton]

There'a a half hour long advert for this lot on ITV at the moment posing as a documentary. Well, their business partners Newcastle University say they're OK, so that's all right.

Evidently eating Blueberries can lower our stress levels by 60%. "Stress levels" produced by the "worry glands" in our backsides I presume.




PB Bioscience Limited www.pbbioscience.co.uk
Business Description: PB Bioscience combines the expertise of two scientific specialisms; one in mitochondria, the other in nutrition. This unique combination has led to the formulation of personalised nutrition technology which optimises the use of dietary antioxidants, for healthier living. The company has developed a sophisticated testing device that will empower everyday consumers to optimise their antioxidant status and their resistance to harmful oxidative stress. Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cell damage and by optimising the performance of the cells, PB Bioscience can help to overcome the effects of our stressful lifestyles. The testing device will allow people to find out which antioxidants in their diet would successfully boost their body’s own cells. This means PB Bioscience will be able to advise consumers on how to optimise their diet to achieve their personal best. PB Bioscience also provides services to industry sectors which use antioxidants.
Founders: Dr Georg Lietz / Professor Mark Birch-Machin

I think that, at least in principle, there's a substantial difference between this kind of example and the claims made for the benefits of homœopathic treatment, to the extent that the profession of clinical nutritionist is a more widely recognised one with genuine scientific research behind it, whereas homœopathy seems to give its patients nothing at all that can be beneficial and therefore has no evident scientific corroboration.

[burning dog]

In principle perhaps

I wasn't comparing it with homoeopathy. There doesn't seem much Science involved in the above (there was no control in the so called experiment) or most Nutritionism, that couldn't be summarized as "Eat Greens and Fruit". Something my Granny used to say.

[MrGongGong]

In principle perhaps

I wasn't comparing it with homoeopathy. There doesn't seem much Science involved in the above (there was no control in the so called experiment) or most Nutritionism, that couldn't be summarized as "Eat Greens and Fruit". Something my Granny used to say.

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”: Michael Pollan

[Beef Oven!]

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”: Michael Pollan

So my breakfast this morning of black pudding, poached egg and streaky bacon, doesn't count?

[MrGongGong]

So my breakfast this morning of black pudding, poached egg and streaky bacon, doesn't count?

Depends on whether you took your "solar eclipse remedy"

Vitamin P counts (in our house anyway)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[Beef Oven!]

Depends on whether you took your "solar eclipse remedy"

Vitamin P counts (in our house anyway)

I didn't even notice the eclipse - bit of a damp squib