Catrame
2018-01-25 14:19:44 UTC
A major Australian study debunks homeopathy—again
By Erin Blakemore
smithsonian.com
March 11, 2015
Perhaps you remember when scientists debunked homeopathy in 2002. Or
2010. Or 2014. But now a major Australian study analyzing over 1,800
papers has shown that homeopathy, the alternative treatment that relies
on super-diluted substances and the principle of “like cures like” is
completely ineffective.
After assessing more than 1,800 studies on homeopathy, Australia’s
National Health and Medical Research Council was only able to find 225
that were rigorous enough to analyze. And a systematic review of these
studies revealed “no good quality evidence to support the claim that
homeopathy is effective in treating health conditions.”
The Australian study, which is the first position statement relying on
such an extensive review of medical literature, strikes the latest blow
at a 200-year-old alternative treatment developed by a German physician
with “no interest in detailed pathology, and none in conventional
diagnosis and treatment.” The Washington Post reports that the study’s
authors are concerned that people who continue to choose homeopathic
remedies over proven medicine face real health risks—including the
nearly 4 million Americans who use homeopathic “medicines.”
The head of the National Health and Medical Research Council told the
Guardian that he hopes the findings will lead to changes in Australia’s
health insurance and pharmacy systems. But he also said that “there
will be a tail of people who won’t respond to this report, and who will
say it’s all a conspiracy of the establishment.”
News of the Australian study comes on the heels of newly released
National Health Interview Survey data showing a “small but significant”
increase in the use of homeopathy during 2012. And recently, a Canadian
homeopathic college came under fire for taking an anti-vaccination
stance and promoting homeopathic “nosodes” as an alternative to
vaccines.
But will the not-so-new news that homeopathy is ineffective keep
consumers from wasting their money on the complementary therapy? If the
growing homeopathic industry is any indication, the answer is probably
no.
By Erin Blakemore
smithsonian.com
March 11, 2015
Perhaps you remember when scientists debunked homeopathy in 2002. Or
2010. Or 2014. But now a major Australian study analyzing over 1,800
papers has shown that homeopathy, the alternative treatment that relies
on super-diluted substances and the principle of “like cures like” is
completely ineffective.
After assessing more than 1,800 studies on homeopathy, Australia’s
National Health and Medical Research Council was only able to find 225
that were rigorous enough to analyze. And a systematic review of these
studies revealed “no good quality evidence to support the claim that
homeopathy is effective in treating health conditions.”
The Australian study, which is the first position statement relying on
such an extensive review of medical literature, strikes the latest blow
at a 200-year-old alternative treatment developed by a German physician
with “no interest in detailed pathology, and none in conventional
diagnosis and treatment.” The Washington Post reports that the study’s
authors are concerned that people who continue to choose homeopathic
remedies over proven medicine face real health risks—including the
nearly 4 million Americans who use homeopathic “medicines.”
The head of the National Health and Medical Research Council told the
Guardian that he hopes the findings will lead to changes in Australia’s
health insurance and pharmacy systems. But he also said that “there
will be a tail of people who won’t respond to this report, and who will
say it’s all a conspiracy of the establishment.”
News of the Australian study comes on the heels of newly released
National Health Interview Survey data showing a “small but significant”
increase in the use of homeopathy during 2012. And recently, a Canadian
homeopathic college came under fire for taking an anti-vaccination
stance and promoting homeopathic “nosodes” as an alternative to
vaccines.
But will the not-so-new news that homeopathy is ineffective keep
consumers from wasting their money on the complementary therapy? If the
growing homeopathic industry is any indication, the answer is probably
no.
--
Tra il rosso ed il nero,
vince sempre lo zero.
Tra il rosso ed il nero,
vince sempre lo zero.