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Off Topic - Doctors attack ’bogus’ therapies

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2ciewan View Drop Down
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    Posted: May 23 2006 at 3:51am
Doctors attack 'bogus' therapies

The letter describes homeopathy as an 'implausible treatment'
Some of Britain's leading doctors have urged NHS trusts to stop using complementary therapies and to pay only for medicine "based on solid evidence".
In a letter, reproduced in the Times, they raised concern the NHS is backing "unproven or disproved treatments", like homeopathy.

One doctor said the NHS was funding "bogus" therapies when patients struggled to get drugs like Herceptin.

Prince Charles is to make a speech in Geneva backing complementary therapies.

He will put forward the case for alternative medicine in the fight against serious disease, in a speech to the World Health Assembly.

'Implausible treatment'

The letter, on behalf of 13 people and sent to 476 acute and primary care trusts, is being seen as a direct challenge to the prince's campaign.

     
The public and the NHS are best served by using the available funds for treatments that are based on solid evidence
Letter to NHS trusts

'I know they work'
Head-to-head

Organised by Michael Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London, the letter said he and fellow doctors believed alternative medicine was being promoted despite a lack of evidence and "at a time when the NHS is under intense pressure".

It criticised two initiatives - a government-funded guide on homeopathy for patients, and the Smallwood report, commissioned by Prince Charles, which suggested greater access to complementary therapies in the NHS might lead to widespread benefits.

The letter described homeopathy as an "implausible treatment for which over a dozen systematic reviews have failed to produce convincing evidence of effectiveness".

The doctors say while "medical practice must remain open to new discoveries", it would "be highly irresponsible to embrace any medicine as though it were a matter of principle".

     
There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain benefit from using complementary medicines
Terry Cullen, British Complementary Medicine Association

Q&A: Complementary therapies
Popular complementary therapies

The letter continues: "The public and the NHS are best served by using the available funds for treatments that are based on solid evidence."

Signatories on the letter include Nobel Prize-winner Sir James Black and Sir Keith Peters, president of the Academy of Medical Science.

Dr Peter Fisher, of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, described the letter as an attempt to introduce a form of "medical apartheid" into the NHS.

Terry Cullen, chairman of the British Complementary Medicine Association, said: "It's very frustrating that senior responsible people dismiss complementary medicine for the sole reason that it doesn't have the definitive scientific proof that other drugs have.

"There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain benefit from using complementary medicines. We shouldn't dismiss that."

'Needs evidence'

One signatory to the letter, consultant clinical scientist Leslie Rose, said its purpose was to instil equal vigour in gathering evidence for every treatment prescribed to NHS patients.

"The NHS should not be spending money where the evidence base is much weaker than it is for conventional treatments," he told BBC Breakfast.

He said a business plan for the refurbishment of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital - which cost £20m to set up - did not put any emphasis on evidence.

Complementary therapies also include reflexology, aromatherapy and a range of 'hands on healing' techniques such as reiki and shiatsu.

Prince Charles first advocated the use of complementary medicines more than 20 years ago.

He has since established the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health (FIH), which encourages the development of complementary medicines and integrated healthcare.

On Monday the prince had a lesson in crystal therapy while visiting a hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, to see how complementary therapies are helping older people with Alzheimer's and other mental illnesses.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health (DoH) said it was up to clinicians and trusts to decide on the best treatment for a patient.

"We know it is important that as more people turn to these therapies a solid evidence base is developed," she said.

"Patients rightly expect to have clear information about the range of treatments that are available to them, including complementary therapies."

The department said it did not have figures on the amount spent by the NHS on complementary medicines because decisions were taken locally.

About half of GPs are thought to refer patients to alternative therapists.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2006 at 9:02am
A lot of alternative treatments are very effective, sometimes more so than standard medicine. Just my personal experiences:
1. After an injury incurred while in the service, I was told that I had degenerative disc diesease in my back and would require surgery approx. every 3-5 years or be wheel-chair bound. I did have one surgery. Found a first-rate chiropractor afterwards and havn't seen a surgeon since (1986).
2. My mother had been put on Valium for over 30 years (!!!!!!!!!). A new physician eased her off, put her on homeopathic drops and literally returned her to me.
3. My best friend had Hodkin's and was in complete kidney failure, down to 75 lbs. Her doctor told her husband that she had less than a month. She went to a clinic in Mexico where they put her thru a very aggressive regimen (some of which she still follows today). That was over 20 years ago.
4. An aqquaintance had a re-currance of bone cancer and had less than six months. Couldn't eat as the result of the chemo. Somebody got her some pot, she started eating again and was therefore able to tolerate the chemo better. Still going strong after 4 years.
Western medicine does NOT have all the answers.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oknut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2006 at 9:22am
Great post Femvet!

I also believe that many of the alternate approaches are gentler and often produce better results than always throwing surgery and chemicals at every ailment.

I have grown and used comfrey for many years for it's healing properites. They no longer recommend ingesting it but used externally to speed healing of a clean wound, it's wonderful.

I have made my own silver solution for years and have used it with a neti pot to treat mild sinus infections.
However, it has not helped with the viral pneumonia I developed after getting my flu shot last fall.

Some of the common spices that people have in their cabinets are great for treating mild problems.

Often combining alternatives with modern medicine produces better results than either would have alone.

I recently read some research about something in the pawpaw tree that may be a promising cancer treatment.

What I see as the biggest drawback is the lack of well informed practitioners who really know enough about herbal treatment to apply it successfully.

I've had hepatitis C most of my life. I let the doctors treat me once - I quit the treatment and the specialist after 4 months. My condition is better controlled through diet, supplements and common sense than regular injections of drugs that destroyed the quality of my life and left me in much worse health than ever before.

I know a woman here who practices iridology (sp?). She can study your eyes and usually produce a better diagnosis of your condition than most doctors do with all of their tests and training.

I firmly believe that there is a treatment in nature for almost everything, but so few who know what it is and how to apply it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 2ciewan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2006 at 9:50am
read between the lines.


Im not posting this to start a debate on alternative medicine values.

What im trying to draw your attention too, is that in the uk it has sparked a huge debate into practical medicine and funding, in a time that bird flu has fallen off the radar in the UK press.

I get the feeling that we are being prepared for something in the uk, in typical uk goverment "need to know" style.

This combined with my Rupert Murdoch post, would explain a great deal.

The other stories from round the world are much bigger at the moment, have huge implications, but no coverage??
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 2ciewan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2006 at 10:19am
Doctors attack 'bogus' therapies

The letter describes homeopathy as an 'implausible treatment'
Some of Britain's leading doctors have urged NHS trusts to stop using complementary therapies and to pay only for medicine "based on solid evidence".
The group raised concerns that the NHS is funding "unproven or disproved treatments", like homeopathy.

One doctor told the Times the NHS was funding "bogus" therapies when patients struggled to get drugs like Herceptin.

But Prince Charles has said "proven" therapies should be integrated with conventional medicine.

     
Orthodox medicine has so much to learn
Prince Charles

He told the World Health Assembly in Geneva: "The proper mix of proven complementary, traditional and modern remedies, which emphasises the active participation of the patient, can help to create a powerful healing force in the world."

He added: "Many of today's complementary therapies are rooted in ancient traditions that intuitively understood the need to maintain balance and harmony with our minds, bodies and the natural world.

"Much of this knowledge, often based on oral traditions, is sadly being lost, yet orthodox medicine has so much to learn from it."

He called on countries to look at how they could improve the health of their populations, using a more integrated approach.

'Implausible treatment'

In their letter, from 13 doctors and sent to 476 acute and primary care trusts, is being seen as a direct challenge to the prince's campaign.

     
The public and the NHS are best served by using the available funds for treatments that are based on solid evidence
Letter to NHS trusts

'I know they work'
Head-to-head debate

Organised by Michael Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London, the letter said he and fellow doctors believed alternative medicine was being promoted despite a lack of evidence and "at a time when the NHS is under intense pressure".

It criticised two initiatives - a government-funded guide on homeopathy for patients, and the Smallwood report, commissioned by Prince Charles, which suggested greater access to complementary therapies in the NHS might lead to widespread benefits.

The letter described homeopathy as an "implausible treatment for which over a dozen systematic reviews have failed to produce convincing evidence of effectiveness".

The doctors say while "medical practice must remain open to new discoveries", it would "be highly irresponsible to embrace any medicine as though it were a matter of principle".

     
There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain benefit from using complementary medicines
Terry Cullen, British Complementary Medicine Association

Q&A: Complementary therapy
Popular therapies

The letter continues: "The public and the NHS are best served by using the available funds for treatments that are based on solid evidence."

Signatories on the letter include Nobel Prize-winner Sir James Black and Sir Keith Peters, president of the Academy of Medical Science.

Edzard Ernst, the UK's first professor of complementary medicine, also signed.

He said: "The wholesale integration of complementary medicine, simply because it's alternative, and people may want it, and feel satisfied with it, is not a good reason for integration.

"I believe we need one single standard in medicine and that is the standard of evidence based medicine."

Dr Peter Fisher, of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, described the letter as an attempt to introduce a form of "medical apartheid" into the NHS.

Terry Cullen, chairman of the British Complementary Medicine Association, said: "It's very frustrating that senior responsible people dismiss complementary medicine for the sole reason that it doesn't have the definitive scientific proof that other drugs have.

"There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain benefit from using complementary medicines. We shouldn't dismiss that."

Madeleine Craggs, chief executive of the General Osteopathic Council, said: "All recognise the value of evidence-based practice, but given the lack of funding for controlled trials, an interim solution may be to pilot more integrated services."

'Needs evidence'

One signatory to the letter, consultant clinical scientist Leslie Rose, said its purpose was to instil equal vigour in gathering evidence for every treatment prescribed to NHS patients.

"The NHS should not be spending money where the evidence base is much weaker than it is for conventional treatments," he told BBC Breakfast.

He said a business plan for the refurbishment of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital - which cost £20m to set up - did not put any emphasis on evidence.

Complementary therapies also include reflexology, aromatherapy and a range of 'hands on healing' techniques such as reiki and shiatsu.

Prince Charles first advocated the use of complementary medicines more than 20 years ago, and has established the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said it was up to clinicians and trusts to decide on the best treatment for a patient.

She said good evidence and clear information was required for patients to make their choice.

She said the department said it did not have figures on the amount spent by the NHS on complementary medicines because decisions were taken locally.

About half of GPs are thought to refer patients to alternative therapists    
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 2ciewan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2006 at 10:23am
reason i mention the above post, is when watching him speak as "breaking news" live on sky tv, he stressed a point about the uses of alternative medicine and pathogenic virus, this point was picked up by sky news at the time and added to the screen overlays and ticker bar. On recent playbacks of the story on sky this has all been dumped.


    
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