Homeopaths: Give One, You Only Need One, Incontrovertible Example...

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

GIVE ONE, YOU ONLY NEED ONE, INCONTROVERTIBLE EXAMPLE, WITH REFERENCES, OF HOMEOPATHY CURING A NON-SELF-LIMITING CONDITION

Since this question has caused non-self-limiting damage to the credibility of every homeopath to whom it has been posed, I thought it would benefit from being giving a thread to which enthusiastic contenders may be directed in future.

[Rolfe]

You know what? I'd extend that to include successful management of any condition which is known to be fatal if left untreated.

Homoeopaths often point out (correctly) that medicine cannot cure diabetes, or Addison's, or hypothyroidism etc., etc. However, patients suffering from these conditions (the first two of which are certainly fatal if left untreated) are successfully managed so that they live normal or near-normal lives. Homoeopathy constantly boasts of cure, thus we focus on cure, however successful management of conditions like this would in fact be equally impressive.

If they could do it.

Rolfe.

[Rolfe]

I think we must also make it crystal clear to any applicants that presenting a case report of a patient who survived an infection or other pathology with a high (but under 100%) fatality rate, does not count.

Rolfe.

[Delvo]

What do you mean by "self-limiting"?

[logical muse]

What do you mean by "self-limiting"?

self·-limiting (self′lim′it iŋ)

adjective

that terminates by the natural course of events a self-limiting disease

illness: Patients may have a serious life-threatening condition or a trivial self-limiting illness.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/self-limiting

[TheDaver]

I think we must also make it crystal clear to any applicants that presenting a case report of a patient who survived an infection or other pathology with a high (but under 100%) fatality rate, does not count.

Rolfe.
Of course, because correlation ≠ causality, but then again, that logical fact somehow escapes many people.

[Soapy Sam]

*Drums fingers. Puts on kettle*

[malbui]

I've got chocolate digestives here. What about you guys?

[logical muse]

I've got chocolate digestives here.
McVitie's?

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

I've got chocolate digestives here. What about you guys?

I've got a Hob Nob.

(Probably shouldn't stand so close to the cooker while naked and frying bacon)

[NobbyNobbs]

GIVE ONE, YOU ONLY NEED ONE, INCONTROVERTIBLE EXAMPLE, WITH REFERENCES, OF HOMEOPATHY CURING A NON-SELF-LIMITING CONDITION

Since this question has caused non-self-limiting damage to the credibility of every homeopath to whom it has been posed, I thought it would benefit from being giving a thread to which enthusiastic contenders may be directed in future.


In other words, the homeopathic cure to the loss of credibility of homeopaths is an infintesimal amount of evidence.

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

I'd like to hear more about Andre Saine's apparent claims that homeopathy cures rabies. Does anyone know about the basis on which those claims are founded?

DUllman said "Andre Saine’s forthcoming book, The Weight of Evidence, will probably provide us all with this evidence about rabies." (http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=35)

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

To help the homeopaths I'll also highlight the alleged cures of cancer claimed using the "Banerji Protocol" (http://www.virtualtrials.com/ruta/ruta2007.cfm)

These claims are superficially impressive. Can anyone comment on the quality of these claims?

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I'd like to hear more about Andre Saine's apparent claims that homeopathy cures rabies. Does anyone know about the basis on which those claims are founded?

<< snip >>



Well. It is certainly true that none of the patients ever treated in this way have ever complained it did not work.

:jaw-dropp

[fls]

To help the homeopaths I'll also highlight the alleged cures of cancer claimed using the "Banerji Protocol" (http://www.virtualtrials.com/ruta/ruta2007.cfm)

These claims are superficially impressive. Can anyone comment on the quality of these claims?

Out of seven cases, one 'brain cancer' was not confirmed with tissue examination. One biopsy and one fine-needle aspirate gave questionable results as to the presence of cancer. Three biopsies seem to confirm the presence of cancer, but they did not specify whether other treatment was provided. This leaves one diagnosis made on the basis of fine needle aspirate (small cell lung ca) where no other treatment was received. What is the chance that the pathologist made a mistake with a sample type that has less reliability than biopsy or that there was spontaneous regression of a tumour type for which spontaneous regression has previously been reported (albeit rarely)?

Linda

[fls]

I'd like to hear more about Andre Saine's apparent claims that homeopathy cures rabies. Does anyone know about the basis on which those claims are founded?

In this article (http://www.homeopathic.org/media/in_the_news_view.jsp?id=789), he refers to clinical rabies. The wording suggests that these were not confirmed by laboratory testing, and so simply may not have been rabies.

Linda

[Kuko 4000]

I'm trying to arrange a meeting with one of the most prominent homeopaths of my town. I've heard that she's scientifically informed. She's studied in the university of Helsinki and been involved in some very high profile science tv series here in Finland. This is what I've heard. I'm also trying to get her to join this forum for constructive discussions. Let's see what happens.

[Acleron]

In this article (http://www.homeopathic.org/media/in_the_news_view.jsp?id=789), he refers to clinical rabies. The wording suggests that these were not confirmed by laboratory testing, and so simply may not have been rabies.

Linda

The full broadcast (http://mediasite.uchc.edu/Mediasite41/Viewer/Viewers/Viewer240TR.aspx?mode=Default&peid=407916ea-6301-4ede-b04f-c3650e4073a7&pid=cb4535b1-6610-4f6f-9c47-89f4114476ec&playerType=WM7) is available.

Remember to keep the aspirin ready for the non-Novella parts. My brain still hurts from the memory of listening to it.

I'm sure if Saine had evidence for all these claims that somebody else would have at least part of that evidence. As no-one has even tried to answer BSM's challenge (to my limited knowledge), I rest assured the evidence doesn't exist.