Vet Homeopathy discussed by the homs

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

http://www.otherhealth.com/showthread.php?t=7701

:)

"Though I disagree with the sentiments of the people who are complaining
about the use of homeopathy, I do believe that homeopathy within
veterinary practice within the UK should be regulated in some way. Any
vet can pick up a few books on homeopathy and start practicing with no
real knowledge of the subject. Because they are a vet, people
immediately assume that they will know what they are doing and will help
their animals. Here are just three examples of homeopathic practice by
vets in the UK that I have come across:

A cat given Merc-cor dry dose, twice daily for five years.
A dog that was on 13 different homeopathic remedies a day, by the time
it died.
A cat that was put on Silica and a nosode to be given daily in dry dose;
as the cat got worse and worse the owner was told to continue with the
treatment. This owner became friends with me and I put her onto a
Classical Hom who cured the cat in two months with minimal dosage."

Tricky, ain't it. It seems you can just make it up as you go along with homeopathy. I am shocked.

[Mashuna]

Well, you can't just have anyone going around selling suger tablets. That must be limited to strictly regulated homeopaths. And newsagents.

[Mojo]

http://www.otherhealth.com/showthread.php?t=7701

:)

"Though I disagree with the sentiments of the people who are complaining
about the use of homeopathy, I do believe that homeopathy within
veterinary practice within the UK should be regulated in some way. Any
vet can pick up a few books on homeopathy and start practicing with no
real knowledge of the subject." This doesn't just go for vets, of course. Because homoeopathy is unregulated, and "homoeopath" is not a protected title, anyone can set themselves up as a homoeopath and start practising, whether or not they have picked up a few books. The only difference as far as veterinary homoeopathy is concerned is that to treat animals the practitioner must at least be qualified as a vet and registered with the RCVS. Any clown can set themselves up as a homoeopath treating humans, with no real knowlege of either homoeopathy or medicine in general.

For some reason I haven't noticed homoeopaths clamouring for regulation.

[Nucular]

For some reason I haven't noticed homoeopaths clamouring for regulation.
That's not my experience - the homeopaths I've spoken to (and alt.med people generally, it seems to me) actually want to be regulated. For them I think it serves a sort of multiple purpose: an extra official-looking logo on their advert; a way of implying that their field is 'officially recognised'; a move towards 'professionalisation', which roughly translates to 'making me more important'; and any number of others which involve parallels to recognised medical professions, etc. as well as the 'infighting' element of alt med which means each CAM discipline wants to be the 'best' in some way.

These things are especially true of those who consider themselves 'properly trained', for instance those who have done the homeopathy BSc.s which have arisen.

Of course, any proponent of regulation within homeopathy doesn't include evidence-based practice as a part of that wish. Why should they be subjected to evaluation by the very doctors who wish to steal their healing powers, et cetera ad nauseam.

[Blue Wode]

That's not my experience - the homeopaths I've spoken to (and alt.med people generally, it seems to me) actually want to be regulated. For them I think it serves a sort of multiple purpose: an extra official-looking logo on their advert; a way of implying that their field is 'officially recognised'; a move towards 'professionalisation', which roughly translates to 'making me more important'; and any number of others which involve parallels to recognised medical professions, etc. as well as the 'infighting' element of alt med which means each CAM discipline wants to be the 'best' in some way.

Yes, they’re all desperate to look legitimate and respectable. HRH’s Foundation, which is currently helping the sCAM community to establish regulatory frameworks, promotes the following as the benefits of regulation:


Patients can be safe in the knowledge that the practitioner they visit will have to meet agreed standards of practice and competence.

Complementary practitioners get professional recognition for their high standards and good practice.

Other health professionals can have confidence in the colleagues to whom they refer as they are demonstrating the requirements of the regulatory body.

http://www.fih.org.uk/whatwedo/Regulation/



But it looks like Mojo’s right about the homeopaths. No sign of them:
http://www.fih.org.uk/whatwedo/Regulation/reggroups.htm

[Mojo]

I had a look at the Faculty of Homeopathy and Society of Homeopaths sites. the Faculty site talks about campaigning for recognition of homoeopathy: Above all, we all need the Faculty to lobby and campaign for the recognition of homeopathy's proper place in healthcare - by speaking as an authority, influencing the way medicine is practised and reinforcing homeopathy's role in promoting health, rather than treating disease. I don't see anything on either site about campaigning for regulation of homoeopathy.

[Nucular]

I had a look at the Faculty of Homeopathy and Society of Homeopaths sites. the Faculty site talks about campaigning for recognition of homoeopathy: I don't see anything on either site about campaigning for regulation of homoeopathy.
A (n otherwise nonsensical) letter in this Society document (http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/whats-new/past-press-releases/documents/Standard7Sept05MarkPorter.doc) advocates 'self regulation' (as opposed to statutory regulation, though).

In this press release (http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/whats-new/past-press-releases/documents/SmallwoodReport.doc), the Society argues for a single register, and "greater regulation", something Patricia Haggie (http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/about-the-society/Bod.aspx) claims to be keen on. More here (http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/about-the-society/organisation.aspx) from the Society mentioning voluntary regulation.

So yes, perhaps we could infer that they're not too keen on statutory, external regulation, but voluntary self-regulation is something they do want? With its obvious inferiority/superiority (depending on whether you're a consumer or practitioner respectively) to the former kind.

Anyway, having spoken to some graduates of the BSc., it sounds like the unofficial opinion at least of course staff - who are connected to the SoH - are pushing the idea that regulation is one of the necessary steps towards full NHS integration, and the way I've heard it spoken about implies all of the other perceived advantages.

I haven't been on other fora like hpathy as much as I'd have liked, so I don't know what people are saying elsewhere, just the few I've spoken to in person or heard the views of.

But there we are. Swings and roundabouts. Personally, I think the only objection to regulation would be if they had to demonstrate efficacy, rather than that they're keeping up to date (!) with research (!) and CPD (!) or whatever.

[Dogdoctor]

The only thing required to make homeopathy work is the right excuses.

[Cynric]

The only thing required to make homeopathy work is the right excuses.

Pfut!

You're so close-minded. You're the kind of idiot that would give a cat Merc-cor dry dose, twice daily for five years. I mean come on. No wonder the poor moggy's vital force was disturbed. ;)


As an aside - what kind of owner would carry on giving a cat this junk twice a day for 5 years without obvious signs of improvement?!

[Cynric]

"Though I disagree with the sentiments of the people who are complaining
about the use of homeopathy, I do believe that homeopathy within
veterinary practice within the UK should be regulated in some way. Any
vet can pick up a few books on homeopathy and start practicing with no
real knowledge of the subject. Because they are a vet, people
immediately assume that they will know what they are doing and will help
their animals. SNIP

Not to worry. The next generation of homs will be drilled from GCSE level onwards...

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=58760