Comments on: The MHRA and their Double Failure over Homeopathy http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html Experiments and Thoughts on Quackery, Health Beliefs and Pseudoscience Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:52:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Alan Ractliffe http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-12057 Alan Ractliffe Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:44:05 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-12057 I am a chartered consultant engineer with a PhD, and both by profession and by nature I am sceptical of anything that cannot be explained empirically or scientifically. In my personal experience homeoepathic remedies can work, but not always. Two examples: From an early age I suffered from teeth-grinding when asleep, causing loss of sleep to my wife, and flattened teeth with chisel sharp edges. All my dentist could offer was a set of plastic caps to prevent teeth contact. Without much hope, and feeling a bit foolish, I consulted a recommended homeoepath. His first and only prescription took less than a week to cure the syndrome completely and permanently. Although my teeth have not re-grown, the edges are no longer sharp, but more importantly, I do not wake my wife by teeth-grinding - she should know. If it was a placebo effect then does that invalidate the cure? My second example is curing animals which presumably cannot be a placebo effect. I used to keep chickens, and these are prone to feather-pecking especially when bored in winter. I found a tablet of silicea (I think it was) in the drinking water often had an immediate beneficial effect. All I know is that life is full of inexplicable mystery and as Shakespeare so trenchantly put it "there are more things in this world than are dreamt of in your philosophy". I am a chartered consultant engineer with a PhD, and both by profession and by nature I am sceptical of anything that cannot be explained empirically or scientifically. In my personal experience homeoepathic remedies can work, but not always. Two examples: From an early age I suffered from teeth-grinding when asleep, causing loss of sleep to my wife, and flattened teeth with chisel sharp edges. All my dentist could offer was a set of plastic caps to prevent teeth contact. Without much hope, and feeling a bit foolish, I consulted a recommended homeoepath. His first and only prescription took less than a week to cure the syndrome completely and permanently. Although my teeth have not re-grown, the edges are no longer sharp, but more importantly, I do not wake my wife by teeth-grinding – she should know. If it was a placebo effect then does that invalidate the cure? My second example is curing animals which presumably cannot be a placebo effect. I used to keep chickens, and these are prone to feather-pecking especially when bored in winter. I found a tablet of silicea (I think it was) in the drinking water often had an immediate beneficial effect. All I know is that life is full of inexplicable mystery and as Shakespeare so trenchantly put it “there are more things in this world than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-9176 Anonymous Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:04:15 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-9176 A homeopathic sugar pill has a negligible chance of containing a molecule of the claimed ingredient. But then any sugar pill, once taken from its container, also has a negligible chance of containing the same molecule. So legally there can't be any difference between the two.<br />Anyone else tempted to start rebranding sugar pills and selling them online? If the MHRA come calling, change the packaging and sell it as something else... A homeopathic sugar pill has a negligible chance of containing a molecule of the claimed ingredient. But then any sugar pill, once taken from its container, also has a negligible chance of containing the same molecule. So legally there can't be any difference between the two.
Anyone else tempted to start rebranding sugar pills and selling them online? If the MHRA come calling, change the packaging and sell it as something else…

]]> By: klk http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8910 klk Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:12:46 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8910 What is alligator used to treat? Bites? What is alligator used to treat? Bites?

]]> By: Andy http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8893 Andy Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:11:35 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8893 On further (and improved) searching, I see quackometer.com is not as new as I'd thought. Sorry. Move along now. On further (and improved) searching, I see quackometer.com is not as new as I'd thought. Sorry. Move along now.

]]> By: Andy http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8892 Andy Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:56:54 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8892 OT - Andy, are you familiar with quackometer.com? I just ended up there after clicking a link on Lay Scientist. Thought you'd been hacked. OT – Andy, are you familiar with quackometer.com? I just ended up there after clicking a link on Lay Scientist. Thought you'd been hacked.

]]> By: Michael Kingsford Gray http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8890 Michael Kingsford Gray Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:50:49 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8890 Billy Joe:<br />Are you sure it is the "Korsakov method" and not "Korsakoff's Syndrome"?<br />That would make far more sense, and explain an awful lot of their criminal confabulation. Billy Joe:
Are you sure it is the "Korsakov method" and not "Korsakoff's Syndrome"?
That would make far more sense, and explain an awful lot of their criminal confabulation.

]]> By: BillyJoe http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8889 BillyJoe Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:02:28 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8889 A quote from http://www.helios.co.uk/technical.html<br /><br />"<br />In 1994 after two years of research and development, Helios was proud to be the first British company to have its own high potency succussion machine. To make a high potency by hand would take weeks or months and is extremely labour intensive. In designing the Helios potentiser we have adhered as closely as possible to the human arm action of dilution and succussion "against a hard but elastic object" (aphorism 270 ) as per Hahnemann's instructions. The machine repeatedly empties and refills in a single vial (Korsakov method) until the desired potency is reached, the whole process being computer-controlled to ensure stability and accuracy. A constant supply of highly purified water is used as the diluent.<br /><br />"<br /><br />Presumably exactly 1/100 of the contents of the vial adhere to the inside of the vial when vial is upended and emptied down the sink!<br /><br />Presumably the contents of their skulls have also been emptied down the sink. :D A quote from http://www.helios.co.uk/technical.html

"
In 1994 after two years of research and development, Helios was proud to be the first British company to have its own high potency succussion machine. To make a high potency by hand would take weeks or months and is extremely labour intensive. In designing the Helios potentiser we have adhered as closely as possible to the human arm action of dilution and succussion "against a hard but elastic object" (aphorism 270 ) as per Hahnemann's instructions. The machine repeatedly empties and refills in a single vial (Korsakov method) until the desired potency is reached, the whole process being computer-controlled to ensure stability and accuracy. A constant supply of highly purified water is used as the diluent.

"

Presumably exactly 1/100 of the contents of the vial adhere to the inside of the vial when vial is upended and emptied down the sink!

Presumably the contents of their skulls have also been emptied down the sink. :D

]]> By: Cavall de Quer http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8888 Cavall de Quer Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:14:45 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8888 "Perhaps someone could have a look through their lists for endangered species".<br /><br />Well, they've got alligator on there, wish I could see them getting that one, and there's an unending list of spiders and reptiles, pig embryos etc. I'm afraid I didn't specifically look for endangered species. Some of the birds are probably on the risky list, but as only feathers seem to be used, I assume a homeopath just stands underneath until one falls out. I registered for a "provings" list,to give evidence to people who thought homeopathy was exclusively plant based. (I'm vegan). It now costs $25 dollars to belong to this register, which seems a bit expensive for the modest amusement it affords. "Perhaps someone could have a look through their lists for endangered species".

Well, they've got alligator on there, wish I could see them getting that one, and there's an unending list of spiders and reptiles, pig embryos etc. I'm afraid I didn't specifically look for endangered species. Some of the birds are probably on the risky list, but as only feathers seem to be used, I assume a homeopath just stands underneath until one falls out. I registered for a "provings" list,to give evidence to people who thought homeopathy was exclusively plant based. (I'm vegan). It now costs $25 dollars to belong to this register, which seems a bit expensive for the modest amusement it affords.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8885 Anonymous Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:24:02 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8885 Forgive me for being marked out as an idiot by choosing to remain anonymous pro tem, but I take re-assurance in the fact that there are those even more intellectually challenged than I that must be buying homeopathic remedies from a website that clearly states "Ainsworth's homeopathic products are without approved therapeutic indications" Forgive me for being marked out as an idiot by choosing to remain anonymous pro tem, but I take re-assurance in the fact that there are those even more intellectually challenged than I that must be buying homeopathic remedies from a website that clearly states "Ainsworth's homeopathic products are without approved therapeutic indications"

]]> By: BSM http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/09/mhra-and-their-double-failure-over.html#comment-8881 BSM Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:12:35 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2009/09/the-mhra-and-their-double-failure-over-homeopathy.html#comment-8881 "Anyone actually worked in a homeopathic pill fsctory? Do they really do all that diluting or just make sugar pills directly?"<br /><br />You have a typo. I think you meant "UCK" when you typed "SC". You may want to follow this link to see why;<br /><br />http://www.helios.co.uk/technical.html<br /><br />Truly, WTF! "Anyone actually worked in a homeopathic pill fsctory? Do they really do all that diluting or just make sugar pills directly?"

You have a typo. I think you meant "UCK" when you typed "SC". You may want to follow this link to see why;

http://www.helios.co.uk/technical.html

Truly, WTF!

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