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SidDithers

(44,228 posts)
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 11:01 AM Jul 2013

Advertising Standards Association Smacks Down Homeopathy

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/asa-smacks-down-homeopathy/

It is always gratifying to see regulatory agencies actually do their job. If those regulatory agencies whose job it is to protect the public from false or harmful medical advertising, products, or services thoroughly did their job, so-called “alternative medicine” would cease to exist.

Recently the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK issued a judgment about advertising for homeopathy http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2013/7/Society-of-Homeopaths/SHP_ADJ_157043.aspx , specifically by the Society of Homeopaths. They had been receiving a number of complaints. After thorough investigation, and considering the response from the homeopaths, they came to two basic conclusions: homeopaths are engaging in false advertising by claiming that homeopathy is a proven treatment for specific indications when the evidence does not support those claims, and homeopaths sometimes “discourage essential medical treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought.”

The ASA specifically investigated the following advertising and claims:

1. ad (a) could discourage essential treatment for depression, a medical condition for which medical supervision should be sought, and misleadingly implied that homeopathic remedies could alleviate symptoms of depression;

2. ad (b) could discourage essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought; and

3. the claims in ad (b) that homeopathy could treat the following medical conditions were misleading and could be substantiated:

a. Allergies and upper respiratory tract infections;

b. Ankle sprain;

c. Bronchitis;

d. Childhood diarrhoea;

e. Chronic fatigue;

f. Ear infections;

g. Fibromyalgia;

h. Hay fever;

i. Influenza;

j. Osteoarthritis;

k. Premenstrual syndrome;

l. Rheumatic diseases;

m. Sinusitis;

n. Vertigo.


After reviewing the evidence provided by the Society for Homeopaths each decision was upheld. In other words, the Society was given the opportunity to provide evidence to substantiate their claims. After reviewing that evidence the ASA concluded that the evidence did not adequately support the efficacy claims being made. (For some reason a specific description of the evidence for Vertigo is missing from the page, which seems like a simple oversight.)


Homeopathy is quackery of the highest order.

Sid
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Advertising Standards Association Smacks Down Homeopathy (Original Post) SidDithers Jul 2013 OP
Homeopathy promotes self-healing NoOneMan Jul 2013 #1
Agreed. Total quackery. Years ago I had a client whose cat developed overactive thyroid gland kestrel91316 Jul 2013 #2
I'm guessing that there's not much placebo affect in animals... SidDithers Jul 2013 #3
Well, there is "placebo by proxy" as another DUer put it. But that's just a form of delusion. kestrel91316 Jul 2013 #4
Agree. Homeopathy is quackery. Period. Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2013 #5
 

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)
1. Homeopathy promotes self-healing
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 11:34 AM
Jul 2013

If was any cheaper, people would doubt its efficiency, thereby vastly affecting its efficiency.

 

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
2. Agreed. Total quackery. Years ago I had a client whose cat developed overactive thyroid gland
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 11:58 AM
Jul 2013

(hyperthyroidism). Appropriate care available at the time consisted of lifelong medication (with a low incidence of side effects). She refused that, and instead took the cat to a "holistic" vet who prescribed homeopathy.

To no one's surprise, the cat continued to lose weight, have vomiting and diarrhea, and ultimately heart failure, and then died after two or three years. All the while the owner crowed about how well the cat was doing on the homeopathic remedy. I rolled my eyes so hard and for so long I thought they'd get stuck up there. She was an idiot. And the poor cat suffered so needlessly.

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