Sysiphus Speaks

The Connecticut Legislature recently passed Senate Bill 437, giving naturopaths, according to the American Association for Naturopathic Physicians, a more "modern" scope of practice. An odd choice of words considering that naturopathy is based on vitalism, a pre-scientific belief that some incorporeal "life force," unknown to science, governs bodily functions. Nothing modern about that.

Maybe they might know a bit more if certified, but the pass rates for acupuncture boards are not impressive

In February 2014, only 62% of first time test takers in California passed and over all 49% passed. Gives one pause.

I ran across Why conventional doctors ignore alternative medicine over at the Signs of the Time web sight. A curious site. A quick skim suggests that its approach to medicine, or reality, has little to do with mine. But then, I do not understand one of the purposes of their organization:

The project includes collecting, arranging, and analyzing news items that seem to best reflect the movement of macrocosmic quantum energies on the planet.

It is no wonder that in all the reviews, homeopathy is no different that placebo for the treatment of any disease.

It is why it is interesting that the inventor of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, differentiated between a sham medication (placebo) and his homeopathic nostrums.

A plethora of class action lawsuits have been filed in the last few years alleging that customers were deceived by a product's claim that it is made from "natural" ingredients" or the product is "all natural." (You can find a list and description of these suits on the Top Class Actions website by typing in the search term "natural.")

It should be the Gloria Thomas Memorial week. She was the 9 month old with severe eczema who died from infectious complications, having only received homeopathic therapies from her parents.

Sexual problems? Rhino horns could help. What makes blood flow? Heat. So why not set your crotch alight with Fire Therapy?

I read "Naturopathic Practice at North American Academic Institutions: Description of 300,483 Visits and Comparison to Conventional Primary Care with a bit of curiosity.

Like most pseudo-medicines it is indicated for virtually any disease, but it's main claim to fame is reversing breech presentation. Moxibusion is supposed to change the baby from feet first to head first. I was, shall we say, skeptical.

Frankly, this is one time I was actually rather proud that American regulation was ahead of the Canadians. Otherwise, their single-payer health care system runs rings around ours.

But, shades of DSHEA! The new law would exempt "natural products," which includes dietary supplements. Scott succinctly summarizes why this is a bad idea: