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	<title>Comments for Sciencebase Science Blog</title>
	
	<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog</link>
	<description>Science Blog from Freelance Science Writer David Bradley</description>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Imre</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-6#comment-635315</link>
		<dc:creator>Imre</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:33:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635315</guid>
		<description>Scott:

&gt;  And still, there is NOT ONE high quality (properly blinded) study that 
&gt; gives any hint that homeopathy is anything more than placebo.

The  placebo effect is the other mystery.  :)

&gt;it would disprove nearly everything we know about physics and chemistry.
Not,   only just about  human healing process :)

"The fact that even dummy capsules can kick-start the body's recovery engine became a problem for drug developers to overcome, rather than a phenomenon that could guide doctors toward a better understanding of the healing process and how to drive it most effectively."
http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all


&gt;Please provide even ONE LINK to a high quality,....

see published evidence for and against homeopathy
http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/homeop.html#pub</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Scott:</p>
<p>&gt;  And still, there is NOT ONE high quality (properly blinded) study that<br />
&gt; gives any hint that homeopathy is anything more than placebo.</p>
<p>The  placebo effect is the other mystery.  :)</p>
<p>&gt;it would disprove nearly everything we know about physics and chemistry.<br />
Not,   only just about  human healing process :)</p>
<p>&#8220;The fact that even dummy capsules can kick-start the body&#8217;s recovery engine became a problem for drug developers to overcome, rather than a phenomenon that could guide doctors toward a better understanding of the healing process and how to drive it most effectively.&#8221;<br />
<a href="http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all" rel="nofollow">http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all</a></p>
<p>&gt;Please provide even ONE LINK to a high quality,&#8230;.</p>
<p>see published evidence for and against homeopathy<br />
<a href="http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/homeop.html#pub" rel="nofollow">http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/homeop.html#pub</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Scott</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-6#comment-635312</link>
		<dc:creator>Scott</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:02:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635312</guid>
		<description>David, 

(continued)

Real medicine is also enhanced by the placebo effect.  

Also, faith in alt-med often comes at great cost.  It seems pretty harmless to take it for minor, self-limiting, conditions.... but not all conditions are such.  Avoiding or delaying conventional treatment to persue quackery too often ends with terrible, even fatal, results.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>David, </p>
<p>(continued)</p>
<p>Real medicine is also enhanced by the placebo effect.  </p>
<p>Also, faith in alt-med often comes at great cost.  It seems pretty harmless to take it for minor, self-limiting, conditions&#8230;. but not all conditions are such.  Avoiding or delaying conventional treatment to persue quackery too often ends with terrible, even fatal, results.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Scott</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-6#comment-635311</link>
		<dc:creator>Scott</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:58:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635311</guid>
		<description>David, watch this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqo4KBNL_h4 from 2:50 through 5:10  (or the whole thing).  Show a person something like that.

Also, if they have gained relief from homeopathy, continue giving them 'homeopathy', but TOTALLY fake.  When they get the same relief from that, explain the placebo effect.

What seperates alt-med believers from those that are grounded in reality often comes down to one statement : "giving a patient a treatment and then asking if it helped is a reliable way to test medicine.”  true or false.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>David, watch this clip <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqo4KBNL_h4" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqo4KBNL_h4</a> from 2:50 through 5:10  (or the whole thing).  Show a person something like that.</p>
<p>Also, if they have gained relief from homeopathy, continue giving them &#8216;homeopathy&#8217;, but TOTALLY fake.  When they get the same relief from that, explain the placebo effect.</p>
<p>What seperates alt-med believers from those that are grounded in reality often comes down to one statement : &#8220;giving a patient a treatment and then asking if it helped is a reliable way to test medicine.”  true or false.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by David Bradley</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-6#comment-635309</link>
		<dc:creator>David Bradley</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:49:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635309</guid>
		<description>Okay. I know I said I wouldn't join the debate, but I got sidetracked by Twitter DMs from several followers...so...how do you convince someone that homeopathy is folly when that person has gained relief from their symptoms? This is an especially interesting problem when the people in question consider themselves scientific minded and skeptical of quackery.

Is it a bad thing to expose the quackery or is it better to let them remain convinced of its validity even though the chemistry alone shows that it can be "nothing" more than placebo?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Okay. I know I said I wouldn&#8217;t join the debate, but I got sidetracked by Twitter DMs from several followers&#8230;so&#8230;how do you convince someone that homeopathy is folly when that person has gained relief from their symptoms? This is an especially interesting problem when the people in question consider themselves scientific minded and skeptical of quackery.</p>
<p>Is it a bad thing to expose the quackery or is it better to let them remain convinced of its validity even though the chemistry alone shows that it can be &#8220;nothing&#8221; more than placebo?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Scott</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-5#comment-635304</link>
		<dc:creator>Scott</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635304</guid>
		<description>Imre,

The problem is this:

1)  We've had an open mind about homeopathy for 200 years, now.
2)  And still, there is NOT ONE high quality (properly blinded) study that gives any hint that homeopathy is anything more than placebo.
3)  That is beside the fact that if it did work, it would disprove nearly everything we know about physics and chemistry.

In your first link, NONE of those provide any evidence of homeopathy.  They discuss its history, who uses, and even THE LACK of good quality evidence....  again, no evidence of efficacy provided.

We have had enough of the hand waving.

Please provide even ONE LINK to a high quality, randomized, properly blinded, clinical study that supports the hypothesis homeopathy is anything more than placebo.  Until then, get lost.  The rational community has been very specific on what type of evidence is exceptable, we tire of stack after stack of non-evidence.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Imre,</p>
<p>The problem is this:</p>
<p>1)  We&#8217;ve had an open mind about homeopathy for 200 years, now.<br />
2)  And still, there is NOT ONE high quality (properly blinded) study that gives any hint that homeopathy is anything more than placebo.<br />
3)  That is beside the fact that if it did work, it would disprove nearly everything we know about physics and chemistry.</p>
<p>In your first link, NONE of those provide any evidence of homeopathy.  They discuss its history, who uses, and even THE LACK of good quality evidence&#8230;.  again, no evidence of efficacy provided.</p>
<p>We have had enough of the hand waving.</p>
<p>Please provide even ONE LINK to a high quality, randomized, properly blinded, clinical study that supports the hypothesis homeopathy is anything more than placebo.  Until then, get lost.  The rational community has been very specific on what type of evidence is exceptable, we tire of stack after stack of non-evidence.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Imre</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-5#comment-635294</link>
		<dc:creator>Imre</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:29:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635294</guid>
		<description>&gt;Should we maintain an open mind about homeopathy? 
YES!


http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/search?fulltext=homeopathy


latest:
Paolo Bellavite, Paolo Magnani, Elisabetta Zanolin, and Anita Conforti
Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/nep139v1


and opinion from Martin Chaplin
http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/homeop.html</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&gt;Should we maintain an open mind about homeopathy?<br />
YES!</p>
<p><a href="http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/search?fulltext=homeopathy" rel="nofollow">http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/search?fulltext=homeopathy</a></p>
<p>latest:<br />
Paolo Bellavite, Paolo Magnani, Elisabetta Zanolin, and Anita Conforti<br />
Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments<br />
<a href="http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/nep139v1" rel="nofollow">http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/nep139v1</a></p>
<p>and opinion from Martin Chaplin<br />
<a href="http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/homeop.html" rel="nofollow">http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/homeop.html</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Marc</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-5#comment-635288</link>
		<dc:creator>Marc</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:34:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635288</guid>
		<description>Ruth, If it is about faith then why do homeopaths try to use science to say that homeopathy is better than conventional drugs. I agree that if you believe in the magic water then it will work, after all that is how all placebos work by making you think they are doing something when they are in reality doing nothing. If homeopaths said we have a way of making magic water that will cure you then you can claim its a faith thing but when they sell the remedies as drugs that will do something in your body then it becomes a matter of science and evidence. Homeopathy is fine when sold as a placebo for things such as a headache or cold to reduce people taking pills they dont need but it should not be sold as having an effect on serious illnesses</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ruth, If it is about faith then why do homeopaths try to use science to say that homeopathy is better than conventional drugs. I agree that if you believe in the magic water then it will work, after all that is how all placebos work by making you think they are doing something when they are in reality doing nothing. If homeopaths said we have a way of making magic water that will cure you then you can claim its a faith thing but when they sell the remedies as drugs that will do something in your body then it becomes a matter of science and evidence. Homeopathy is fine when sold as a placebo for things such as a headache or cold to reduce people taking pills they dont need but it should not be sold as having an effect on serious illnesses</p>
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		<title>Comment on Homeopathy really doesn’t work by Skepticat</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/homeopathy-really-doesnt-work.html/comment-page-5#comment-635282</link>
		<dc:creator>Skepticat</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:31:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=4684#comment-635282</guid>
		<description>Unfortunately there are some homeopaths who do indeed argue that homeopathy can be used in place of proven therapies. Recently on youtube I saw a homeopath advising someone to come off dialysis and take a homeopathic remedy instead!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Unfortunately there are some homeopaths who do indeed argue that homeopathy can be used in place of proven therapies. Recently on youtube I saw a homeopath advising someone to come off dialysis and take a homeopathic remedy instead!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Asthma Treatment Book by Dawn</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/asthma-treatment.html/comment-page-1#comment-635268</link>
		<dc:creator>Dawn</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:31:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/asthma-treatment.html#comment-635268</guid>
		<description>I have pets who have Asthma, it is sad to see them when they start coughing. The Vet says there is no cure. We can always hope.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have pets who have Asthma, it is sad to see them when they start coughing. The Vet says there is no cure. We can always hope.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Sciencebase Guestbook by Tailer</title>
		<link>http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/sciencebase-guestbook.html/comment-page-9#comment-635242</link>
		<dc:creator>Tailer</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:40:05 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>my science teacher gave us some extra credit and it turns out he just printed off the elemental puns from this site! haha i got every one right :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>my science teacher gave us some extra credit and it turns out he just printed off the elemental puns from this site! haha i got every one right :)</p>
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