Thread: Why does Homeopathy seem to irk skeptics the most?

Originally Posted by Skepticat

Glutton for punishment, aren't you?

As Herby has eloquently pointed out, unlike homeopathy, overdoses of pharmaceutical drugs do not involve people making false claims about what the drugs do. Therefore there is nothing to be skeptical about, so why would I blog about them?

What false claims are printed on Homeopathic remedies?

Although you started this thread about homeopathy, you seem to be preoccupied with people dying from pharmaceutical drugs.

I'm just wondering why you skeptics are so obsessed with homeopathy and when you say it's because you "care" about the people who are duped by it (that a lot of you skeptics call them "stupid" which is ironic that you care about them, but call them stupid at the same time) but there are so little people hurt by homeopathy compared to pharmacology which you seem to spend no time warning people about the dangers of that it seems like your priorities are a little jaded.

But you have given no examples comparable with the examples I have given of people dying preventable deaths because they put all their faith in homeopathy.

Yes I did. I posted a link the showed pharmaceuticals were the leading cause of death in the accident category (or something like that). I didn't see homeopathy listed in that list.

Originally Posted by suede

So you skeptics chose to focus on lies, myths, and misinformation that kill or leads to death of a fraction of other things? Interesting.

Well, let's have a look at the real data. Here are the leading causes of death in 2008.


http://www.who.int/mediacentre/facts.../en/index.html

As you can see, neither conventional nor homeopathic drugs are on the list. Does that mean that everyone who chooses to talk about a subject other than anything seen on this list wastes time on an irrelevant topic (including you and me)?

I say no. In my humble opinion, it's better to tackle one small problem at a time instead of waiting for superman to solve all of them for us. Why not talk about false advertising done by homeopaths? I, for one, sympathize with skeptics. The argument that there are some things causing more suffering than homeopathy is rather weak.

Originally Posted by Herby

Well, let's have a look at the real data. Here are the leading causes of death in 2008.

As you can see, neither conventional nor homeopathic drugs are on the list. Does that mean that everyone who chooses to talk about a subject other than anything seen on this list wastes time on an irrelevant topic (including you and me)?

Yeah, that's not the list I was talking about. I said "the leading cause of death in the accident category."

Drugs Now Leading Accidental Death Cause

Tue Sep 20, 2011

Drug-related accidental deaths have officially outnumbered those caused by car accidents for the first time since the government began collecting data on the behavior in the late 1970s, according an analysis by the Los Angeles Times.

In 2009 alone, some 37,500 Americans succumbed to drug overdoses, many fueled by prescription drug abuse or a combination of mixing medications with each other, alcohol or recreational drugs.

No mention of Homeopathy (or any other Alt medicine for that matter).

Why not talk about false advertising done by homeopaths?

What false advertising are the Homeopathic companies peddling?

The argument that there are some things causing more suffering than homeopathy is rather weak.

I thought it was all about saving lives?

Originally Posted by suede

I thought it was all about saving lives?

If it's all about saving lives, the statistics that matter are the leading causes of death overall. That's where proper nutrition and science-based medicine come in. As a reminder, here are the numbers again:


http://www.who.int/mediacentre/facts.../en/index.html

Accidents only account for about 5% of all deaths in the US (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_04.pdf). Drug abuse is the cause for 1.5% of deaths. Of course, if you're able to bring that number down without causing far more harm by spreading misinformation about remedies that just don't work, more power to you. As I said before, everyone is entitled to their pet cause, even if it isn't a huge life saver.

Originally Posted by suede

Yeah, that's not the list I was talking about. I said "the leading cause of death in the accident category."


No mention of Homeopathy (or any other Alt medicine for that matter).


What false advertising are the Homeopathic companies peddling?


I thought it was all about saving lives?

Do not get drug addiction and abuse confused with medication

The problem with Homeopathy is that people rely on it rather than treatment by qualified medical personel.

And it seems the more educated a person is the quicker they fall for it.

If a person wants to go back to the Middle Ages for medical treatment it is their own business.

Originally Posted by cassandrabandra

What qualifications are required for a person to practice chiropracty in the US?

Some schooling and chiropractic school. I'm not sure how much.

hello friends,
I'm just wondering why you skeptics are so obsessed with homeopathy and when you say it's because you "care" about the people who are duped by it (that a lot of you skeptics call them "stupid" which is ironic that you care about them, but call them stupid at the same time) but there are so little people hurt by homeopathy compared to pharmacology which you seem to spend no time warning people about the dangers of that it seems like your priorities are a little jaded.
thanks

Originally Posted by webspider

hello friends,
I'm just wondering why you skeptics are so obsessed with homeopathy and when you say it's because you "care" about the people who are duped by it (that a lot of you skeptics call them "stupid" which is ironic that you care about them, but call them stupid at the same time) but there are so little people hurt by homeopathy compared to pharmacology which you seem to spend no time warning people about the dangers of that it seems like your priorities are a little jaded.
thanks

the two don't really compare.

Originally Posted by politicalcenter

The problem with Homeopathy is that people rely on it rather than treatment by qualified medical personel.

And how many people die per year because of that?