Why does Homeopathy seem to irk skeptics the most?

They how do you know it doesn't work if you've never tried it?

Your bias is really showing. Is being biased good for science?

 

FDA approved medicine is highly influenced from lobbying of mainstream medical companies. Homeopathic medicine is very cheap and faces much opposition from medical lobbyists.

Regarding science, there are indeed tens of thousands of scientific studies vindicating much of it, but not necessarily all.

 

My brief reading of it make me realize that there is absolutely no way it can work. I am biased--towards things that make sense. Homeopathy makes no sense. There is no possible mechanism for it to work, and rigorous studies of it show it is no better than a placebo. That's enough for me.

 

Tons of scientific studies, many published in peer-reviewed journals, vindicating homeopathic medicine. If you don't look, you will never know.

 

No, there aren't. Most of the rigorous studies show no effect (meaning no different from the placebo). The studies that do show a positive effect (meaning better than placebo) have not been able to be replicated when redone in the same way.

 

I repeat, there are tons of replicated studies. I will post them. Give me one specific example of a homeopathic medical practice, and I will post studies.

 

Homeopathy allegedly cures HIV. I await the double-blind clinical trial results.

 

Can I see one?

 

well, if you can produce said research you stand to win 10,000 pounds - not been won yet

 

How many pounds would it cost to conduct a study that meets the offerers requirements?

 

You don't have to do one - just produce one that someone else has done

 

But there isn't a successful one, right?

So how many pounds would it cost to conduct a study that meets the offerers requirements?

 

Let's see, you need tap water and 1 drop of the active ingredient. Shouldn't be too expensive.

 

OK, about how much do you think that would cost?

 

Delete, delete, delete

 

Here are some homeopathic chemicals that help reduce the detrimental effects of HIV on a human body. Read the full article for even more information:

http://www.lef.org/protocols/infections/hiv_aids_01.htm?source=search&key=HIV

 

The issue with homeopathy is not that the active ingredient won't work, but that diluting it to the point of non-existence will render any remedy pointless. Those antioxidants may well be useful in treating the symptoms of HIV, but nothing in that article suggests they would work Homeopathically.

 

So if less is more then why aren't we all dying from extreme poisoning all the time?

 

Life Extension Foundation is a company that concentrates the active ingredient in their supplements and give an actual milligram amount they put in. Other companies also do this, but Life Extension adds the most amount of the active chemicals, and uses the most potent version of the chemical.

I don't know what definition of "homeopathic" you are using, but to me, the word simply means any medical procedure not approved by the FDA (procedures the medical industry can't make money off of).

That being said, I am sure that many homeopathic procedures are indeed pseudo-science; the key is to see which procedures have backing by research and clinical trials, and which ones don't.

Plus, there can be remedies that work, but have not been studied by science as yet.

 

Homeopathic does not mean any non approved treatment. It is where a drop is added to water, shaken, struck, whatever and then a drop of that is taken and added to another bottle of water, shaken, struck, etc and then a drop of that is taken........... this is repeated until it is like adding one molecule of the active ingredient to a bottle of water much larger than the Earth.

 

If THIS is what you mean by homeopathic, then yes, I would say it is pure bull$hit.

I am talking about medicinal chemicals not approved by FDA that are used at clinically significant dosages, actual milligrams of bio-active molecules.

 

What's stupid is the lack of critical thinking and knee jerk reactions to a complex subject. The alleged physical properties of homeopathic "medicines" are, I would agree, impossible, but complementary/alternative medicine attracts people not because they are stupid but because they get better care from practitioners of those systems than they do from the increasingly clinical and unfriendly western medicine. Go to a doctor today, particularly if the government is paying for it, and you are lucky to get more than a few minutes of uninterrupted time with him or her. Go to a complementary medicine practitioner and for what might be little more than the copay, you'll have the ear of someone who cares about your health, is interested in knowing about all of your physical problems, and will meet with you regularly to alter the course of treatment which frequently goes beyond watered down tinctures and will include powerful supplements and changes in diet.

 

Yeah, I think you are referring to what is known as complementary or alternative medicines. Homeopathy is just one branch of alternative medicine that is pretty much a fraud in terms of the efficacy of the treatment. Much like voodoo, prayer, cupping, reiki, etc. On the other hand, some studies do show that certain common ailments respond well to the course of treatment, most likely due to the interactive nature of it.

 

So what you are saying is if Holistic Doctors included prescribing pharmaceuticals, they would be the most kick-ass type of doctors?

 

Yes and no. I wouldn't necessarily trust a homeopath to make sensible decisions about the efficacy of medicine given the nature of the stuff of their trade. On the other hand, I think that the naturopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbologists and others that I've known would be quite good at it. Even massage therapists, personal trainers and others who look after the health of their clients to some degree can make suggestions that might be more beneficial than what one would get from a general practitioner.