001. from NUHS:
001.a. the Facebook page of National University of Health Sciences recently posted, this 2017-02-10:
"Dr. Francine Burke (DC, DNBHE), local chiropractic and homeopathic physician and NUHS faculty member, recently spoke with students about treating #autism with #homeopathy [...and we're pointed to an embedded link]";
so a couple of things: the institutional claim, essentially, of science subset homeopathy; and the claim that a DC is "physician" and that somehow being a "physician" is at all epistemically and ethically compatible with the "homeopathic" and the chiropractic. And this person is NUHS faculty. The tragedy of treating children with an actual disease with unicorn tears!
001.b. that embedded link is to the nuhs.edu page "Homeopathy Club Hosts Discussion on Autism with Local Physician" [2017 archived], published 2017-02-08, which states:
"Dr. Francine Burke, DC, DNBHE, an NUHS faculty member and a local chiropractic and homeopathic physician, spoke with students Jan. 27 about treating autism with homeopathy. Autism is a disorder that affects the brain and gastrointestinal tract. It is becoming increasingly common with a 10-fold increase in the last 20 years. Students can expect to encounter the condition frequently when in practice, Dr. Burke said. Parents, especially now, are looking for alternatives to improve or resolve the condition outside of conventional medical care. A great benefit of homeopathy is that it is not only safe but cost-effective for families, who may already be spending significant amounts on health care. Because children diagnosed with autism progress and get worse, early treatment is key [...]";
"Dr. Burke reminded students that homeopathic remedies treat the whole body and may also be able to help recurrent ear infections, allergies, digestive problems or other health concerns. The treatments are particularly good for children [...]";
giving ineffective treatments is never good, particularly homeopathy in this day and age.
"the seminar was sponsored by the Homeopathy Club [...] during the talk, Dr. Burke discussed two cases in which autism was treated through homeopathic methods successfully [...]";
well I guess the Nobel Committee will soon be knocking.
"she also talked about the hot topic of vaccination and its much discussed connection to autism.Last year, National University hosted a popular debate on the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations. National University welcomes both sides of the debate and prides itself as an environment that fosters an attitude of scientific inquiry [...]";
so, that claim of science. But homeopathy is patent pseudoscience, and here it is being promoted by NUHS. What kind of scientific inquiry is that? DC Burke's bio. page [2017 archived] at her practice tells us: "Dr. Burke teaches Homeopathy at the National University of Health Sciences part time in Lombard and has developed a specialty rotation in their patient clinic. She is past president of the Illinois Homeopathic Medical Association in Lombard." Her DNBHE is "Diplomate of the National Board of Homeopathic Examiners."
002.a. for instance, recently the Sydney Morning Herald's Vyom Sharma, a GP in Melbourne Australia, wrote in "Homeopathy Sells Dangerous Lies to Patients" [2017 archived], published 2017-02-08:
"the practice of homeopathy in Australia goes largely
unchecked [...] homeopaths advertise their ability to treat everything from autism to hemorrhoids with near impunity [...] the industry is overwhelmingly self-regulated by its own
board, lending it an undue air of legitimacy [...a therapy which]
doesn't work. At all [...it's] no better than a sugar pill [...] vials
of homeopathic remedies are chemically indistinguishable from water [...] there is an epidemic of false cures being sold to sick Australians [...as] a certified, rubber-stamped official practice [...] enshrined in government policies [and] codified in professional code of conducts [and] funded with our taxes and sold by pharmacists [...there's] an intricate web of lies [which] protects the pernicious practice of homeopathy in Australia [...] numerous international investigations and a scientific review of over 1800 studies by the National Medical Health Research Council could not be clearer: there is zero evidence that homeopathy is an effective treatment for medical conditions [...] one of the most common defenses is that if the remedies truly are
ineffective vials of water, then they are harmless. This is perhaps the
most toxic myth about these therapies. Giving people a false cure for
real symptoms is dangerous, because it delays correct diagnosis and
treatment [...] the problem isn't a few rogue practitioners – it's entirely rogue
industries. The discipline of homeopathy, by its very nature, is
untruthful [...in] the United States, where the Federal Trade Council has ruled that homeopathic medicine labels must state that there is no scientific evidence backing homeopathic health claims [...]";
hear, hear. And yet NUHS does not provide a warning with its homeopath promotion that "there is no scientific evidence backing homeopathic health claims". Disgusting.
003. at that DC's practice:
002.a. she has a page titled
“Homeopathy” [2017archived] which
states:
“homeopathic medicine considers the 'whole' person and
treats the patient, not the disease [...] homeopathy is a system of
medical therapy that uses very small doses of medicines, or remedies.
These remedies are prepared from animal, plant or mineral substances [...] the
homeopathic doctor chooses the proper remedy [...] by studying the successful principles of healing and the
use of natural and completely safe medicines, Dr. Burke was able to
apply this science and art to restore her patients health. She will
take the necessary time with you to consider what the best course of
action is to restore health fully, rapidly and gently [...]";
oh my, a science claim upon the bogus! As false as homeopathy's efficacy claims.
oh my, a science claim upon the bogus! As false as homeopathy's efficacy claims.
002.b. she links to her YouTube video, embedded on that "Homeopathy" page, which is "Dr. Burke Speaking on Homeopathy" (2014) [saved 2017-02-10], wherein she mentions:
.
.
"you're treating with the energy of the original substance [...] the Law of Similars [...] the minimum dose [...] one remedy at a time [...] Hahnemann [...] is still true even today [...]";
ah, NO.
