ND Hangee-Bauer's Pediatric Homeopathy Parental Advising Versus Australian Scientific Skepticism!

here, I cite from a recently posted American Health Journal video clip on AANP naturopathy by CBS affiliate winknews.com that promotes adult and particularly pediatric homeopathy nonsense [see 001., below]; then, a video about homeopathy from Australia [see 002., below]:

001. in "Naturopathic Family Medicine - Air Date 4/17/11" [vsc 2011-04-18; my comments are in bold]:

"[description] Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer [ND Bastyr 1984] advises that naturopathic doctors give patients tools for improving their overall health and prevent disease [...] these doctors spend more time educating patients about their health and how to prevent their diseases or overcome diseases without a doctor in the room [...]";

ND H-B is the 2010-2011 AANP President, according to his own bio. So, we're told about "tools" and "educating", in the context of medicine [diagnosis, treatment] in the video's description.  On his bio. page, ND H-B informs us: "in my practice I adhere to these principles [...#6] to trust in the healing power of nature [HPN...#3] teach people ways to improve and maintain good health [...he uses] the principles and tools of natural medicine [...he's] a founder of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association [he has the second CA ND license that was granted], I have played an active role in successfully gaining licensure for NDs in California [...] I believe that naturopathic medicine is common-sense medicine."  So, on his own web page he barely mentions naturopathy's principle of HPN, and it is not explained.  And, of course, you hear this "teach" / educating ethos again.  All, of course, "common sense".  Even the President of the AANP does not transparently communicate the science-ejected vitalistic premise that is HPN! 

"[ND H-B]  naturopathic doctors are [...] a general practice field.  We're trained to help people learn about their health, improve their health, prevent disease and treat any disease that they may have [...] we spend a great deal more time with our patients helping educate them and helping them recognize how they can improve their health without a doctor in the room [...] it's about helping give them tools so you can get them started in a direction and let them follow through in ways that they can improve their health on a daily basis [...]";

so, there's the claim of NDs practicing general medicine, and mention of teaching / educating, and providing tools.  Regarding how much time is spent with patients: no amount of EXTRA time is useful if what is being taught is nonsense.  But have no worry, we're been told my ND H-B that naturopathy is common-sense medicine.

[00.01.05 ND H-B's patient Gabrielle Chernis] the great thing about starting to get care from a naturopathic doctor is that it has allowed me to educate myself. And as a mother [...] when your child becomes ill [pediatrics folks!...] it's pretty critical that we have some really good strategies right at hand [...] taking care of my own health has really empowered me to have a variety of things that I can do when my daughter gets a fever.  What should I do?  What kind of food should I give her?  What's the homeopathic remedy?  My daughter coughs at twelve midnight, I know what to do.  I hadn't really heard about homeopathy until I saw Dr. Hangee-Bauer [...]"; 

obviously, homeopathy is considered useful for treating ill children by this patient who was 'educated / empowered' by ND H-B.  Homeopathy is claim to be a 'really good strategy'.  Regarding what homeopathic remedy to take: sorry lady, it doesn't matter, they're just water and not even the homeopath can discriminate between the remedies if you unlabel them.  In this instance, naturopathic care is the doorway to homeopathic pediatric therapeutic nonsense. 

"now I have a book that's kind of just a handbook for moms ['Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants' is shown], that if a child gets a cough or a runny nose or a pinched finger, I have a hand book and a little homeopathic first aid kit in my house that I would use.  And without having been educated about this through my own care I don't know if I would be as effective caring for my children [...]";

it's rather all very cruel sounding, actually: her ND used homeopathy on her after he miseducated her about it, and now the children have to suffer it too.

"[ND H-B] it's a fundamental tenet of naturopathic medicine is to teach [...] we want people to be active participants in their health.  And to do that they need to be pointed in the right direction.  They need to know what kind of insights will help them improve their health, help them manage a chronic condition [...] it's about helping them navigate [...]";

again, it's all rather cruel sounding.  I'm all for patient's improving their lifestyle and such, but how is homeopathic nonsense helping someone?  I'd argue that having been miseducated in ND school [after all, ND H-B's alma mater does teach that within science is nonscience] it now happens clinically.  Homeopathy "the right direction", for ANY KIND OF DISEASE: no.   Have you been helped when you have been mind-fucked?  I don't think so.

Note: so THIS is family medicine!  Homeopathy / empty remedies for sick children!  This is a trimmed down version of the American Health Journal series that AANP naturopathy has up on its Youtube channel.  That source clip labels naturopathy "the art and science of natural medicine [...and calls it] a natural, vital part of the health care system [...and it does feature Murray and Pizzorno's 3rd edition] 'A Textbook on Natural Medicine.'"  The winknews.com section I've transcribed above begins 00.02.08 and ends 00.06.45.

002. and now for some scientific clarity regarding homeopathy, by way of mainly the Australian Skeptics.  Today Tonight reports in "Homeopathy is NOT Medicine" [vsc 2011-04-18]:

"[host] homeopathy generates billions of dollars in global sales [...these] so-called natural medicines [...are] used for all kinds of aliments in both adults and children.  But what's really in them? And do they actually work?  Or are they nothing more than expensive placebos? [...Richard Saunders] 'no herbs, no ingredients, it's more like witchcraft than science [...] there are laws in this country about the false labeling of medicines and homeopathy, which claims to be medicine, should be subject to those same laws' [...Simon Singh] after 200 years, and after 200 clinical trials, there is still no good evidence at all for any condition that homeopathy works [...the section reporter labels homeopathy an] absurdity [I LIKE that language!...] 'you're getting a dose of nothing'."

Note: even Phil Plait at Discover's Bad Astronomy has gotten in on it!  At TAM, a couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Saunders as he showed off his Pigasus origami creation.  These Australian connections bring back a lot of great memories I have of studying Australian film and literature at CUNY-Lehman with Gary Schwartz.  There is, by the way, quite a lot to blog about in Australia regarding naturopathy.  It is labeled "science" in its degrees, and goes even further into nonsense in some diagnostics and therapeutics [e.g., iridology, EAV and biomesotherapy] than North American naturopathy.

well, ND H-B promised "common-sense" by way of naturopathy.  Yet to meet it.