here, I scold. Boy, quality journalism is so hard to come by these days!
001. Nick Grabbe 'reports':
001.a. in "The Long Road to Licensure" (2011-04-01):
"Massachusetts is not one of the 17 states that licenses and regulates naturopathic physicians [...but] is one of about 30 states considering some form of licensing this year [...according to] Amy Rothenberg [...who] practices in Connecticut [...and said] 'it's better to have alternative forms of medicine licensed and regulated than to leave it to an unregulated market without any consumer protection or information [...] with licensure, consumers have some degree of comfort and protection. It's better to do licensure than to leave it unclear' [...] Rothenberg has been involved in a campaign to educate lawmakers about the type of medicine she practices [...] Rothenberg herself received four years of full-time residential medical training [...] opposition to the bill has come from the Massachusetts Medical Society [keep it up!]."
001.b. in "The Naturopathic Approach" (2011-04-01):
"naturopathic physician Amy Rothenberg of Amherst [...] has about 2,000 homeopathic remedies, mostly botanicals, that she can recommend to patients."
Note: so, you got NOTHING in the story concerning specifically why naturopathy and homeopathy are criticized. Homeopathy, lets be CLEAR, is heinous in terms of science and ethical medical practice. These two pieces are blatantly promotional without a shred of objective expert content. Nice advertising, and likely unpaid too -- quite a value for naturopathy and homeopathy. Well, the claim that 30 states have stuff going on this year toward ND licensure strikes me as inflated. And an ND claiming licensure protects consumers and not foremost themselves? Licensure of bunk leads to licensed falsehood. And consumer protection and information? Hilarious. The ND had naturopathic training, not medical training, by the way.
002. Rothenberg, A. (ND NCNM 1986) states in "Amy Rothenberg ND, DHANP":
"Amy Rothenberg was born March 14, 1960 in New York City. She can be reached at the New England School of Homeopathy [...] she currently practices classical homeopathy within a naturopathic family practice, part-time, in Enfield, Connecticut [...] she is board certified in homeopathy by the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians. [...] she is the editor of the New England Journal of Homeopathy."
Note: so wow! Hugely wow! Homeopathy, homeopathy, homeopathy. Couldn't Grabbe at least have asked her specifically about the ethical position of practicing pseudotherapeutic bunk such as homeopathy, whereby empty remedies are given to patients and falsely posed as specifically effective when we PROFOUNDLY know they are not? No, because how can you properly write about complex topics that require categorical expertise from a position of apparent ignorance?
003. NCNM:
Rothenberg's alma mater, could also have been mentioned by Grabbe, wherein the hugely science-ejected and -exterior is falsely labeled science and then commercially unfairly traded upon. I'm dissatisfied.
1 comment:
Significantly, if you look at a Naturopathic curriculum, you'll find that Homeopathy makes up a very very small fraction of the curriculum. In fact, many Naturopaths do not even practice homeopathy or refer eligible patients out to a certified Homeopath if such services are needed. And those NDs who use homeopathic remedies often mix them with other treatments. Since a homeopathic remedy costs $3-$5, it's hard to claim that NDs have any financial incentive to push homeopathics, but I know for a fact that when my 4 year old gets an ear infection, a homeopathic remedy (in my first-hand experience) is very likely to cure the infection and is far less toxic or invasive than another round of antibiotics. I digress. This comment is less about the effectiveness of Homeopathy and more about the fact that NDs receive roughly the same classroom basic science training as an MD (see accreditation standards) and study a broad range of modalities from herbal medicine to prescription pharmaceutical medicine to minor surgery to physical manipulation to lab test evaluation to nutrition to homeopathic treatment. I think it's a bit insane to assume that a Naturopath is interested in pushing homeopathics on everyone when their tool box is so much bigger than that.
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