Saturday, March 17, 2012

Homeopathy's a sCAM - SGU #348 via Richard Saunders:

here, I provide a very partial transcript of a recent Skeptics Guide to the Universe episode regarding Friends of Science in Medicine and Australian homeopathy:


"[the section is titled] Defending Science in Australia [...and begins at 00.22.40]

[per Richard Saunders] the Friends of Science in Medicine [...] a group of concerned scientists and citizens [...concerning] the ongoing waste of time and money and resources [...] courses in [...] nonsense.  And I don't use that term lightly [...] hardcore nonsense [..] iridology, homeopathy, reiki, reflexology [which is hugely 'what naturopaths do in Australia!!!'...] Australian Skeptics [...] think this is a wonderful idea [...] we are supporting them [...] but what an important initiative it is and man haven't the opposition, the quacks, been quacking loudly about this [...] the alternative medicine [...like] homeopaths [...offering] false balance [...aka] the flat earth [...claiming it's] scientifically proven [...and] effective [...it's usually a] Gish galloping [...but specifically regarding homeopathy] there's nothing in it [...it] has no ingredients [...] it's a lie, it's a sham, it's a scam [or you could say sCAM, 'so called complementary and alternative MEDICINE'].  If it were any other product it would be illegal to do this [...but] homeopathy gets a free pass  [medicine without medicine! -- 'so-called']

[...Steve Novella] why is this being supported and taught as if it were legitimate in universities? It becomes an issue of academic standards

[...RS] they're failing to uphold the standards of science 

[...and SN mentions the] utter pseudoscientific nonsense that your university is teaching."

Note: not new ground, but interesting.  Hear, hear.

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