001. we're told at independent.co.uk in "NHS Tells Jeremy Hunt: Homeopathy on Prescription Should be 'Blacklisted' Because It Doesn't Work" (2017-11-30), as reported by Alex Matthews-King:
"'homeopathy and herbal remedies are among seven treatments which NHS bosses have told Jeremy Hunt [the UK Secretary of State for Health...] to officially 'blacklist' from prescriptions because of a lack of evidence about their effectiveness [...] GPs will be asked not to prescribe them any more and to take patients
off these treatments if they’re currently being prescribed on the NHS [...] Dr Andrew Green, GP prescribing lead for the British Medical
Association, said [...] 'any treatment on the NHS needs to demonstrate
it is safe and provides clinical benefits to the patient' [...] groups opposed to the NHS funding of homeopathy welcomed the news
saying it would save money for patients, and make clear that homeopathy
is no more than 'sugar pills' [...such as] Humanists UK [...]";
another nail in homeopathy's coffin.
"in the British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical
Society’s responses to NHS England’s report on low-value treatments,
both organizations said homeopathy should be blacklisted [...] the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also
said multiple reviews had 'showed no evidence of the effectiveness of
homeopathy'";
that's quite a preponderance.
"[other] treatments proposed for blacklisting are: co-proxamol [a pharmaceutical that Wikipedia states has 'weak pain-killing abilities, addictiveness, [and an] association with drug deaths and possible heart problems, including arrhythmia'...] glucosamine and chondroitin [...] herbal treatments [...] lutein and antioxidants, supplements for sight degeneration, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, rubefacients used to relieve muscle pain [...] clinical evidence should take priority over anecdotal reports from patients who say it helps them [...]";
wow! Herbals. With naturopathy often claiming that there's an herb or herb mixture for every ailment, that's huge. And supplements, and the anecdotal.
"the Health Secretary has previously been forced to defend his position on homeopathy after he signed an early day motion in support of the treatments on the NHS in 2007. He subsequently clarified he did this on behalf of a constituent while still a 'young MP', but as Health Secretary he 'follows the evidence' on what works [...]";
that's a very positive development.
"Dr Helen Beaumont president of the Faculty of Homeopathy, which represents doctors using homeopathic treatments, including some in the NHS, said: 'NHS England’s decision makes no clinical or economic sense' [...]';
spoken like a true opponent: practicing nonsense, turning the definition of sense on its head.
