001. @calgaryherald.com, Rob Breakenridge writes in "Breakenridge: It's Time to Proceed with a Promised Review of Homeopathic Remedies" (2018-04-24):
"how many more children have to be subjected to useless homeopathic remedies in place of legitimate, evidence-based treatment? [...] Health Canada is now investigating the case of a Victoria naturopath who says she treated a four-year-old boy with a homeopathic remedy made from rabid-dog saliva [...] one can easily find numerous Calgary naturopaths touting homeopathy on
their websites. A 2011 study by researchers at the University of Alberta
found that a whopping 94 per cent of naturopathic websites advertised
homeopathic remedies [...] back in 2012, when the province [Alberta] first announced the creation of the College of
Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta, concerns were raised that the
government was bestowing legitimacy upon a form of alternative medicine
that was not worthy of such recognition [...] concerns were raised that the Alberta government was sending a message
that visiting a naturopath was a legitimate health care choice [...]";
indeed. American readers must keep in mind that the term "college" here is regulatory body of peers, not a school.
"[and he writes of] the bizarre, pseudoscientific case for homeopathy: that the more diluted
it is, the more effective it is. It’s absurd and it’s been disproven
over and over again. Just last year, in fact, the European Academies
Science Advisory Council — which represents 29 national academies across
Europe — released a 12-page statement describing homeopathy as 'nonsense' and 'scientifically implausible' and that 'the promotion and
use of homeopathic products risks significant harms' [...] homeopathy is a logical place for policy makers and regulators to draw a
line: you can either be regulated as a health professional or you can
embrace homeopathy. You can’t do both [...]";
hear, hear.
"while we seem to still hear a lot about David Stephan, we no longer hear much about the review of naturopathic regulations that followed the father’s conviction in connection with the death of his young son Ezekiel [...who] died of bacterial meningitis which could have been treated [...when they] sought out advice from a naturopath before providing homemade remedies to their son [...] after David and his wife Collet were convicted of failing to provide the necessaries of life, Health Minister Sarah Hoffman pledged a review of those regulations [...] the supposed provincial review just kind of faded away [...]";
sadly.
