SBM on Naturopathy This NMW 2010

here, I cite from a post by Dr. Crislip at Science-Based Medicine in response to the anti-vaxx. rant of a self-described ND:

001. Mark Crislip, M.D. states in "Nine Questions: Nine Answers"(2010-05-07):

"David Mihalovic, ND [...has written] '9 Questions That Stump Every Pro-Vaccine Advocate and Their Claims' [...] the vaccine questions are grounded in misinformation, ignorance or laziness [...] Mr. Mihalovic [hear, hear per 'Mr.'] identifies himself as 'a naturopathic medical doctor who specializes in vaccine research.' However, just where the research is published is uncertain as his name yields no publications on Pubmed.  BTW, I specialize in  beer research.  Same credentials [hear, hear (my credentials sit in front of my rectus abdominis!)...] as long as we are on the topic, since he evidently places great store in science, could Mihalovic please provide one double-blind, placebo-controlled study that can prove the safety and effectiveness of naturopathy? [...] could you please provide scientific evidence on ANY study which can confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of naturopathy? [...] Milhalovic,  could you please provide scientific evidence which can prove that disease reduction in any part of the world, at any point in history was attributable to naturopathy? [...] Milhalovic, could you please explain how the safety and mechanism of naturopathic nostrums in the human body are scientifically proven if their pharmacokinetics (the study of bodily absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of ingredients) are never examined or analyzed in any naturopathic nostrum study? [...] could you please provide scientific justification as to how applying naturopathy to a human being is beneficial to human health and prevents disease? [...] I am neither stumped not defeated. I know how to search Pubmed for medical information. My response directed specifically to the questions. My arguments are based on modern studies that a 12 year old can find in less than a minute, none of which have been disproved once, much less over and over. SBM is an open mainstream venue. I do feel like I just had won Jeopardy playing against Prof. R.J. Gumby; where is the honor in that? And people wonder why I question the wisdom of allowing naturopaths to function as primary care providers."

Note: well, I can't place this ND in terms of credentials.  But, I'll keep my eyes open.  The posture is ridiculous, because the science behind vaccination is quite robust. Naturopathy itself is hugely misinforming, ignorant, and lazy can be a great umbrella for their overall lack of rigor.  My basic position is that since the naturopathic is the science-ejected vitalistic and supernatural, Dr. Crislip's 'science support' cannot occur.  Whatever naturopathy can generate regarding actual science legitimacy does not concern the 'essentially naturopathic,' it concerns items borrowed from stand-alone areas of inquiry that naturopathy has subsumed and gerrymandered.

Imaginary Prophylaxis: Homeopathy Instead of Vaccination - ND Cage, President CNDA:

here, I cite from the website of the President of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association [CNDA] regarding vaccination [see 001., below]; then, from a recent editorial in the San Fransisco Chronicle [see 002., below]; and again, from this ND who promotes homeopathy-as-a-vaccine-replacement [see 003., below]:

001. Cage, A. (ND SCNM 2002) states in "Vaccinations, Natural Immunity and Patient Rights":

"the vaccination process [...] bypasses all the body's outer defenses [and is therefore bad...vaccination] injects pathogenic organisms directly into the bloodstream [bullshit]. To make matters worse, most modern vaccinations are multi-valent [...] consist[ing] of multiple pathogenic organisms, which arrive in the body's bloodstream, at full strength [bullshit...] these pathogens have the full run of the body until the immune system can respond [...and] most of these vaccines contain various preservatives and other contaminants, such as the poison mercury, which can cause their own health problems."

Note: this sounds very false, as well as very antivax.  His facts are simply WRONG.  Vaccines are attenuated, which means that they are not full strength at all.  Therefore, vaccines are not pathogenic, because they are made to import immunity without pathosis. This sounds like typical ND science-illiteracy bullshit posturing as expertise.  The CDC has a web page "Vaccine Safety", if you want some legitimate expertise.

002. the San Fransisco Chronicle has an editorial today, "A Reality Check on Autism and Vaccines", which states:

"many worried and angry parents of an autistic child believe that vaccines may cause the disease. But it's pure myth - disproved by numerous studies and now a final slap from a British journal disowning a report that started the dangerous nonsense.  Will these parents accept reality - and allow their children to receive shots against a dozen or more illnesses? And will fringe groups [naturopathy, anyone?] that play to fears of autism give up their indefensible claims? [naturopathy, anyone?...] the Wakefield study provided an easy and dramatic message: shots [supposedly] cause autism. Avoid vaccines and save your child from the troubling condition. It's [supposedly] a scientific fact confirmed by a doctor. His findings expanded on other, equally ungrounded fears about other contaminants in vaccines [!!!]. But it was pure quackery [...it was] a flawed theory [...and all about] a disregard for science [naturopathy, anyone?]."

003. ND Cage tells us on the same page as 001.:

"treat prophylactically with homeopathy [that is, inert 'remedies'] during known outbreaks of infectious diseases [so you can falsely believe you are protected!!!...] homeopathy has been used as a preventive measure during known epidemics and has been shown to reduce both the incidence of diseases and the severity in people who do catch the illness [so why does Boots Pharmacy state otherwise?].  Treat prophylactically with homeopathy according to a schedule [so, endanger children!!!]. This in essence is similar to the vaccination process, but without the side effects of the vaccinations [and without any immunity imparted!!!]."

Note: we are told at ND Cage's biography page:

"he is currently a contributing author to the Foundations Project, a collaborative, international effort to produce a new textbook on naturopathic philosophy [which I am eager to read!!! I'll add it to my collection of ND absurdities], which is a synthesis of the traditions of naturopathic medicine [sectarian articles of faith and sCAM] and the advances of modern science [junk thought, like the above!!!]. Dr. Cage's chapter is on the Physics of the Vital Force." 

Yes, naturopathy's vitalism will be interpreted through physics.  That is, the science-ejected placed into science as if -- by a nonphysicist.  If forces belong in physics, and there is no such thing as a life force, hmmm.  Doesn't seem that vitalism-within-science can happen.  I'm thinking that the scientific basis for the science-ejected / science-unsupported is INSANE.

That's naturopathy.  INSANE.