here, I cite from a recent statement by the James Randi Educational Foundation [JREF] concerning naturopathy [see 001., below]:
001. JREF states in "'Naturopathy' Should Not Be Licensed: Statement by the JREF" (2011-02-23):
"[JREF] works to expose charlatans and help people defend themselves from dangerous paranormal and pseudoscientific claims [...has] issued this statement by JREF President D.J. Grothe on proposed licensing schemes for practitioners of naturopathy: 'states should not give out licenses for self-styled health advisers to practice what they call 'naturopathy' [...] people who aren’t qualified to practice medicine that works should not be given state approval to practice medicine that doesn’t work [hear, hear...such creates a] false impression [...that there are] standards of care that naturopaths could be required to meet [...] naturopathy is [...] vaguely defined [...] a hodge-podge of beliefs and health treatments [...with] no standards of care [of any rational consequence, I'd add...] some of which are pseudoscientific nonsense that has been repeatedly shown not to work by clinical trials [...e.g.] discredited treatments like homeopathy [which naturopathy labels science, on its own licensing exam...creating] a seal of approval to scam treatments [...] the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges says that 'naturopathic medicine is defined by principles rather than by methods or modalities' [...but] even the principles of naturopathy contradict each other [oh snap!]."
Note: I say the biggest contradiction within 'naturopathic thought' [a ha-ha-ha, 'the naturopaTHICK'] is that label they use of "science" upon the clearly science-exterior. We're all for science, but labeling the clearly science-exterior science and engaging in business upon that falsehood is a class-action suit waiting to happen. Look at Oregon, wherein naturopathy is licensed and has their own '.gov' web page that does that explicit mislabeling thing. It's sickening. I think it victimizes the public, it elevates the fake, and it increases States' liability for complicity while it allows for shared blame from the side of naturopathy, lessening their liability.
