[news] Homeopathy to save the NHS

[synaesthesia]

And the daft thing is, this is a serious comment by an MP, someone actually in power.

 

Astrology could solve crisis in the NHS, says Tory MP - Telegraph

 

So my moron of the month award is shared by both this idiot and anyone that voted for him. Who's using the shared brain cell round there at the moment?

[LiamH]

Member of the science and technology committee.. no idea how people like this get elected.

[synaesthesia]

He is up for moron of the month against some strong competition, including Apple for moaning about someone stealing their ideas and being patent trolls. (Pot. Kettle. Black)

[3s-gtech]

 

How dare someone with no understanding of science, the scientific method or the progress that scientific understanding has made since the time of people like Hypocrates make public statements like that? That is absolutely appalling.

 

"Ninety per cent of pregnant French women use homeopathy." - what one Eart does that prove? That ninety percent of pregnant French women know nothing about modern medicine? Big woo.

 

"Astrology was until modern times part of the tradition of medicine. I think it is a great pity that so many scientists today are dismissive of right-side brain energy, such as intuition." - moronic claptrap. Do some research. Understand that astrology is an old belief, from a time before modern scientific understanding. It has been superceded, debunked and dismissed and has no place in modern life, let alone medicine. Now get a clue, and ideally, a new job.

 

Makes me very angry.

[sonofsanta]

To lighten the mood and lessen the anger we all feel that people like this think they are capable of making decisions for us all:

 

He seems the kind of person to believe the "humans only use 10% of their brain!" myth, although to be fair that does appear to be true in his case.

 

In good news, there's a Monster Raving Loony party candidate in my constituency this May. I am seriously considering it. At least they're honest.

[synaesthesia]

Apparently this guy is also on the board for science and technology???

[Andrew_C]

Good people of Bosworth;- you voted for this moron.

[sted]

 

"Astrology was until modern times part of the tradition of medicine. I think it is a great pity that so many scientists today are dismissive of right-side brain energy, such as intuition." - moronic claptrap. Do some research. Understand that astrology is an old belief, from a time before modern scientific understanding. It has been superceded, debunked and dismissed and has no place in modern life, let alone medicine. Now get a clue, and ideally, a new job.

 

Makes me very angry.

 

there may be something in it but ONLY from the point that if the patient believes its going to make them better that can actually help make them better and the amount of time spent with a medical professional probably makes them feel better. Isnt that pretty much a description of the placebo effect?

 

as to the original point ive heard worse. On the daily show they were showing footage of a us senator asking if you could swallow a camera to look at a pregnant womans baby

[abillybob]

In good news, there's a Monster Raving Loony party candidate in my constituency this May. I am seriously considering it. At least they're honest.

 

I like their policies, they make sense:

 

Go anyway you wish around a roundabout

Socks to come in a 3 pack just in case you loose one sock

Pokemon to be an endangered and protected species

Tax payers to receive Nectar Points from HMRC

Will instruct the RSPCA to make sure that all Meerkats come in pairs so that the public can ensure they're effectively comparing the meerkat

 

I also think Al Murray knows what we all want from politicians:

[peterp]

Homeopathy has been scientifically proven to treat at least one condition!

 

Thirst.

[jinnantonnixx]

there may be something in it but ONLY from the point that if the patient believes its going to make them better that can actually help make them better and the amount of time spent with a medical professional probably makes them feel better. Isnt that pretty much a description of the placebo effect?

 

^^^ This. Sometimes there's absolutely nothing wrong with the patient, and a formally administered placebo will actually help. In this case the patient believes in the cure and is satisfied. Of course real conditions require real medicines.

Edited February 26, 2015 by jinnantonnixx

[Arreks]

It's times like these where I listen to Tim Minchin so I can laugh off the stupidity of others.

[pcstru]

there may be something in it but ONLY from the point that if the patient believes its going to make them better that can actually help make them better and the amount of time spent with a medical professional probably makes them feel better. Isnt that pretty much a description of the placebo effect?

Err, no, not really. With the placebo effect, all other factors should have been eliminated through the use of double blind trials (neither Dr or patient knows who is getting what). It is a measurable effect, so Homeopathy and other alternative treatments could be expected to replicate that measure (they are _as_ effective as a placebo). Interestingly on your point of "spending time with medical professionals", there is some evidence that the placebo effect remains even when the patients are told they are receiving a placebo (control groups receiving no treatment but still spending time with medical professionals trial paper).

 

Of course, this kind of ignorance is de-rigour in political circles and we even have a wannabe King who espouses this kind of nonsense. It is almost funny until you read of the children who are denied treatment they need by parents who believe the quack pedallers and send off for the magic water instead of visiting a Dr and receiving in some cases simple, effective modern treatment. Perhaps David Tredinnick could bear those in mind when he decides to open his gob and share his vast ignorance with the world. Tax payers money should not be spent on quack treatments in the NHS, under any circumstances, ever.

[sonofsanta]

Do you know what we call alternative medicine that works?

 

"Medicine".

[Arreks]

Do you know what we call alternative medicine that works?

 

"Medicine".

 

Storm is one of my favourite Minchin pieces!

[peterp]

Dara o Briain at his best.

Edited February 26, 2015 by peterp

[sparkeh]

Apparently we are all racist for opposing his views

"They are also ignorant, because they never study the subject and just say that it is all to do with what appears in the newspapers, which it is not, and they are deeply prejudiced, and racially prejudiced, which is troubling."

[mats]

I think Bosworth is one of those areas where anybody in a blue rosette gets voted in - Tredinnick has been mp there since 1987.

[sparkeh]

I think Bosworth is one of those areas where anybody in a blue rosette gets voted in - Tredinnick has been mp there since 1987.

I was going to say let's hope his share of the votes goes down but in Homoeopathy terms that would make him more powerful.

[abillybob]

Apparently we are all racist for opposing his views

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29356[/ATTACH]

 

He has a point. You're all just saying this because you're compulsive racists.

Edited February 26, 2015 by abillybob

[witch]

He has a point. You're all just saying this because you're compulsive racists.

 

Nope

Grammar Nazi

(fixed that for you )

[Andrew_C]

I'm prejudiced; against idiot Tory MPs. In fact MOST MPs...

[sparkeh]

Nope

Grammar Nazi

(fixed that for you )

Boo! I'm not allowed to give you any more rep at the moment so one of these will have to suffice

[abillybob]

Nope

Grammar Nazi

(fixed that for you )

 

Don't know what you're on about!?!?

[pcstru]

I'm prejudiced; against idiot Tory MPs.

Isn't that tautology?