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rationallawful said on 30 June 2011

A medical therapy is an intervention which helps people's health improve, ie makes them better than before the intervention. The reason Homeopathy is popular and medically effective is because it can and does do that. What is controversial is why: is it due to (a) some physical property in the therapy?; (b) something about the way it is administered?; (c) something in the peception of the patient?; or (d) a combination of some or all of (a) to (c)? Any therapy can be effective whether due to (a), (b), (c) or (d) and it is scientisim not science to argue that a therapy cannot be classified as a 'valid' treatment in our comprehensive health service unless its effectiveness is proven to be due (eg) to (a). Furthermore so to argue is as irrational as saying a girl with red hair is barred from a job either because she's not a boy or because she's got red hair (examples of irrational inclusion / exclusion criteria). Science is wonderfully helpful in seeking to understand why something 'works' and indeed in the ranking of potential therapies in given circumstances where there is a choice between effective treatments; however certain so-called scientists in their shrill call for removal of homeopathy from the NHS have lost sight of the true aim of medicine which is the relief of suffering. Homeopathy may not be a universal panancea but it is part of the solution not part of the problem, and when practised and integrated into medical treatment (as it is) by qualified medical practitioners time and time again it demonstrates that it is a safe, effective and excellent value for money therapy which can work when 'mainstream' therapies alone fail to work.