We all like things to be safe, and whatever we buy, or accept from a doctor, to not kill people, right?
However, in a place called reality land, there is a move afoot to ban alternative medicine, supplements and herbal medicines, because they don't have randomised controlled studies proving safety, efficacy and need! Ironic isn't it. In this particular world, Ernst et al, and the Goldacre's and so-called Science Media Centres of the world, attempt to rule. Quite often, the BMJ gets into the spirit of alternative bashing, usually at Christmas time. True to their past, they did, this year, as well.
How are herbs, homeopathy or acupuncture considered to be acceptable to anyone? Do they help people? Not according to the system. Do they kill people? Yes! because they stop people seeking "real" help!!! Are there homeopathic drug reactions which kill and maim as many people as pharmaceutical drugs, prescribed by doctors do? Errr no, according to Ernst, because there isn't anything in them. Are they safe? No, because they stop people taking these real drugs which happen to maim and kill lots of people every year.
How do you judge "safety"?
Is the choice to use alternative medicine yours? One day, will someone take that choice away from you, while you were looking the other way, and assuming you lived in a democracy?
*Just how many people are killed or injured by vitamins, minerals and herbs? You can download the 2008 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 26th Annual Report. Clinical Toxicology (2009). 47, 911-1084. for free, here. Have a look at vitamin statistics in Table 22B, Pgs 1052-3; minerals, herbs, amino acids and other supplemtns are in the same table pages 1047-8.
The result? There were no deaths from any amino acid or herbal products: blue cohosh, echinacea, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, kava kava, St. John's wort , valerian, yohimbe, Asian medicines, ayurvedic medicines, or any other botanical. There were NO deaths from creatine, blue-green algae, glucosamine, chondroitin, melatonin, or any homeopathic remedies. There were NO deaths in 2008 from any dietary mineral supplement; from calcium, magnesium, chromium, zinc, colloidal silver, selenium, iron, or multimineral supplements, etc.
Two children died after being prescribed and administered the antacid sodium bicarbonate in a healthcare setting. The other "Electrolyte and Mineral" category death was due to a man accidentally drinking a toxic compund used to get rid of grease in plumbing, called sodium hydroxide. No-one was killed by nutritional supplements, vitamin supplements, mineral supplements or herbs. And vaccines which can maim and kill people are listed as having no serious side effects and causing no deaths. Yet a group of anti-alternative medicine, who deny vaccine reactions; are members of a profession which collects data on deaths from supplements; and who would string up anyone who 'caused 'even one death in the alternative medicine world ---- want alternative medicine outlawed as being "snakeoil", and their practitioners run out of town, because .... they are dangerous! Compared with what? What they really mean is that they want everyone to comply with taking the very toxic drugs which consistently feature in the top ten catagories killing and maiming people. Which FDA license .... as safe and effective. Ironic isn't it. A democracy is sometimes more dangerous to live in, than a dictatorship, because people who live in democracies assume that their rights to choose, will automatically be protected. People who live in dictatorships, know that their governments don't give a damn, so they silently protect valuable traditions underground, because they know they are essentially on their own when the chips are down. In these so-called democratic parts of the world, like the Australia, UK, NZ, USA, Canada etc, there is a very real risk that people will have their choices cut out underneath them without them knowing, because they presume that they will always have the right to make any health choice they want. Right now, we still do, to a large degree. In some ways, New Zealand has extra protection, because nothing can be seen to cause ructions within Maori traditional medicine practices under the Treaty of Waitangi, so if they mess with other alternative medical modalities, an extra lever can be applied against the Ministry of Health. Regardless, the MOH does have a ways and means committee, constantly looking for ways to insert the nose of the camel. Ernst et al make regular forays into the New Zealand Medical Journal, and the drug companies handsomely financed "Science Media Centres" in all developed countries with just such a mission in mind. The end aims are simple; their words betray their motives, and it's all there to see, for those who know where to look. The aim of the drug companies and their "employees" are compliance and control. Whether they succeed is up to you. * The information about the drug reactions was obtained from a press release put out by the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service.
