Current Affairs

Vodcast: Homeopathy Defended

This Vodcast is unedited because I consider edited vodcasts to be slightly less than authentic.
See “Why that parliamentary report was disingenuous” for related content. Read more »


Why that parliamentary report was disingenuous

I have gone on record as saying two things about the Science and Technology Committee’s report on Homeopathy:

It is one of the least impressive documents to emerge from the House of Commons for some time.
It is in at least one part deeply disingenuous.

Yes, yes I know you want evidence. Well my first comment is subjective [...] Read more »


Science Committee ignores Health Minister’s advice

I guess it was predictable. Despite the strong words of Health Minister, Mike O’Brien in favour of liberty and democracy, the crew of MPs on the Science and Technology Committee announced this morning that “the NHS should cease funding homeopathy. It also concludes that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) should not [...] Read more »


Big Day for NHS Homeopathy, Liberty and Democracy

Today is a red letter for NHS homeopathy, democracy and liberty in the UK.
At 10.00 am this morning the MPs of the Science and Technology Committee will issue their report on their view of the provision of homeopathy on the NHS.
Much was said at the hearings of the committee in December but the most memorable, [...] Read more »


The ‘English Disease’ is no joke

Giving diseases a national identity, an inanely xenophobic practice at best, is now regarded as politically incorrect. Referring to rubella as ‘German measles’ might still be considered merely naïve, but any mention of ‘mongolism’ (once a widely used synonym for Down’s Syndrome) is likely to be met with severe censure. The term ‘French letters’ has [...] Read more »


Surprise! Surprise! Stress can cause heart attacks!

In a discovery of cosmic significance, it has just been proved scientifically that men are more likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes after enduring great stress. Didn’t we already know this? Apparently not. Let me explain…
Organisations such as the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have until now claimed that ‘there is no evidence to [...] Read more »


The Disappearance of the G-spot

In the history of anatomy, it is an extremely rare occurrence for a part of the body to be declared not to exist. Yet this week the Journal of Sexual Medicine will publish an article that claims that the ‘idea of a G-spot is subjective’ – which means that the much written and chattered about [...] Read more »


NHS Medicine, Liberty, Money and 2009

So what can we say about the year that was? There is a curse that says: ‘May you live in interesting times!’ and for those of us who support whole-person medicine, 2009 was an interesting year indeed.
For the loud and aggressive espousers of the school of fundamentalist naïve realism in medicine, 2009 started well but [...] Read more »


Breaking News! Government backs NHS Homeopathy!

Dec 1, 2009: A wonderful day for British Homeopathy

Here follow the immortal words of Health Minister, Mike O’Brien: ‘We take the view that it is not our job to stop clinicians prescribing these medications if they feel they are appropriate.’ See more here. Striking a blow for liberty worthy of John Stuart Mill, [...] Read more »


Homeopathy goes to the Houses of Parliament!

This week the ‘homeopathic question’ was asked by a House of Commons Science & Technology Committee. A mixture of experts and alleged ‘experts’ were apparently ‘grilled’ in order to ascertain whether there is any evidence that homeopathy works. You can see a transcript of the proceedings here:
Dr Peter Fisher, chief physician at the Royal London [...] Read more »