After reading an article in our local free newspaper (The Peak Advertiser) regarding a new (monthly!) alternative medicine column by local homeopath Lindsay Allison, I decided to contact the editor to ask for an interview to “balance the books”. You can now read the article in all of its homeopathic goodness (PDF 1.3MB) and also pop over to Lindsay’s website to get a flavour of what to expect; I recommend the research section for further enlightenment.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I represent the Peak District Skeptics Society, a fledgling group of scientific skeptics whose aim is to promote rational thinking within the Peak District. We cover topics that lack any empirical evidence (from UFO sightings through to alternative medicine), and were dismayed to read the column entitled Health Matters – What’s The Alternative (Peak Advertiser 6th September page 25). I believe that it is unfortunate that you have chosen to allow a practising homeopath to write a column, when her apparent particular area of expertise (homeopathy) has been comprehensively discredited and shown to be no better than a placebo; the British Medical Association has gone so far as to refer to homeopathy as witchcraft.
We refer you to the following websites which discuss why homeopathy is no better than a placebo, and why promoting it as a viable alternative to evidence based medicine could be dangerous.
http://www.1023.org.uk/
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/homeo.html
http://www.skepdic.com/homeo.html
House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Evidence Check on Homeopathy
As a newspaper primarily aimed at persons living or working within Derbyshire, you should also note that our very own PCT does not offer homeopathy via the NHS. The following is a quote from a recent document produced by the PCT:
“Homeopathy is not commissioned as there is insufficient high quality evidence on the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and safety of homeopathic medicines. Homeopathy is therefore considered a low priority and will not be commissioned by the PCT.”
NHS Derbyshire County Prior Approval/Procedures of Limited Clinical Value Summary
Whilst we are sure that Lindsay Allison wholly believes in what she practices, and would not deliberately promote practices which lack any empirical evidence, we would invite you to interview a representative of our society regarding this topic in order to obtain a more balanced point of view.
Kindest regards,
(Peak Skeptics)
Lindsay actually asked for questions to be sent to her for inclusion in her column, so my advice is, be gentle, but fire away!
Minor Edit
It was pointed out to me that the sentence starting “I believe that it is…” could be read as me suggesting that the Lindsay Allison shouldn’t be allowed to write a column for the newspaper. This not what I meant when I wrote the letter, more that the column was going to be formed primarily of content lacking the support of empirical evidence; the next letter will be better I promise!
Update – 18th September 2010
This month’s Peak Advertiser appears to be missing the alternative medicine column alluded to in the previous edition. As we haven’t had a response to our letter I’m not sure if this is a win for the Peak District Skeptics or not. Either way, it is a good result.
It isn’t too long to go now before the second QED conference in Manchester. QED is a two-day science and skepticism conference taking place in the Piccadilly Hotel, Manchester on the 10th-11th March 2012, and Peak Skeptics will be attending.
