Anti-homeopathy petition

[mollymac]

I hope it's OK to draw attention to this petition here.

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Immediately ban NHS funding of homoeopathy and redirect the resources to proven medicine."

petitions.pm.gov.uk/anti-homeopathy/

The petition will remain open until August 2008

[Dippy]

I signed it, I would like to see the money spent elsewhere in the NHS.

I have to wait to see my two consultants 3 months apart, sometimes 4 (I know, not that long compared to some but I do need to see them inbetween when things get bad but can't) and I injured my knee in August 2005, got an appointment in 2006, waited for the MRI in what seemed ages. Had it confirmed my cartlidge and ligament are kapput and only just getting to see the Ortho Surgeon in February 2008. As a result I have muscle waste on my leg and now my hip is being put to the test.

I am in utter dismay while having to go to A&E to see people lying on trolleys, queues coming out of your ears etc and money being spent on a thing like homeopathy. If you want it and believe it works, go pay for it yourself.

Rant over before I really get into the swing of things.

[Mr. Jon Donnis]

Thanks, will add that to the site

[hotchic]

How much of the Government's money is spent on Homeopathy?

Don't shoot me for that, I just wondered! Will sign if it is ridiculous!

[Dippy]

hotchic said:

How much of the Government's money is spent on Homeopathy?

A quick look on the web and I see dcscience.net/?p=167 At a meeting of the West Kent PCT board, on 27 September 2007, it was decided to withdraw all funding for homeopathy from the end of this financial year. This means the end for the Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital..

What was the £160,000 per annum actually spent on? Homeopathic medicine being basically water or sugar pills should cost practically nothing, so there should be nothing to stop any NHS doctor in any hospital offering it for free (almost), should he or she so wish. There was never any need for a homeopathy department, nor any need to spend any money on it.

And on another site I find:

The onslaught against homeopathy in some circles continues, with the news that health bosses at West Kent primary care trust (PCT) have recommended that NHS funding for their patients treated at the Tunbridge Wells homeopathic hospital be withdrawn. The hospital, one of five NHS homeopathic hospitals in the UK, currently treats around 1,000 patients a year, at a cost to the PCT of £160,000.

phoenixhomeopathy.com/blog/2007/09/29/nhs-trust-stops-homeopathy-funds/
It saddens me that this money could be spent on treatment for women with breast cancer who can't get funds for tablets available.

Michael Baum said "My concern is the issue of opportunity cost. If the NHS is spending good money on placebos at the cost of not providing effective medicines, then it does matter. The UCL hospital trust has spent £20m on refurbishing the Royal Homeopathic hospital. If that sum of money was spent on making available Herceptin and aromatase inhibitors [to treat breast cancer], then it could be saving in my own health district 600 lives a year."

www.hull.ac.uk/php/cssmv/Medical/NHS/Natural-pages/controversy.html

[hotchic]

That's good enough for me Dippy.

Will sign !

[hellyp]

The UCL hospital trust has spent £20m on refurbishing the Royal Homeopathic hospital.

Urgh bloody hell!!!

[hotchic]

Ok, Ok, have signed. £20 million is just bloody ridiculous.

[sallyanne rose]

signed :-) this utter waste of money disgusts me

[steje73]

Well, don't come running to me when you need Tea Tree rubbing on your earlobes.

(£20 mil? Bargain!)

[steje73]

Signed!