holistic
I am always delighted when I find authors who think in a similarly rational way as I. When it comes to the subject if INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, this sadly is a rare occasion. I know that most medics would be critical of it, but only few are sufficiently insensed to publish a paper on their criticism. Here is the abstract of a recent article that is a rare exception:
The term integrative medicine claims to describe a third category in clinical practice, somewhere between conventional evidence-based medicine and alternative therapies. This article argues that this category is conceptually confused and often misleading. If an intervention is supported by good evidence, is safe in practice, clinically useful and cost-effective, it should simply become part of regular medicine. If an intervention does not have such evidence, it does not become stronger by being called integrative. The article examines how the language of integrative medicine works. It shows how one attractive label can bring together two very different things: evidence-based supportive care on the one hand, and weakly supported or unproven interventions on the other. This creates the impression that both have the same clinical status, even when they do not. The article also discusses the possible consequences for patients, including confusion about evidence, false confidence in unproven treatments, and reduced adherence to effective care. Drawing on more than a decade of experience evaluating complementary medical claims through foundation IOCOB (a foundation to study complementary medicine) , it argues for a simpler and more honest approach. Proven interventions should be called medicine. Unproven interventions should be called unproven. Disproven interventions should be called disproven. There are not two equal medicines waiting to be synthesised. There is only medicine that has earned its place, and medicine that has not.tive medic ine m
True words well expressed!
We have discussed interated medicine on this blog more often than I care to mention. The response of proponents usually is that INTEGRATED MEDICINE is so much more than just using alternative treatments. If we look at this claim, we quickly realise that the “so much more” are things stolen from conventional medicine (which proponents denounce by their claim of neglecting these things). If they feel that important bits of healthcare are being neglected, the proper reaction would be to reform medicine and rectify the situation. Instead the proponents put their money on INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE which undeniably is at least partly an attempt to smuggle unproven treatments into healthcare.
I wrote “at least partly” which is, in fact, generous to the extreme! If we look up what the clinics of INTEGRATED MEDICNE actually offer, we quickly realise that it is much more that “partly” – it is their main and lucrative business.
Sorry, but to me this is deeply dishonest!
The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Products (AEMPS) has just published a comprehensive technical report entitled “Homeopathy and Homeopathic Products: Evaluation of Evidence on Their Efficacy and Safety”, which categorically concludes that there is no scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of homeopathy as a therapeutic tool. After a systematic review of scientific literature and evaluations by state agencies internationally, the report states that the observed effects are comparable to placebo.
The report, which analyzed 64 systematic reviews published since 2009, highlights that most studies suggesting benefits from homeopathy have low methodological quality, often invalidated by small samples, short follow-up periods, or biases in randomization. Furthermore, it notes that as the quality and rigor of clinical trials increase, the supposed effect of homeopathy diminishes until it disappears entirely.
From a scientific standpoint, the principles of homeopathy clash with the laws of physics and current pharmacology. In typical dilutions like 12 CH—where one part of the original substance is mixed with 100 parts of solvent twelve times consecutively—it is mathematically impossible for a single molecule of the original ingredient to remain in the preparation, breaking any cause-and-effect relationship between the product and the therapeutic effect.
To illustrate this disproportion, the report points out that a dilution of just 6 CH (far less extreme than 12 CH) equates to dissolving a packet of sugar in the entire Mediterranean Sea. For this reason, the AEMPS classifies theories like “water memory”—the belief that the liquid retains the properties of a substance even without its molecules—as empirically baseless postulates that challenge scientific and rational thinking.
In compliance with European and national regulations, the AEMPS has completed a regularization process that has resulted in the market withdrawal of numerous products. As of the report’s publication date, no homeopathic product with authorized therapeutic indications exists in Spain. The 976 that remain registered did so via a simplified procedure, based on extreme dilutions ensuring the preparation’s innocuousness, which does not require proof of therapeutic effect and legally prohibits any therapeutic claims on labeling.
Spain aligns with a global trend of health institutions adopting critical stances:
- United Kingdom: The Science and Technology Committee recommended halting public funding and requiring labeling warnings about lack of efficacy.
- Australia: The National Health and Medical Research Council concluded that homeopathy should not be used for chronic or serious diseases.
- France: The Haute Autorité de Santé eliminated public reimbursement for these products in 2021 due to lack of demonstrated efficacy.
- Germany: Approval is expected in 2026 for the definitive removal of homeopathy coverage from statutory health insurance.
- United States: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers these products “unapproved new drugs,” and the Federal Trade Commission requires warnings that there is no scientific evidence of their functioning.
Although there is a popular belief that these preparations are innocuous because they are “natural,” serious adverse reactions have been reported, including poisonings from poor dosing and infant deaths linked to teething products in other countries.
However, the AEMPS warns that the main associated risk is the abandonment or delay of proven effective medical treatments. Citizens opting for homeopathy to treat serious or chronic conditions may endanger their health by replacing evidence-based therapies with products lacking such evidence.
The AEMPS report reaffirms the Ministry’s commitment to public health protection and evidence-based medicine. In line with other international agencies, it emphasizes the need for transparent information so citizens can make safe health decisions. The conclusion of the report is firm:
Given the lack of evidence of efficacy, homeopathy cannot be considered a valid therapeutic alternative, and its use must not lead to delaying or abandoning treatments proven to be effective.
The Nazi’s endorsement of homeopathy during the Third Reich was a complex fusion of pseudo-science, ideology and pragmatic policy. Homeopathy was deemed to align ideologically with National Socialism’s völkisch worldview and, foremost, it was considered to be practical:
- It had pure German (“Aryan”) origins.
- It was considered to be natural.
- It was inexpensive.
- It was abundantly available.
- It was deemed to be harmless.
Several top Nazis also promoted “New German Healing” (Neue Deutsche Heilkunde), which integrated natural therapies like homeopathy into healthcare emphasizing racial purity, folk traditions, and self-reliance. Conventional medicine (“Schulmedizin”) was derided as “Jewish medicine” (verjudete Medizin), tainted by Jewish physicians who were disproportionately represented in German academia and practice. By purging Jews – over 5,000 doctors were expelled by 1935 – the Nazis created a vacuum which they filled with “Aryan” alternatives, e.g. the “Heilpraktiker” framing homeopathy as a proud German invention free from “internationalist” or capitalist pharmaceutical dependencies.
Pragmatic motives amplified this support. Homeopathy was inexpensive, used mostly locally available materials and promised self-sufficiency amid wartime shortages of synthetic drugs. Heinrich Himmler championed it personally, funding research and integrating it into SS clinics; Rudolf Hess, the “Deputy of the Führer”, was also a vocal advocate. The regime licensed homeopathic training, established research institutes, and started a most comprehensive research program of homeopathy. In one of the darkest chapters, the SS conducted experiments at the Dachau concentration camp to test homeopathic treatments for various conditions. Authors from the era celebrated homeopathy as compatible with Nazi racial hygiene, linking it to family doctors fostering generational health.
However, the outcomes were far from what homeopaths had hoped for. The Donner Report on the Nazi’s large research program of 1941–1943 revealed “wholly negative” findings: homeopathic remedies failed catastrophically. Official evaluations deemed it ineffective for epidemics, leading to its sidelining in military hospitals by 1943. After the war, German homeopaths suppressed these findings by making the documents disappear.
Yet the Nazi legacy endures. Nazi promotion entrenched homeopathy in German culture, at least partly explaining its persistence today. This contributed to vaccine hesitancy during COVID-19, as historical distrust of “allopathic” medicine (like “Schulmedizin, a derogatory term created by Hahnemann) lingered.
The Third Reich history of homeopathy highlights how pseudo-science tends to thrive under authoritarianism, masking inefficacy with nationalism, dogma or untruths. While the Nazis tolerated homeopathy for ideological purity, its empirical failure exposed the regime’s bankruptcy.
The parallels to what is currently happening to healthcare in the US are difficult to overlook.
I recently came across an aricle entitled “Reiki for Stress Relief” which I thought was excptional even for the often surprising literature on Reiki. Here is the abstract:
Reiki is Holistic. It isn’t just about the mental, or just about the physical, but both, and an overall restoration and improvement to you. And as we know, often the mental and physical are linked.
While the scientific understanding of Reiki’s effects on emotional blocks is still evolving, many individuals report subjective benefits, such as emotional release, relaxation, and a greater sense of inner peace, following Reiki sessions.
As the philosophy of Reiki is grounded in holistic medicine and thought, it is imperative to continue that tradition and also integrate other scientific -backed therapies such as the ones your doctor may suggest if you have a serious medical or mental condition. A balanced approach is key, and Reiki is possibly a powerful tool and philosophy that can be the missing key or complement to your current care regimen.
This is impressive! Don’t you just love how it’s ‘grounded in holistic thought’ while the scientific understanding is ‘still evolving’ ? That’s a very elegant way of admitting ‘we’re still waiting for the first piece of evidence’. And we all appreciate the disclaimer to actually see a real doctor as soon as we are truly ill.
The Canadian comedian Mayce Galoni had perhaps the best measure of Reiki when he did his stand-up bit about his nephew “becoming a Reiki master” at the age of 21: “My 21-year-old nephew is now a Reiki master. I didn’t even know you could be a master of anything at 21… Reiki is the only career where you can get paid for doing exactly what I do when I can’t find the TV remote.”
- “The Law of Karma: What you sow is what you reap. If you plant carrots, don’t expect to harvest watermelons.”
- “If you want to see change in the world, become the change you want to see.”
- “If you want to reach a state of Bliss — make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved and the need to judge.”
- “Negative people deplete your energy. Surround yourself with love and nourishment and do not allow the creation of negativity in your environment.”
- “If you want to do really important things in life and big things in life, you can’t do anything by yourself. And your best teams are your friends and your siblings.”
- “Everyone is acting from his own level of consciousness. This is all we can ask of ourselves or anyone else.”
You probably guessed: these gems of wisdom originate from, Deepak Chopra, the guru of platitude-loving Americans. If you don’t want to spend your money on buying one of his books, you can go on the Internet, find one of several available ‘bullshit generators’ and create similarly profound wisdoms all by yourself.
As Deepak is seen to be virtually overflowing with wisdom, spirituality, consciousness, and holistic health, it is perhaps surprising to find his inclusion in the Epstein Files. The link stems primarily from email correspondence and other communications between him and Epstein that have been made public as part of the ongoing disclosures. The records show repeated exchanges dating from at least 2016 through 2019 — well after Epstein’s 2008 conviction as a sex offender — in which the two men discuss a range of topics. These include scheduling meetings or meetings plans, mentions of other public figures, discussions tied to Chopra’s book projects, and exchanges that veer into casual and at times explicit language about “girls” or women. One of the widely circulated emails has Chopra writing to Epstein, “God is a construct. Cute girls are real,” in an apparently informal exploration of consciousness and personal views.
Another released thread shows discussions about meeting logistics, references to public figures such as Marla Maples (the former wife of Donald Trump), and social anecdotes that reveal the personal tenor of some exchanges. These materials were part of the dataset provided to Congress under subpoena as part of its oversight of the Epstein files.
Inclusion in the Epstein Files does not establish that Chopra was involved in any criminal activity or exploitative conduct. U.S. authorities and journalists emphasise that the raw disclosures document communications and connections — not necessarily illegal behavior — and require careful interpretation.
Nonetheless, many of the public reactions to Chopra’s appearance in these disclosures have been sharp. Social media posts and news coverage have highlighted the tone of certain messages, leading to debate and scrutiny from both followers and critics. In response to the heightened attention and criticism, Deepak Chopra issued a public statement acknowledging the gravity of what has been revealed and offering regret for the way some past communications may read in light of what the world now widely knows about Epstein’s crimes. He wrote on social media that he was “deeply saddened by the suffering of the victims in this case” and that he “unequivocally condemn[s] abuse and exploitation in all forms.” Chopra also stated that any contact he had with Epstein was “limited and unrelated to abusive activity,” and he described some of his past messages as reflecting “poor judgment in tone.”
One such ‘sharp reaction’ appeared on Facebook. As it is quite funny as well as very poignant, allow me to show it to you:
Annie McCubbin 6 February at 10:20
WOW DEEPAK THIS SEEMS TO BE A QUANTUM OF A MESS YOU’VE GOT YOURSELF INTO.
Well looky looky here. In the quantum field of possibilities, Deepak has manifested himself one thousand three hundred mentions in the Epstein files.
With the cavalier camaraderie of two average dudes leaning on the bonnet of a pick-up truck, Chopra and Epstein, amid nauseating pseudo intellectual discourse, discuss the noises cute girls make, and whether or not Deepak had found Epstein a cute Israeli.
This, it should be noted, is ten years after Epstein was registered as sex offender of children.
Chopra has made an admission, of sorts. It has the tone of someone who has spent his life beguiling his followers from behind a screen of opaque confounding verbiage, so I guess it’s true to form when he writes the sentence: –
‘Some past emails have surfaced that reflect poor judgement in tone. I regret that and understand how they read today given what was publicly known at the time.’
No Deepak, you purveyor of impenetrable piffle, it’s not how they read ‘today’, it’s just how they read. So how about you take out the obfuscating ‘today’, turn comments back on, come out from behind the infinite consciousness of the karmic trance of the egoic super self, and face the music.
These emails are not anachronistic innocent exchanges between two older gentlemen musing in a reflective way about the opposite sex. No, these men presented a clear and present danger to women. These exchanges are between a seventy-one-year grifter who has promised his millions of followers hope and healing, and a sixty-four-year-old registered sex offender who had been charged with procuring a minor for prostitution.
So, this great spiritual leader. This purveyor of divine transcendence. This guru who imbues his incomprehensible gobbledy gook with the historical spiritual relevance of the subcontinent, has shown a complete paucity of decency, care and morality
Not only are his discussions with Epstein disturbing but they’re peppered with moments where he cynically mocks his own spiritual repartee.
Perhaps his millions of followers who may have felt spiritually dull witted, may be relieved to discover that his entire shtick is a simple reordering of the following eighteen words:-Consciousness, meditation, infinite, universe, god, vibration, stillness, mirror, manifest, luminous. elemental, connection, awareness, love, gratitude, eternal, karma, and divine.
His collection of books, videos, podcasts, products like ‘The ritual care kit.’ supplements and ‘wellness retreats.’ are not the result of Deepak’s deep wisdom but merely pseudoscientific quasi spiritual guff, concocted with all the care of a four-year-old making a cake with dirt, a hair clip, their mothers Estée Lauder anti-aging cream and the stuffing from the dog’s toy rabbit.
Why do so many of us collapse so willingly into the arms of these grifter gurus?
Well, we are told the answer to our emptiness is to look within. We are just an inspirational quote away from happiness. We are seduced by bite sized morsels of the transcendent to sooth our souls.
We can ask what is missing from my life, and the answer will be delivered in three hours via Amazon. $35 plus shipping. How easy is it to sit on our couches and have the soothing tone of Deepak deliver an immersive learning experience into our noise cancelling head phones? Maybe we may muse, it would be truly beneficial to attend one of his wellness retreats. What’s money when we’re on the path to enlightenment? Perhaps we’ll discover the divine goddess within? Seems easier than fighting for the actual rights of women.
Connecting to the self is given a big rap in wellness circles but it seems to be at the cost of reconnecting with others.
The self-care, self-love movement, implying poverty or illness is a misalignment with the abundance on offer from the universe, absolves its’ followers of any responsibility to help others. You sick or poor? Manifest better.
It has been a fabulous distraction from the rapacity of the neocons, dismantling our social structures and denuding our public services, confident in the knowledge we’re too busy healing from within to look outward.
But the empty void within will not be filled by listening to the lilting tones of Deepak. By all means work out your maladaptive patterns and beliefs by talking to a psychologist but maybe swear off the gurus for a bit. It seems they all, at some point, fall from grace.
Chopra while preaching love compassion and peace, was showing off to his convicted sex offender friend, that he can play the misogynistic game as good as the big boys. Meanwhile women all over the world are dying at the hands of their partners. Men schooled and supported in the ideology that women are lesser beings to be controlled, used, punished and discarded.
To so lightly squander the loyalty of your trusting audience seems careless of you Deepak, but maybe the grifting isn’t over. Maybe you can obfuscate out of this, and have an online well published dark night of the soul replete with a brand-new great awakening. There has to be a couple of apps and a book in it.
I hope not. I hope this tearing in the space time continuum has revealed the black hole of grifting where the snake oil salesman sit waiting with their three easy payment options.
Anyway, let us end on one of Deepak’s quotes. ‘Karma memory and desire are just the software of the soul.’
Well Deepak, better strap in, I hear karma can be a real bitch.
The US stands on the precipice of the destruction of public health. This might be best exemplified by the loss of its measles-free status. In 2000, the U.S. had been classified as having “eliminated” measles, meaning the virus was no longer constantly circulating within its borders. Following a year of record-breaking outbreaks, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is now reviewing whether to officially revoke this status.
The technical definition of losing elimination status is the continuous transmission of the same strain of a virus for more than 12 months. In 2025, the US experienced over 2,400 confirmed cases—the highest count since 1991—driven by major outbreaks in Texas, South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah. While health officials once relied on high vaccination rates to “wall off” imported cases, that protection has now crumbled. National MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination rates for kindergartners have fallen below the 95% threshold required for achieving herd immunity. This leaves communities vulnerable to the kind of rapid spread seen over the past year.
The resurgence of measles is inextricably linked to the shift in federal health policy under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). His influence has transformed vaccine hesitancy in the US from a fringe movement into a pillar of federal discourse. Kennedy has frequently misused his position to question the safety and necessity of the MMR vaccine, at one point suggesting that “natural infection” might be preferable to vaccination—a claim experts call dangerously misleading given that measles can cause encephalitis, permanent hearing loss, and death. Under Kennedy’s leadership, the CDC has been staffed with notorious anti-vaxers and reduced the number of recommended childhood vaccines and emphasized “personal choice” over community mandates. This shift has emboldened several states to loosen school entry requirements, leading to a record number of non-medical vaccine exemptions. By replacing members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with anti-vaxers, Kennedy has signaled a move away from the decades of scientific consensus that underpinned the 2000 elimination achievement.
Kennedy – who has no medical background and does clearly not understand science – argues that the primary threat to US health is not infectious disease but chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, obesity, and autism), which he feels are linked to environmental factors and food quality. His alternatives include advocating for “real food,” reducing ultra-processed foods, and discouraging the use of seed oils and certain pesticides. He has promoted the consumption of unpasteurized dairy, despite warnings from health officials regarding bacterial risks. He advocates for ending water fluoridation, claiming it contributes to chronic health issues in children. Kennedy also believes that “natural infection” – contracting the disease itself – can be a preferable alternative to vaccination for certain illnesses. He has expressed his support for un- or disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin for viral infections, as well as the use of psychedelics and stem cells in broader health contexts. His MAHA plan promotes a “holistic” approach that combines conventional medicine withhis complementary therapies like supplements and acupuncture.
To make matters even worse, the US officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026. This finalized a process that began on January 20, 2025, when Trump signed Executive Order 14155 on his first day in office. His previous attempt during his 1st term to leave the WHO was reversed by the Biden administration in 2021.
Losing measles-free status is more than a symbolic blow; it has practical and dire consequences. It signals to the world that the US public health infrastructure is failing to contain one of the most contagious diseases known to man. It means that “rare” outbreaks will become a permanent fixture of American life, requiring constant vigilance for infants too young to be vaccinated and the immunocompromised. And it bodes badly, of course, for the time when the next pandemic will emerge.
As the CDC completes its genomic sequencing to determine if the 2025 outbreaks constitute a single, unbroken chain of transmission, the US faces a choice. We are witnessing a “natural experiment” in real-time—one where the cost of Kennedy’s sick ideology is being paid in the form of preventable hospitalizations and lives lost. To put it bluntly: either the US gets rid of Kennedy and swiftly reverses his detrimental initiatives, or many US citizens will suffer ill health and even die because of his actions.
The WHO says it is sifting the wheat from the chaff in order to save lives – but critics fear it is pandering to India and China; this TELEGRAPH article is worth reading in full; here I will merely quote a few passages from it.
Mongolian shamans beat wicker drums to summon ancestral spirits. A Peruvian man in a headdress unleashes a piercing ululation. And a man from Kentucky tells me the body can rid itself of cancer if you eat the right shrubs. It is a line-up one might expect at the healing field at Glastonbury but this is a conference centre in New Delhi and the event has been organised by the World Health Organization; the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. It’s the second gathering of its kind, following an inaugural meeting in Gujarat in 2023, and the three-day event has drawn hundreds of delegates from around the world. Alongside yoga instructors, aromatherapists, Chinese herbal practitioners and a small army of homeopaths, sit senior WHO officials, leading scientists and health ministers from across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Only Gwyneth Paltrow and her wellness website Goop is missing. They are here to “harness the potential” of traditional medicine, a catch-all term for practices that pre-date, and sit outside, modern evidence-based healthcare; therapies that for the most part have long been dismissed as quackery by mainstream science. What counts as “traditional medicine” ranges from drinking herbal teas to Indian Ayurveda, a holistic “wellness system” combining oils, herbs, homeopathy, yoga and meditation to “balance” and “heal” the body. To critics – and there are many – the scene is absurd.
So why is the WHO – a global authority on evidence-based health – giving a platform to this stuff? Has it fallen victim to the seductive power of TikTok-based wellness like so many of the west’s middle classes? Or has it – as some critics allege – been bought off by the traditional medicine super powers of India and China? …
The WHO says its Summit on Traditional Medicine is essentially about repeating this sifting process for traditional remedies used in other parts of the world. It aims to apply rigorous scientific analysis to all them in order to properly assess their claimed benefits and potential harms. By 2034, it says, it will publish a definitive list of which traditional treatments work – and which don’t. “Working on traditional medicine doesn’t mean we will use shortcuts or endorse things that are unproven,” Dr Sylvie Briand, the WHO’s Chief Scientist, told The Telegraph at the conference in New Delhi. The aim was first to document what traditional treatments existed around the world “and then see what could be more useful to address the disease of this century”.
One idea is that some traditional practices like yoga and meditation, while perhaps not offering direct curative benefits, could play an important role in preventative medicine. After all, so-called non-communicable diseases, often caused by lifestyle factors such as poor diet, chronic stress and a lack of exercise are now by far the biggest killers across the globe. “Many traditional systems of medicine take a holistic view and focus on strengthening the person as a whole, not just treating isolated symptoms,” Dr Sung Chol Kim, Unit Head for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the WHO told The Telegraph in Delhi. But others are sceptical. They fear the WHO, which is struggling for funding in the wake of the US leaving the organisation and widespread aid cuts, is simply pandering to India and China where traditional medicine is big business. Even if well intentioned, they worry that the discovery process the WHO has set in motion will end up promoting and legitimising quackery. “I think highly of the WHO. However, by giving a platform to traditional medicine practitioners who promote treatments that are unproven – or even disproven – such as homeopathy, the organisation risks legitimising quackery. That, in my view, is both unethical and irresponsible,” said Dr Edzard Ernst, a British-German academic who specialises in the study of complementary and alternative medicine…
Even within the WHO, there is tension over what is being platformed at the summit. One senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described homeopathy … as “complete nonsense”. “There is not one shred of evidence anywhere, absolutely anywhere, that suggests it works,” the official said, while acknowledging pressure to engage rather than alienate powerful member states. Dr Ernst, the British-German academic, said: “Many experts are puzzled by this attitude. The most likely explanation is that the WHO is bowing to political will instead of science.” ….
Globally, an estimated 4.6 billion people already use some form of traditional medicine. In sub-Saharan Africa, millions rely on traditional healers as their first – and sometimes only – point of care. Its use can delay access to appropriate treatment, and some practices have been linked to the spread of disease. This week, 41 people were reported to have died after undergoing rituals to initiate them into manhood in South Africa, a central part of which involves unsafe and brutal circumcisions. Another example, common in places like Uganda, Benin, and Burkina Faso, includes small skin incisions into which herbs are rubbed – sometimes referred to as “vaccinations” – increasing the risk of HIV transmission through the reuse of razors and knives. Efforts to regulate practitioners are underway, but progress remains slow. Malawi’s Minister for Health and Sanitation, Madalitso Baloyi, said her government wants clear guidance from the WHO. “As a Ministry, we want to ensure [traditional remedies] are tested and quality checked,” she told The Telegraph. She added that, at the moment, traditional medicine is being done “behind closed doors”, and that the WHO process would help bring it into the open where it can be better monitored.
Yet the WHO seems undeterred. “Some traditional remedies will probably be found to be really active and really useful. Others will just be a placebo – for example, you feel better when you drink tea,” said Dr Reeder. The WHO argues that investing in traditional medicine could also help tackle the leading killers of the 21st century: non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental illness. Holistic approaches to wellness incorporating exercise, a more considered diet and stress reduction could complement conventional treatments, placing “an emphasis on prevention over cure,” said Dr Tedros…
The literature of homeopathy is littered with papers that are weirdly hilarious. A recent example of this genre is an article by Indian authors published in the ‘INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE’ entitled Homeopathy in chronic disease management: a critical review of the evidence. Here is its abstract:
Homeopathy remains one of the most widely practiced complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities worldwide, particularly among individuals with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) who seek safe, holistic, and personalized therapeutic options. Despite its global popularity, controversy continues regarding its mechanisms of action and clinical effectiveness. This review critically evaluates the current evidence on the role of homeopathy in chronic disease management. A comprehensive review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted. Studies were included if they examined homeopathic interventions in chronic conditions such as asthma, arthritis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia. Data were synthesized thematically to assess efficacy, mechanistic plausibility, methodological quality, and safety outcomes. Mechanistic hypotheses suggest that hormesis, nanoparticle-mediated signaling, immune modulation, and neuropsychological or psychosocial mechanisms may contribute to the therapeutic effects of homeopathy. Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates modest but statistically significant improvements in subjective measures such as pain, fatigue, and quality of life across several chronic diseases, with standardized mean differences ranging from 0.18 to 0.25. However, objective clinical outcomes, including spirometry and HbA1c, rarely show consistent benefit. Methodological challenges, including small sample sizes, heterogeneous interventions, limited follow-up durations, and a high risk of bias, continue to constrain the reliability of existing findings. Importantly, homeopathy exhibits a favorable safety profile, with no serious adverse events reported across chronic disease studies. Current evidence indicates that homeopathy may provide modest adjunctive benefits for symptom relief and improved patient satisfaction among individuals with chronic illnesses, although its specific therapeutic mechanisms remain uncertain. Integration of homeopathy into evidence-based, patient-centered chronic disease management frameworks may enhance holistic care. Future research should emphasize large-scale, multicenter randomized trials with standardized outcome measures and mechanistic endpoints to better define clinical relevance and biological plausibility.
The lead author of this paper earns his living in the Department of Materia Medica, NatoreHomeo Medical College, Natore, Bangladesh. Thus, we might be surprised by the critical tone of this paper. However, having a closer look at it, we soon find that, under a thin veneer of critical assessment, the paper is a prime attempt of white-washing the established evidence. Let me explain; the authors claim that:
- “Mechanistic hypotheses suggest that hormesis, nanoparticle-mediated signaling, immune modulation, and neuropsychological or psychosocial mechanisms may contribute to the therapeutic effects of homeopathy.” Do the authors really suggest that all of these vague theories are true? Why not decide which one constitutes the actual mode of action? Why not tell the truth and state clearly that none of them are remotely plausible, none would explain how homeopathy works, and none is accepted by anyone outside the cult of homeopathy?
- ” Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates modest but statistically significant improvements in subjective measures such as pain, fatigue, and quality of life across several chronic diseases, with standardized mean differences ranging from 0.18 to 0.25. ” Do the authors not see that the meta-analyses demonstrating such outcomes are invariably done by overtly biased homeopath? Do they really not know that independent scientists are unable to confirm such findings?
- “Homeopathy exhibits a favorable safety profile…” Are the authors not aware that using homeopathy (or any other ineffective therapy) to treat serious conditions at best prolongs the suffering of patients and at worst hastens their death?
- “Homeopathy may provide modest adjunctive benefits for symptom relief…” Do the authors know that this statement is firstly untrue and secondly contradicts Hahnemann’s teaching (he called doctors who employed homeopathy as an add-on therapy “traitors” and insisted that homeopathy was not a symptomatic treatment but a causal cure of disease)?
Understanding that this is what homeopaths call a ‘CRITICAL’ review might be helpful: it explains, I think, why they they feel that true critical assessments are nothing but brutal and cynical destructions of their beautiful fantasies.
As I am not an avid reader of the UK honours lists, I totally missed the fact that Robin Daly has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2025 New Year Honours list. The honour was for his outstanding contributions to the field of integrative cancer care as the founder of the charity, “Yes to Life”. The “Yes to Life” website reported the event as follows:
We are thrilled to announce that our Chairman and Founder, Robin Daly, has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of integrative cancer care and his tireless work through Yes to Life. This prestigious honour celebrates Robin’s unwavering dedication to supporting those affected by cancer and promoting holistic approaches to well-being. Congratulations, Robin, on this well-deserved accolade! …
On this blog, we have encountered “Yes to Life” before, e.g.:
- The ‘Yes to Life Show’ is outright dangerous, if you ask me
- Uncharitable charities? The example of ‘YES TO LIFE’
I had again a good look at what “Yes to Life” is currently offering and am glad to report that they clearly cleaned up their act. The charity used to promote outright dangerous quackery to desperate cancer patients. Today they still do this but they do it less overtly, e.g.:
- “Whether you’re seeking improved mental clarity, glowing skin, weight loss, detoxification, or support in battling diseases like cancer, juicing offers a customisable approach to achieving your wellness goals. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to adapt your juicing routine to address specific health needs, from overall well-being to targeted concerns like skin health, mental well-being, weight loss, detoxification, menopause, heart health and cancer support.”
- “From the moment of diagnosis through treatment and beyond, cancer patients face plenty of challenges that extend far beyond the physical symptoms. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping, have emerged as a promising support offering a gentle yet profound approach to addressing emotional and psychological well-being. At its core, EFT is a modality that combines elements of ancient Chinese acupressure with modern psychology. The technique involves gently tapping on specific acupressure points on the body while focusing on and verbalizing emotional issues, negative thoughts, or physical symptoms. By stimulating these energy meridian points and addressing emotional blockages, EFT aims to restore balance to the body’s energy system and promote healing on a holistic level.”
- “Turmeric, often referred to as the “golden spice,” contains curcumin, a compound with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin has been linked to enhanced immune function and may help the body defend against infections. You can incorporate turmeric into your diet by adding it to curries, soups, or even warm turmeric milk for a comforting and immune-boosting treat.”
- “Stress, anxiety, and emotional distress as well as physical pain and discomfort may be present along the entire cancer care pathway. These factors may impact treatment outcomes and recovery time. Most importantly, they present a significant burden of suffering to those affected by cancer and their loved ones. EFT is an effective, efficient management tool that can meet these needs and can be self- administered as well as used in a therapeutic relationship. The physical and emotional need for support can vary timewise along the cancer pathway and sometimes surprisingly patients can have significant mental and emotional needs as they recover, so well beyond their treatment phase (see the accompanying graph). Meeting these needs can contribute to long term well-being.”
- “The slightly strange sounding ‘Essiac’ tea is, in fact, simply a reversal of the surname of the woman who made it famous. In 1922, a young Canadian nurse, Rene Caisse, was given certain herbs by an old woman who had cured herself of breast cancer and had been handed down the recipe by the Ojibawa Native Americans who had used it for generations.”
Are we sure that the promotion of a whole lot of caner quackery merits a gong?
No!
Oddly, as I was writing this, I came across this on social media:
Ken Loach refused one of Betty’s gongs, in 1977, saying: ‘I turned down the OBE because its not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it. It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest’.
Perhaps we should add QUACKERY to Ken Loach’s list?
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Reiki applied to women in the postmenopausal period on menopausal symptoms and depression levels.
This randomized trial was conducted with postmenopausal women registered in a family health center. The sample of the study consisted of 82 women (Reiki=41, control=41). While four sessions of Reiki were applied to the women in the Reiki group, once a week for 4 weeks. All participants in the control group received routine care provided by health professionals at the family health center. The Menopause Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, with independent and dependent t-tests, and effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. The analysis was conducted using the per-protocol approach, where only participants who fully completed the intervention and adhered to the protocol were included in the analysis.
The mean scores of menopausal complaints (17.31 vs. 21.73; p<0.01), somato-vegetative complaints (2.70 vs. 3.85; p<0.01), and psychological complaints (10.07 vs. 12.60; p<0.05) were significantly reduced in the Reiki group compared to the control group. Similarly, the mean score of depression (9.63 vs. 15.90; p<0.001) was significantly decreased in the Reiki group compared to the control group.
The authors concluded that Reiki practice significantly reduced menopausal symptoms and depression levels in postmenopausal women. These findings suggest that Reiki may be an effective complementary treatment option for women going through menopause.
The study was designed to compare Reiki plus standard care with standard care alone. Thus it followed the infamous A+B versus B design about which I have written repeatedly. It is popular amongst researchers of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) because it invariably produces positive results, even if the tested therapy is a mere placebo.
How come?
Simple, because the placebo effect of most SCAMs can be expected to be sizable and is not controlled by this design. If Reiki itself is ineffective, i.e. not effective beyond placebo [which is true], it would in such a study still produce a positive outcome that makes it look like an effective therapy. In other words, the A+B versus B design is guaranteed to generate a positive result regardless of the uselessness of the tested treatment.
And now, I hope, you understand why so many SCAM researchers choose to adopt the A+B versus B design. Sadly, this will not stop SCAM researchers to continue using it with a view of misleading the public.
