Okay, this thread is a bit old, and this is my first post but thought I would share a bit on homoeopathy.
This has affected two people close to me the past 3-4 months.
The one is a friend who has a child with medical condition. I don't want to go into detail, to protect the child's privacy, but it is basically neurological. It is interesting to observe the interplay between the gullible and the predators. Basically it seems like the homoeopath plays on the "patient"'s desire for a quick and easy answer, and faith more than anything. The child has now been diagnosed with a "dirty" stomach and "dirty" blood and put on a gluten free diet and given, I think, paw paw extract. And also taken off his medication. It is interesting to me that the parent let slip that this homoeopath was so much cheaper than a doctor, and had the "right" answer. As a third party I finally convinced the friend to put the child back on medication. All the other bull is still on going, just the other day the friend complained about the cost of gluten free pasta to me. Funny thing was that this homoeopath was recommended by a school.
The other is an older adult who has degenerative neurological issues. With the one breath the homoeopath (a different one) is praised while with the other conventional medication is mentioned. My knowledge on the situation is not as clear the first case, but I had similar knowledge of the same homoeopath "complementary" treating someone with cancer.
Now it seems to me that what these people need are psychiatrists who can deal with their issues more professionally and offer them more concrete solutions and coping mechanisms, instead of a passing good feeling.
It is a shame that good money is being wasted, after no more than charismatic charlatans with a veneer of medical respectability.
I wonder if a name and shame is maybe in order?