OMG .. the Homeopaths are Coming!!!

[ciscop]

[NinjaPuppy]

[NinjaPuppy]

Oh what the hell there Kevin, why don't you tell us what is really on your mind? Get it all out and vent.

[Kevin Kane]

I went over to "quackwatch" this morning and saw that tissue salts are a homeopathic treatment. Tissue salts? Hey, we use them .. excellent product. But some skeptic is going to tell me they don't work? Fat chance.

So I guess the logic is: skeptics feel they can lie about things they've never tried, because not many people have actually heard about or tried these things. Is that how skepticism works?

[NinjaPuppy]

[ProfWag]

[Kevin Kane]

[ProfWag]

I can't speak for other people, but thanks for clarifying that I personally haven't lied in this thread.

[NinjaPuppy]

[tiger]

Does anyone have any double blind studies published in a good medical magazine that show that they work?

Otherwise I have some snake oil that can cure a cold in 7 days. Remember if you do not take your medicine for a cold it will take all week to get better.

[Kevin Kane]

I think the addage, "Don't Knock It Until You Try It" is applicable.

It appears the product "Head On" is an actual homeopathic product and meets the standards of homeopathy.

And according to paid, professional con-man James Randi (not an insult, a fact he appears to be proud of), "Head On is a total fake".

But according to many who have actually tried the product, Head On works exactly as advertised. It works as well as Tylenol, according to some reviewers.

4 logical results are possible:

A. Head On doesn't work because homeopathy doesn't work
B. Head On doesn't work because placebo doesn't work
C. Head On works because placebo works
D. Head On works because homeopathy works

But the problem is bigger, because it raises other questions:

A. Tylenol doesn't work because toxic chemicals don't work
B. Tylenol doesn't work because placebo doesn't work
C. Tylenol works because placebo works
D. Tylenol works because toxic chemicals work

It should be noted that no one has actually proven that placebo works or exists. Attempts to measure the placebo effect indicate:

A. Placebo is a real effect
B. Placebo is not a real effect
C. Placebo may be a real effect .. or maybe not .. that may sometimes works .. or maybe not.
D. Placebos and their effects are scientific magic invented in a magical laboratory by a doctor of magicality.

And that leaves only one question to be determined; what does placebo taste like?

A. Placebo tastes pleasant
B. Placebo is tasteless
C. Placebo tastes like Jesus farts
D. Placebo tastes like James Randi .. only better


Where does that leave us? It leaves us with the fact that science-based medicine is investigating, using and testing the properties of fraud. And that science-based products are being sold that are subject to fraud and may be entirely fraudulent.

And that is a fact.

[NinjaPuppy]

[ciscop]

[ProfWag]

Hmmmm, Truthfully, I’m a little surprised you would mention HeadOn, but here we go.
99.9% of this product is wax and water. What’s left (which ain’t much) contains potassium bichromate (aka potassium dichromate) and is extremely poisonous and deadly if swallowed.
Due to the absence of scientific study, the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau requested the company refrain from claiming it relieved headaches. Additionally, Consumer Reports has concluded any positive benefits of HeadOn were probably the result of the placebo effect. As such, if you think it works, then it just might work. However, if you think eating bull testicles will cure your headache, they will work just as well.

Sources:
www.headon.com
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/p5719.htm

[Kevin Kane]