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Opinion Pieces
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Monday, 25 October 2010 06:56
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By Julia A
Dear Editor- I was driving in the Jolly Harbor area, and I noticed the very large anti-homeopathy billboard. This is the same ad that has been running in The Daily Observer for quite some time.
In the billboard though, there is a picture of Cornelia Wagentrotz, a professional homeopath.
I also know she is one of, if not the only homeopath on the island. Obviously, this anti-homeopathy campaign is targeting her. I think it is extremely unjust and unethical for the local media and sign companies to allow such campaigns.
I think it is obvious that this is the outcome of a personal vendetta against Mrs Wagentrotz. Also, the media has no right to take sides in such a personal war. They should have more responsibility and maturity, and know better than to allow such advertisements.
While I am no lawyer, I don’t think it’s legal to place someone’s face without their permission on a billboard. I think it’s safe to assume she didn’t give her permission to such a campaign.
I hope that the media wises up to this mistake, and stops harming the professional reputation of Mrs Wagentrotz just because someone else is willing to pay for it.
Julia A
Editor's Note:
Caribarena.com contacted Cornelia Wagentrotz about this issue. She said her lawyer, Vere Bird III, contacted LMR Signs to have the billboard removed. The management refused, saying they had simply rented the space, and that Sign Plus had produced the material. Bird told Caribarena.com that he has been instructed to take legal action against both companies.
Wagentrotz said, "I am a practicing homeopath, and having my photo on an ad like that doesn't add up. What will he do next? The whole thing is getting out of control. Actually, I think Antiguans are fed up and see this for what it is, with even his comments that people in the Caribbean are easy to convince. This comes across as very offensive."
In addition, Caribarena.com again contacted Hill & Hill, the attorneys listed on the billboard. (The campaign is organised and paid for by Jurgen Wagentrotz, director of ICM-Press, Hill & Hill, Long Street, St John's, Antigua.)
However, the lawyers again put off making a statement.
See related stories:
Wagentrotz Resolute On Homeopathy Attack
Homeopath responds to ads
47 Comments In This Article
The government has also suppressed the news regarding the Antigua law suit against Antigua. They are again claiming "Sovereign Immunity" and refusing to answer the charges brought against the Antigua government. This is the lawsuit the government claimed did not exist for 6 months, and when they were finally forced to admit there was a law suit said there was no case and would fight it vigorously.
St range way to fight, more like running and hiding. Now the world can truly see the government has something to hide by dodging the Leroy King extradition and the lawsuit.
Justice
to facts
The poster formerly known as Rubbish
to facts - pt 1
The Mail article is discussing the following paper in the British Journal of Medicine
bmj.com/conte nt/321/7259/471 .full#article-t itle-28
While ostensibly good research (the methods described are fair, thorough, and follow accepted standards of clinical research), there are three vital problems with the paper.
1) As acknowledged by the author of the paper (the homeopath being interviewed by the Daily Mail), the sample sizes of 23 patients for the test group and 27 for the placebo group, are entirely too small to have any statistical significance, meaning no useful conclusions can be drawn from the study
The poster formerly known as Rubbish
with respect.
gue ss in some way the suspected personal nature of this attack on homeopathy and the person who is using this to settle what looks to be a personal score ( because it really has little to do with homeopathy), will bring the worse and best out of some.
I am however happy that we have been afforded to shine a small light on the pro and cons of various medical treatments be it traditional or alternative. in the end we all believe in the same aim to promote well being and health education from our own view points, and in some cases our personal experiences.
l ooking forward to an other discussion on health in the future, thanks formerly know as rubbish:)
Facts.
to facts - pt 2
3) In order to address the above two concerns, the researchers included the results from 4 other studies to give a total patient population of 253. Once the data from these studies is included, the researchers claim an observed effect from homeopathy and state that it is statistically significant. The problem is, they only describe the experimental procedure for the 52 patients which showed no clear effect of homeopathy. We do not know how the data from the rest of the studies was gathered, nor how the tests were run. That is a serious flaw. I am actually surprised the BMJ actually published this.
I am not the only one who has brought up these concerns. A second research group attempted to replicate the findings of the above study with a significant pool of 242 patients. Again, the paper was published in the BJM:
bmj.com/co ntent/324/7336/ 520.1.full#ref- 14
The poster formerly known as Rubbish
facts - pt 3
I have been researching this topic for several years and occasionally find articles flattering to homeopathy which make their way into the peer reviewed literature, but they invariably have had serious, if not obvious, methodological flaws, yield statistically insignificant findings, or can not be replicated by independent labs, the hallmark of a valuable scientific study. For clarity, I am not claiming that I am correct because I have studied this for years, take that remark as you will. My degree of familiarity with the material does not affect objective facts.
The poster formerly known as Rubbish
@ facts
The poster formerly known as Rubbish
in conclusion
written by facts, October 20, 2010
About 20 per cent of doctors in Scotland have basic homeopathic training compared with one per cent 15 years ago.
'It isn't just about the remedies, which can be put to the test in trials, but about a greater holistic approach in encouraging self-healing and self-recovery.'
Dr Bob Leckridge, president of the Fac**ty of Homeopathy - the body for doctors, vets, nurses and other health professionals - said: 'This latest research builds on existing evidence that homeopathy works, something that hundreds of doctors and their patients have known for 200 years.'
Read more: dailymail.co.uk /health/article -4040/Homeopath y-works.html#ix zz12sBojlpd
so rubish ? ready for some homeopathic remedy yet seems you have insomnia and nothing esle to do , i just work late. that's a fact.;)
Facts.
part 3
written by facts, October 20, 2010
The study was carried out by doctors in Glasgow, led by Dr David Reilly of the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital, one of five specialist hospitals in Britain. He said the difference in results from the two treatments was statistically significant.
Dr Reilly said this was the fourth trial carried out by his hospital, all with similar results. In addition, there were positive findings in 70 per cent of a further 180 clinical trials.
'I hope this will encourage doctors to examine the volume of evidence supporting homeopathy - they might be quite surprised at the positive outcome in many trials,' he said.
He added that it would take consistent scientific investigation to persuade some doctors, but attitudes were changing.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/hea...z12sBaAfhW
Facts.
different facts
written by facts, October 20, 2010
It works on the principle that a substance which in large doses will cause the symptoms of an illness can be used in minute doses to relieve the same symptoms.
Critics argue that the active substance is so diluted that homeopathic remedies have no more effect than placebo or dummy treatment.
The study put homeopathy to the test in 50 patients suffering from nasal allergies. They were given either a homeopathic preparation or a placebo.
Each day for four weeks patients recruited from general practices and a hospital in London measured their nasal air flow and recorded symptoms such as blocked, runny or itchy nose, sneezing or eye irritation.
Both groups reported that they got better - but on average patients who received homeopathy had a 28 per cent improvement in nasal air flow compared with 3 per cent among those in the placebo group.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/hea...z12sBO2XGe
Facts.
just so we have 2 view points in this blog
written by facts, October 20, 2010
now for some scientific evidence why homeopathy works.
not my words but the UK daily mail i guess a league or so above the daily observer antigua.
'Homeopathy works!'
by JENNY HOPE, Daily Mail
Homeopathy really does work and doctors should recognise its healing effects, say researchers.
A study found that allergy sufferers who were given homeopathic treatment were ten times more likely to be cured than those given a dummy pill instead.
Doctors should be more positive about the alternative medicine, which is the only complementary therapy available on the NHS, the researchers said.
Their study attempts to settle the controversy over homeopathic treatment, which critics say is not effective because of the tiny level of active substance used in most remedies.
Facts.
Rubbish don't take it personal
Please don't take it personal I really enjoy your level of skill and knowledge in this debate, and i wish it wold have been under a different heading as we are blogging on a non homeopathy issue here.
I am sure non of us have the illusion that we are going to reach consensus here.
yet I would like to honestly thank you for your view points and discussion. lets keep at it because Homeopathy is surly worth a second and even third look. lets keep discussing it with an open mind
Salute. Facts.
Facts.
@ super j - pt 1 (sorry for the numbering gaffe)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4040/Homeopathy-works.html#ixzz12sBAPNrj
Rubbish
@ super J - pt 1
bmj.co m/content/321/7 259/471.full#ar ticle-title-28
and pointed out the weaknesses of the study. Apparently others noticed the same weaknesses and actually repeated the whole study using proper study parameters and statistical analysis, also published in the British Medical Journal:
bmj.co m/content/324/7 336/520.1
The fact that this was an attempt to replicate the original Daily Mail cited study is confirmed by an advocate of homeopathy here: ncbi.nlm.nih.go v/pmc/articles/ PMC1122433/
Pr oblem is, when they did the study properly, they found that there was no difference between homeopathy and placebo.
Pleas e stop with the personal attacks and stick to the argument you have chosen to challenge. If you want to challenge my cited history of homeopathy, please offer pertinent and reliable references. If you want to challenge the proposal that homeopathy is no better than a placebo, please offer reputable and pertinent sources to refute the bulk of accumulated, well documented, and properly conducted research which has established this.
Rubbish
come on rubbish
Thousa nds of men and women all over the world who understand the principles of Homeopathy use it effectively.
Re ad all sides of the articles, not just the ones who want to pick and choose to support your view, then draw a conclusion. That is called science.
What you do is called RUBBISH.
Now Please stop stinking up the page.
Super J
@ super j pt 1
Wasn 't aware I had done that, but my intelligence has nothing to do with the validity of my position. I have posted the first several links that came up from a) respected, recognized sources and b) advocates of homeopathy to demonstrate that the history of homeopathy is well documented and not a matter of my opinion. If you find two that are cross-reference d, ignore one and look at the others, they tell the same story.
"I do not expect you to get the vaccine analogy."
Plea se enlighten me. Vaccines work by a mechanism which is fairly well understood and has nothing to do with the claims of homeopathy. There is a world of difference between expecting a biological response to small amounts of a protein and expecting a biological response to small molecules which have been diluted to the point of non-existence.
Rubbish
@ super J pt 2
Yo u are relying on an etymological fallacy, an argument to authority, and an argument to tradition here; all well defined logical fallacies.
Hah nemann refers to the "law of similars" as foundation of homeopathy. Simple mention of the idea of "like cures like" by Hippocrates does not a) mean it is in fact a natural or physical "law", or b) in any way validate Hahnemann's claims. The term homeopathy and the parameters of its practice were defined by Hahnemann. The fact that some of the terminology was borrowed from ancient predecessors does nothing to validate his claims. Using your logic, Tolkein's stories about Middle Earth must be true because elves were talked about in books long before "The Lord of the Rings".
Rubbish
@ super j pt 3
Vaccination has been shown to work through a mechanism which has no bearing on homeopathy. Properly designed studies of homeopathy have shown that it is no better than placebo, and no feasible mechanism of how it could work has been established.
P lease stick to the topic at hand and leave out the unfounded ad hominem attacks. They do nothing to further your argument.
Rubbish
@ Rubbish again
I do want you to wear out your brain waves, so you can get History of the World ( no not the book this time, yes the Mel Brookes movie). And while you are at it get Gratuite ( no it is not free, jus the greatest Film short of all times, well it might be free on the internet).
Hope fully next time you say something it might not be RUBBISH.
Super J
@ rubbish
I do not expect you to get the vaccine analogy. Everything you read is online, but you are not reading the whole story. Hahnemann did not invent the law of similars.
Hippo crates considered the father of medicine ( by CONVENTIONAL physicians) said " the alike are the cure for the alike." He said it thousands of years before Hahnemann.
It is a principle used by Hahnemann in classical homeopathic medicine and used by Sir Dr. Edward Jenner, the father of vaccinations ( a pillar of conventional medicine).
Try reading a book sometimes, and get the whole story.
Super J
@ facts pt. 1
And keep in mind, anyone else who is reading this, that all I have stated below is a brief history and summation of the basic principles of homeopathy, something that can be easily checked by anyone who wishes to spend 5 minutes on Google. "Facts". why does that bother you so?
Rubbish
@ facts pt. 2
http://altmed.creighton.edu/Homeopathy/history.htm
From a meta-analysis on homeopathy in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, a reputable, peer reviewed journal exceedingly pertinent to the topic at hand. Read the introduction:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2125.2002.01699.x/full
From the U.S. government's National Institute of Health (NIH) alternative medicine division, the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/homeopathy/#overview
From an alternative medicine web page which is advocating homeopathy:
http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_info/history.html
Rubbish
facts pt. 1
http://www.homeopathic.com/articles/view,19
You can shout in bold print all you want, but people here who are interested will read some of these references and realize that what I have stated is not opinion. I can give you endless references, what have you got? If you can find any reputable source which states anything significantly different from the synopsis of homeopathy i have given below, please, post it. Please do your own research.
Oh, and not that this has anything to do with homeopathy, but what is your point about vaccines?
Rubbish
more sadness
GOD please forgive them for they don't know what they are doing...
Peace
one love
Logical dunce comment
I can see about 10 reason's why this is a defamatory slam dunk case
for starters your big If...How about using a likeness or image of a person ( say an actual classical homeopath) without permission in a public add campaign against the same homeopathy.
As If
Rubbish is as Rubbish does
WIKI ARE YOU SERIOUS????
Dear Rubbish, are you trying to sell the same point as in the previous tread" homeopath responds to add?
One more time , YOUR OPINION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FACT.
Serious I lost interest after you quote "Wikipedia" as your scientific source and reference's.
We both know that wiki is the biggest pile of opinion on the net, but a little thin on Fact's.
Go back and read the previous exchange we had on this.
I will give you this one to think about " Vaccinations " I know you know where I am coming from so read up and no wiki please in the name of science no wiki.
Facts
Its legal
be logical
clarification - pt.1
Rubbish
clarification pt. 2
Hahnemann then created a process which he called "provings" to determine what substances cause disease symptoms in a healthy individual. What this simply entails is giving a healthy person a substance to ingest (often a recognized poison), noting what symptoms the substance elicits. and then looking to see what known diseases share these symptoms. The substance is than viewed as a potential homeopathic cure for that ailment.
Rubbish
clarification - pt. 3
Now, here's the really interesting part. A 10-fold dilution means 1 mL of solution diluted into a final volume of 10 mL, using pure water or alcohol as the dilution solvent. Once you perform this 10-fold dilution 24 times (1 mL of solution A diluted to make solution B, one mL of solution B diluted to make solution C, and so on), there is only a 3/5 chance that there is even one molecule of the original substance left in the final solution. It has been diluted to the extent of being non existent. That occurs at dilution number 24. Homeopathic preparations commonly are diluted 30x, or even 200x.
Rubbish
clarification - last part
Please read into this. Wikipedia has a good article on homeopathy. Again, any homeopath will tell you the same thing about the nature of homeopathy, but they will tell you as if it is a perfectly reasonable thing to believe.
Rubbish
@buckhunter
I hate money because of the things it will do to us, i hate it.
my way of helping
Money talks
Tobi
@FNPSR
are n't those the same things used to make the M.D prescribed drugs? I am ignorant enlighten me.
Husband stop abusing the person's image, these buildboard owners should know the rights of antiguans and barbudans. let me take them to court.
my way of helping
Hell hath no fury...........
disgusted
media Ethic's
Did I say good ethic's in our Antiguan media?????" oops sorry must be my medication that has me so delusional.
out side observer
media prostitution?
( to those 2 we hope you sold your soul and self respect for good money. However we will never use your business again)
I must say we in Antigua are not stupid, we can see this campaign for what it is nasty personal attack of a rich guy with no boundaries.
Com pliments to Carib Arena because we are sure Mr Wagentrotz must have offered you some good money to print his filth. It is clear from your articles and posts that you told him where to stick it, thanks you for being a real media outlet with integrity
proud Antiguans
Old Time Medicine
One more thing, do you know the ingredients in the flu shot? Please google it, and see for yourselves, before you start knocking natural remedies.
Shame on this man for tryig to destroy his wife's career.
Proud ANU Queen
sick man
I hope you will be called to account in our court of law.
and i hear that this campaign is just part of the deplorable behavior of this fellow Juergen Kurt Wagentrotz
some of it is now in the hands of the police.
the nerve of this dude
re: Joan
fnpsr
Re: fnpsr
Joan
replace the picture of the billboard
Suppose this individual had a problem with cricket, would he be allowed and would the media publish an image of Sir Vivian Richards? I think not.
Therefore , I urge you to replace the picture of the billboard.
fnpsr
just a suggestion
Bole'
greedy
Bole'
Chicken Soup is
I guess the poster of all this anti-homeopathi c stuff could be called a homeophobic?
JP Farnsworth
buckhunter
Unacceptable
I think this billboard should taken down immediately, and that local media should henceforth refuse to aid this hounding of Ms. Wagentrotz.
I find it troubling that the billboard was allowed to go up at all.
DC
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