Press release 17/01/2011
Consumer rights activists in South Africa have today announced their intention to take a mass homeopathic ‘overdose’ next month, as part of a major global protest against the alternative remedies.
Protestors in Cape Town will swallow entire bottles of homeopathic pills on February 5th 2011, in a bid to raise public awareness of the fact that homeopathic ‘remedies’ are ineffective – putting pressure on pharmacists and healthcare providers to ensure that products sold as medical treatments actually work.
Jacques Rousseau, spokesman for the Free Society Institute, said: “Many people seem to believe that homeopathic pills are a form of medicine, and that they can therefore cure or prevent various ailments. Part of the confusion stems from the use of words like ‘herbal’ or ‘natural’ to promote homeopathic ‘medicine’. It is of course true that water and sugar (the ingredients of homeopathic pills) are natural ingredients. But not everything that is natural offers health benefits, and the only possible contribution homeopathic ‘medicine’ can make is thanks to the placebo effect. These pills have no place in healthcare, and we’re talking part in this protest today to remind people that drinking water is a cheaper and equally effective option.”
The demonstration is being organized by the Free Society Institute as part of the 10:23 Campaign [1] – a global protest against the homeopathic remedies originating in the United Kingdom. Similar events will be taking place in dozens of countries around the world, with protests announced in Germany, Hungary, Australia and Canada.
Michael Marshall, co-ordinator of the international campaign, said: “We intend to show that there is a growing feeling around the world that enough time and money has been wasted on homeopathic remedies.
In the two hundred years these treatments have existed, there has never been anything to suggest they work – and because they’re nothing but sugar and water, they couldn’t possibly do the things homeopaths claim they can do.
Tens of billions of pounds are spent every year around the world on these ineffective remedies, and when told what they really are, and how they’re made, most people are shocked these useless treatments are still able to be sold to an unsuspecting public”.
The 10:23 Campaign launched a year ago in the UK, with almost 400 protestors taking part in ‘overdose’ events across the country following an admission by Britain’s leading pharmacy that the pills are only sold because consumers will buy them, not because they are effective[2]. The campaign is named after ‘Avogadro’s Number’ [3] – a scientific constant which can be used to show homeopathic potions contain no active ingredients.
Though some would argue dispensing sugar pills may seem harmless, the endorsement of homeopathic potions by pharmacists and healthcare providers has grave consequences. As well as undermining public trust in medicine and medical advice, patients with serious conditions can avoid seeking medical attention in the belief that homeopathy can treat their condition. An investigation by the BBC in January 2011 revealed that homeopaths were willing to give travelers ineffective homeopathic ‘preparations’ to use in place of real anti-malarial drugs [4], as well as ineffective homeopathic alternatives to vaccinations [5].
The 10:23 Campaign is organising protests in more than twenty three cities across ten counties on February 5th, 2011.
Notes for editors:
[1] The 10:23 Campaign is a network of skeptical groups which aims to raise awareness of the reality of homeopathy – how we know it doesn’t work and why it is important that patients should be given the right information to allow them to make an informed decision about their health. http://www.1023.org.uk/
[2] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1230925/Boots-sells-homeopathic-remedies-theyre-popular-work.html
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avogadro_constant
[4] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9341713.stm
[5] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11280578
Local contact: Jacques Rousseau / Jacques.Rousseau@fsi.org.za / +27 83 249 2277
International contact: Michael Marshall / contact@1023.org.uk / +44 7841 134 309
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Auke Slotegraaf. Auke Slotegraaf said: RT @FSI_SA: New blog post: Consumers in South Africa to stage homeopathic 'overdose' – http://fsi.org.za/0G [...]
[...] pretty good, and I can now say from personal experience – along with the experiences of my fellow overdosers – what we already know of homeopathy: there’s nothing in it. Except sugar, of course, [...]
What about the “reality” of conventional drugs? The placebo effect is powerful – and even knowing that the pill you are taking is just a sugar pill is better than no pill.
See http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all
At least the side effects and potential damage to health is less with homeopathic medication.
And while you are about it – why not start a campaign to ban Grandpa Headache Powders which are cheap, effective and really lethal. Eats through the stomach lining in no time.
Of course the placebo effect is powerful (as is the “nocebo effect”, which is even more remarkable). And yes, the side effects and potential damage via homeopathic “medicine” is less – in fact there would be zero of either of these (diabetics should no doubt be cautious, though). Except, of course, for those who are advised to take homeopathic pills instead of vaccinations. Or those who don’t take anti-malarial tablets, because their homeopath gives them a sugar pill instead. Or Gloria Sam, who died when her homeopath father treated her chronic eczema with sugar pills instead of real medicine.
But yes, otherwise you’re dead right. Apart from being encouraged to spend money on sugar pills, where the majority of buyers are encouraged to think that the pills are more than just sugar.
As for Grandpa, there are plenty of real medicines that do work, and where benefits clearly outweigh harms – in a biological and placebo sense.