Letter to the Editor Published By Vallejo Times Herald
Posted: 06/30/2009 06:53:11 AM PDT
An Associated Press story on the recall of Zicam falsely questions the safety of homeopathic remedies. I would like to address some false claims in the AP story:
• False claim: Homeopathic remedies are not regulated – treated like dietary supplements.
Fact: Homeopathic medications are regulated by the FDA and have been used safely in the United States since before the passage of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. A recent study by the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists documents their safety for the past 200-years. Conventional medicines have a far more troubling safety record.
• False claim: The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) alternative medicine center spent $3.8 million on homeopathic research from 2002-2007, abandoned studies on homeopathic drugs.
Fact: National Center for Homeopathy (NCH) received assurance from NIH on June 23; NCCAM will continue to accept grant applications for homeopathy.
• False claim: There is no evidence of effectiveness.
Fact: There are literally hundreds of high quality basic science, pre-clinical and clinical studies published in respected journals like Pediatrics, Chest, Rheumatology, and The Lancet (for more information, visit homeopathic.org/articles/view,173). To claim otherwise is bad science and very irresponsible journalism. Find out more about homeopathy, contact your local homeopath.
Myra Nissen
Links to Related “False Claims” Blog Posts:
Zicam: There is not such thing as a Homeopathic Product.
A Comment about Zicam: It’s Not Homeopathy.
Post reviewed by National Center for Homeopathy.
More information on Zicam.
© 2009 Myra Nissen.
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