Homeopathy and CBC Marketplace: The Real Truth

Dear Dhiru Nathwani:

Thank you for your correspondence to the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission regarding the CBC MARKETPLACE story on
homeopathy which aired on January 14, 2011. It is "blatantly false and
misleading", you wrote further suggesting that the content may have been
influenced by "powerful Big Pharma interests."

CBC prides itself on the excellence of its journalism. We take very
seriously any assertion that our journalism is inaccurate, biased or unfair,
or in any way fails to meet the rigorous criteria set out in the CBC's
*Journalistic
Standards and Practices.*Where criticisms are justified, we take immediate
corrective action.

With respect, your assessment of the program is not one that we share. You
wrote about a number of specific shortcomings you find in "Cure or Con?" and
we want to respond to them in turn.

First, you questioned "Why did MARKETPLACE use the wrong and inappropriate
technology to analyze homeopathic dilutions? The correct and appropriate
technology is RAMAN spectroscopy, not MASS spectroscopy.

"

As a consumer program, MARKETPLACE regularly tests products available to
the general public. The program approached the testing of over-the-counter
homeopathic remedies, available to the general public, in the same manner as
it would any other consumer product that can be bought off the shelf.

MARKETPLACE began with the basic premise, as would most consumers, that
these products contain at least some level of active ingredient. With this
assumption in mind, that there is indeed an active ingredient, it set out to
determine if said ingredient could be identified and, in fact, be detected.
Two products, Ipeca and Belladonna were selected for analysis. Each are
well-known to be derived from natural sources (yielding the compounds
emetine and atropine, respectively) for which both have known
pharmacological effects in humans.

Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the most
appropriate analytical method for identification and quantitation of these
compounds. Mass spectrometry provides superior sensitivity and specificity
than any other accepted analytical technique for the analysis of emetine and
atropine in sugar pellets. This technique allowed those conducting the tests
to detect far lower levels of the ingredients (analytes) than can be
achieved via alternative analytical methods such as Raman spectroscopy, IR
spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy or UV/Visible spectroscopy.

It has been suggested that Raman spectroscopy might be the 'correct'
analytical technique to distinguish homeopathic remedies having excessive
dilution factors (i.e. those in excess of 10^24 such as the 30C
formulation). That the use of Raman Spectroscopy in this application is
appropriate would be predicated first on accepting the scientific validity
of the theory of the "memory of water". Despite the controversy and debate
surrounding this issue, there is neither a known nor plausible
physical/chemical explanation for the memory of water.

Second, you asked "Why did MARKETPLACE not show the correct two-step
dilution process? Swirling dilution in open unstoppered bottles (like
swirling wine in a wine glass) without mechanical shocks and without the
correct quantity of the diluting medium was intended to make homeopathy look
ridiculous."

By "two-step dilution process," we believe you are referring to the actual
diluting process (dilution) coupled with vigorous shaking between each
dilution (succussion). The programs' presentation did show both steps and
did explain the reasoning behind each step. The process depicted was not
intended to be an exact "how-to" but rather an illustrative representation
of the basic steps and philosophies involved. It was meant to serve a wide
television audience whose members were, for the most part, completely
unfamiliar with the manufacture of homeopathic remedies.

Third, you asked "Why did MARKETPLACE not interview medical doctors who
practice homeopathy at various homeopathic hospitals in the U.K. and also
scientists?"

MARKETPLACE made a point of seeking out comment from Canadian homeopaths.
This story focused on pending federal regulation of the homeopathic
profession, as well as the efficacy of the medicines used. Since the story
concerned the profession, we wanted to talk to someone who could speak on
behalf of one of the organizations representing Canadian homeopaths. Our
view was and remains that this is a popular treatment in this country, and
there are professional organizations in this country which should be able to
speak to the issues. The program contacted the Ontario Homeopathic
Association, the Canadian Society of Homeopaths and Nupath. We asked each of
those organizations if we could speak with a representative in an on-camera
interview. All declined.

MARKETPLACE's producers thought, as we believe our viewers would, that the
program should not have to go outside Canadian borders in order to find a
suitable spokesperson. As you may recall, the Homeopathic Medical Council of
Canada did agree to speak on air, and we spoke with their representative,
Ranvir Sharda, on the program. And the producers of MARKETPLACE are well
aware of Peter Gold; he has contacted the program and its researchers on
numerous occasions.

Another of your questions was: "What was MARKETPLACE trying to establish
when it asked a group of people to take contents of whole tubes of
homeopathic pills? That the pills don't work? If so, why was this experiment
not properly done and carried to its conclusion?"

As part of the program, CBC filmed members of the organization Centre for
Inquiry Canada, a group dedicated to, in their words, "reason, science,
secularism and freedom of inquiry" taking multiple doses of common and
popular homeopathic preparations. The aim of this organization is create
debate on issues including alternative medical therapies, like homeopathy.
The program did provide an opportunity for this organization to express
their opinion on the claims made by proponents of homeopathy. While
laboratory experiments and results are useful in explaining the veracity of
a remedy's claims (and the program did undertake a number of tests and duly
reported the findings), television is a visual medium. For many viewers,
seeing a test like the one conducted by CFI provides information in the same
way that showing regular users of homeopathy taking the remedies does:
provide a wide spectrum of opinions from which viewers are able to make
their own determination on a subject.

Lastly, you asked "Why did MARKETPLACE not post a link [to] the British
Government's response to the report of the Science and Technology
Committee?"

CBC MARKETPLACE posted a link on its show's website to the report filed by
the British House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee titled
"Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy" to provide our audience with an additional
resource on this subject. As the report states, the purpose of the committee
is to "examine how the Government uses evidence to formulate and review its
policies." This specific report was an examination of the reasoning behind
the decision by the National Health Service, the publicly funded health
service, to fund homeopathy and to license homeopathic products. To
investigate this issue, the committee sought out scientific evidence on
homeopathic evidence, based in part on the fact that "scientific evidence
was not used" to create the guidelines surrounding the licensing of
homeopathic products.

The government's response provided no new information in relation to the
findings of the report, that is, it did not support or deny the findings of
the committee. Rather, it reiterated that as a policy, funding would
continue through the NHS for homeopathic remedies because it provided
patients with "choice."

CBC had no preconceptions approaching this story. We set out to look at
homeopathy from a consumers' point of view. In fact, CBC MARKETPLACE prides
itself on its tests, which are neutral and objective.

While we regret that you take issue with the presentation, we hope we have
addressed some of the issues that you raise. Please note that we have made
your concerns known to the senior producers of MARKETPLACE as well as senior
staff in CBC News, and senior management at CBC, including the President and
CEO of CBC.

It is also our responsibility to tell you that if you are not satisfied
with this response, you may wish to submit the matter for review by the CBC
Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman, an independent and impartial body
reporting directly to the President, is responsible for evaluating program
compliance with the CBC's journalistic policies. The Ombudsman may be
reached by mail at the address shown below, or by fax at (416) 205- 2825, or
by e-mail at ombudsman@...<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/homeoworks/post?postID=qXx-JzyxWgNNZYVQvstZ6q2EtySLGXAHquT3ip5_Tf2O3h-QwvkFPvdGhT1HM-JUHcTbCdJ6i3Mi-y0>
.

Sincerely,

Denis Andrychuk

Communications Officer

CBC Audience Relations

Side-by-Side Homeopathy has been a wonderful addition to Onsite's ­recovery programming

Homeopathic Healing in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

by Julie Cheng
Source: Health Action, Winter 2010

There's a real sense of belonging here, where people greet each other by name, look out for each other and are by turns kind and dysfunctional―just like in any community. But unlike any community, this is the heart of the Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood, the Downtown Eastside, and to walk these streets you sense you have to be one those who dare―or those who care.

Elena Cecchetto and Krista Leonard are two of those who care. Leaving the hubbub of the street, they enter the Portland Hotel and go up the stairs, past a message painted on the wall, "Give your best to those who matter the most."

They run into Shane B., who greets them warmly. "I don't know what you gave me, but it worked," he says.

Side by Side Homeopathy
What they gave Shane were homeopathic remedies, and Elena and Krista are volunteers with Side by Side ­Homeopathy.

Elena, known simply as El, is a certified homeopath and a founding member of Side by Side Homeopathy, which ­started in 2009. The society put out a call to homeopaths, saying they wanted to help people in the Downtown Eastside. Today Side-by-Side Homeopathy is a non-profit whose purpose is to help people who wouldn't be able to regularly ­access homeopathy.

What inspired El to start Side by Side Homeopathy? When she was going to­­ ­homeopathy school, someone close to her struggled with addiction. Later, El helped people with addictions in her fourth-year project. The Portland Hotel, which runs a detox centre on the second floor and ­houses clients on the third floor, asked her to start a program, and Side-by -Side ­Homeopathy was born as part of the hotel's Onsite Transitional Housing ­Program.

From the Portland Hotel, the project expanded to include Ranier Hotel and then the Life Skills Centre. Currently 30 volunteer homeopaths visit these three sites once to twice a week for approximately three-hour sessions. On a typical visit, the homeopaths will meet with three to four patients.

The gift of giving--and receiving
Together with Krista, a fourth-year student at the Vancouver ­Homeopathic Academy, El volunteers weekly at the Portland Hotel to help residents with a history of drug use.
"We treat the core thing that's lead them to the addiction, and that allows them to heal themselves," says El. "Homeopathy treats every single person differently; we're treating the person, not the disease. That's why I love homeopathy so much."

El gets back just as much as she gives. For her, it's a new adventure every time she sees a new patient. "This is another reason I love homeopathy--I'm always learning from every person, especially in the Downtown Eastside. The amount of generosity and heart in this community is amazing."

A student volunteer for one and a half years now, Krista feels the same way. "You see so many people and learn so many different remedies. I feel it's advanced my learning tremendously and I'm more comfortable working with patients. I feel like I get a lot from it as well as contributing to it."

"As much as you help them, you're always learning. I knew homeopathy was the profession for me, because of the lifelong learning. People feel there are others who care about them―and care about them being well. It's been amazing for me to be part of Side-by-Side."

Positive results
"Side-by-Side Homeopathy has been a wonderful addition to Onsite's ­recovery programming," says Jeanine LeDuc, manager of Onsite Transitional Housing. "They have helped many of our clients find alternative ways to deal with their addictions and health issues."

Phil Misquitta, mental health care worker at the Portland Hotel for three years, sees the benefits first-hand. "One of the best things about the Side by Side program is people are given an alternative to pharmaceutical options," he says. "So many of our clients are entrenched in pharmaceuticals. With Side by Side, they're given an opportunity to take something natural to help their health. It's an eye-opener for them." Clients have experienced relief from nausea, digestive complaints, chronic physical pain, insomnia, anxiety and nightmares.

Phil sees an added benefit: "The whole process, sitting down with two homeopaths--just that one-on-one attention from people who care--really has an ­effect. The homeopaths are asking them questions no one has ever asked them ­before."

Clients find they're able to express themselves freely and do a lot of soul searching, often coming to a deeper understanding of themselves―all part of the healing process. "Trauma, grief, addiction. It's no coincidence that if one doesn't get sorted out, the other doesn't get sorted out," says El.

Portland Hotel resident Shane B. certainly gives El and Krista credit for contributing, mentally and physically, to his recovery. "They asked a lot of hard questions, but it was worth the time and effort. It was a lengthy interview process, really in-depth--they cared," he says. "I'm doing extremely well partly because of them. I haven't done this well for 12 years."

Reiki Chakras

If love is the product of the heart chakra, then expression is the product of the throat chakra. Many practitioners of the vibrational healing arts have long considered the throat chakra sacred because it holds within it the information from all the chakras. Energies from the crown & third eye chakra move down through the throat on their way to the trunk of the body. Energy from the perineum, womb, solar plexus & heart chakras move up through the throat on their way to the head. Within the sacred container of the throat chakra, all of the energy is metabolized broken down & put back together before it manifests as ones own unique self expression. The two basic behavioral difficulties some people may have that are connected with the throat chakra are excessive vocal expression or minimal vocal expression. Speaking up is an anabolic process(putting things together & expressing them)Keeping quiet is a catabolic process.(receiving and assimilating)If there is too much energy in the chambers the person has difficulties speaking up. If their is too much energy in the anabolic chambers, one will have difficulty knowing when to remain quiet. The flow of this energy system is very important because unexpressed or blocked feelings can become physicalized as tension in the surrounding muscle groups eventually affecting the Temporomandibular Joint. Dysfunction in this joint may cause headaches, back pain or more serious functional problems throughout the body if the blocked energy is long standing. In a case such as this as specific methods are applied directly to the throat chakra & Temporomandibular Joint the energy pathways will gradually begin to open as the increased energy is directed to the area by not just the Reiki practitioner but the individuals body as well. As the energy revitalizes the throat, all muscles in the surrounding area will release their held tension and return to a more relaxed state, in turn counteracting any other byproduct of the blockage. As this treatments continues, more positive vocal self expression will also be realized. Regards, Laurence Frederick Access Natural Healing Suite 101 - 1416 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5L 3X9 604-568-4663