(Ed) The BBC and "ComplementaryTherapies"

[tim]

The BBC and "Complementary Therapies"

The BBC has a section on it's website dedicated to health. Quite a lot of it is taken up with complementary medicine. Go here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/complementary_medicine/
Two questions occur to me. Firstly, should the BBC support these "therapies" and secondly is it right they should use British taxpayers money to do so? (For those not familiar with the way it works, anyone in the UK who uses a tv must buy a license, costing £116 a year, and this funds the BBC).

(edited to please a pedant. )

 

[Rolfe]

Give us a break Tim, can you change the title of the thread?

"Complimentary" means either free, or saying something nice about someone. Neither of which seems to be very descriptive of these quacks.

I think the word you meant was "complementary".

Rolfe (the pedant's pedant).

 

[Lisa Simpson]

Give us a break Tim, can you change the title of the thread?

"Complimentary" means either free, or saying something nice about someone. Neither of which seems to be very descriptive of these quacks.

I think the word you meant was "complementary".

Rolfe (the pedant's pedant).

I didn't read the article, but perhaps the therapy in question is saying nice things to an ill person.

 

[Rolfe]

I didn't read the article, but perhaps the therapy in question is saying nice things to an ill person.

I never thought of it that way! Tea and sympathy. Or, "a kind word and a promise of a cure".

Somebody said something (on BBC radio) today about why doesn't someone just tell Prince Charles to shut up. Go talk to a tree or kill a fox or do something else he's half way competent about, and let the grown-ups get on with running the country.

I'll just bet the Royal Woo's pernicious influence is sneaking in here. Not actively of course, but just the drip drip of publicity he gives to coffee enemas to cure cancer and so on.

Rolfe.

 

[tim]

I didn't read the article, but perhaps the therapy in question is saying nice things to an ill person.

Hey Lisa! You can have one of these as well!

 

[Eos of the Eons]

All of this is an argument agains having some mindless Royal Family. They should make all the "royal brats" educated in varying subjects. One has to become a doctor, one an astronomer, etc.

 

[Lisa Simpson]

I read some of the linked article. There was the merest hint of skepticism in the homeopathy section (at least it admitted there is none of the original substance left and that many scientists consider homeopathy to be the placebo effect) but no skepticism at all in the energetic therapy section.

Healing and reiki - there have been few controlled studies, but some effects have been demonstrated, including increased heat in practitioners' hands and the body parts being treated, as well as changes in brainwaves to a more relaxed state. Healing is thought to be generally beneficial and many doctors recommend it for those with chronic ailments, pain or emotional problems. Reiki is often used to treat stress-related conditions, but is thought to be helpful for any disorder.

A nice, comfy laydown should make anyone a little more relaxed.

So how of this does your inbred prince buy into? All of it?

 

[tim]

Dunno, Lisa. Quite a lot, I think.
The damn' man annoys me because he always means well. He's done a lot of good work and just occasionally hits the nail on the head. But on this one I want to take the hammer off him and hit him with it.

 

[Soapy Sam]

I'll just bet the Royal Woo's pernicious influence is sneaking in here. Not actively of course, but just the drip drip of publicity he gives to coffee enemas to cure cancer and so on.

Rolfe.

I don't think I'll ever drink filter coffee again.

 

[Zep]

I don't think I'll ever drink filter coffee again.

SPSPSFSFSTSSPSFTSTSPSTSPSTSPSTTTSPSPSFFFTTT!!!!

 

[Asolepius]

All of this is an argument agains having some mindless Royal Family. They should make all the "royal brats" educated in varying subjects. One has to become a doctor, one an astronomer, etc.

I shouldn't think any of them could qualify. Charles could not get the grades to get into any university, but they sent him to Cambridge anyway, for 2 years only so he never took a degree. Now he sets himself up as an authority and surrounds himself with people who should know better but are chasing decorations. The real blame lies with these people - look at the trustees of his Foundation for Integrated Health. This is just a modern version of the corruption which the monarchy has catalysed for centuries.

 

[Deetee]

I shouldn't think any of them could qualify. Charles could not get the grades to get into any university, but they sent him to Cambridge anyway, for 2 years only so he never took a degree. Now he sets himself up as an authority and surrounds himself with people who should know better but are chasing decorations. The real blame lies with these people - look at the trustees of his Foundation for Integrated Health. This is just a modern version of the corruption which the monarchy has catalysed for centuries.

Quite right.
Generations of inbreeding/cross breeding with the Sloane set has led to a dearth of intellect in the royal offspring.
Princess Anne was the only one in recent memory who had anywhere near the grades to get into university (I think).

Zero chance of getting an astronomer out of the royals I'm afraid. Now, if Eos had said Astrologer......

 

[Diamond]

Unfortunately the BBC websites are chock full of junk and pseudoscience. Climate change and scary environmental scares are another area where the BBC has let down the license payer. The political commentary is still good but is emasculated by the disaster of the Dr Kelly/WMD sexing up allegations.

Let's not get me started on the Royal Family...