Mar 27, 2016

Fernando Frias, the scourge against homeopathy

EMILIO J. MARTÍNEZ
Elmundo
March 27, 3016
(Google translation)
Do not walk with hot towels and says what he thinks without equivocation.The Alicante lawyer Fernando Frias , skeptical (and nerdy) calling itself, gave on Friday a talk in Elche organized by the Association for Science Popularization of Elche (ADCElx) in which, under the title Coven in college , quite explicit by the way, he has tried to raise awareness of "numerous cases" in which calls psneudoscience "have crept" in public bodies, and in particular at universities. A topical issue after the University of Barcelona, ​​the most prestigious of Spain, announced a few weeks ago that canceled his master of homeopathy "for lack of scientific basis."
"This is a supposedly therapeutic system is based on two ideas, to cure an ailment must produce similar symptoms and that the more the remedy is diluted more powerful it is." Frias defines the controversial homeopathy, alternative medicine industry created more than two centuries ago whose effectiveness has not been proven beyond the placebo effect.
In addition to homeopathy, also amember of the ARP-Society for the Advancement of Critical Thinking, lists other pseudoscience as "therapeutic sects" , "pyramidology, or even" the absorcismo "as alleged therapies that have been taught in courses university, medical and pharmaceutical colleges.From his blog The list of shame , associated with Naukas, one of the largest online platforms science in Spanish, Frias realizes the pseudo -scientific qualifications who teach "many" universities Spanish. In this space already complained in 2010 that the University of Barcelona was teaching a master of homeopathy and, once they have retired, continues to show that this academic, along with the Autonomous University of Barcelona "and with the blessing of official Colleges of institution medical and nursing "imparts its dual master 's degree in naturopathic medicine and naturopathic nursing , which could also be canceled for next year progresses, because currently are not offering a new edition.
These latest, together with other well recently that the College of Physicians of Barcelona has decided to remove courses homeopathy (but keep the section of homeopaths members) "because there is no clinical evidence" are not sufficient reason for Fernando Frias think homeopathy's days in our society. "We can not say we're at the beginning of the end, because 200 years old would be a tall order, but we are facing a major setback from the point of view of consumers starting to realize that homeopathy does nothing, "he says.
In his view, that homeopathy has so much presence in society is due to the "powerful industry behind." Only then it explained that the European directive on medicinal ruled on the one hand that "should provide evidence of effectiveness and evidence that the product is effective and safe for consumers", but otherwise an exception with homeopathy was established "for the pressures from countries like France or Belgium where they have an important industry that moves a lot of money. "
So why can be sold homeopathic products in pharmacies? We wonder."For the Health Ministry turns a blind eye on their marketing , " answers. "A couple of years ago a draft that his ministry was unaware of how many products in a given category on the market was developed, which makes us think that not know whether they are safe or not , " he adds. "Although most often are products with zero or low concentrations, so they pose no danger ", this particular" activist "against the pseudoscience.
The greatest danger continues Fernando Frias, occurs when the drug is replaced "by this kind of remedies" and cites as anexample the case of Girona where police found the body of a child in a home whose parents had been trying theirasthma with homeopathy .
So all in all, the Alicante lawyer understands that the use of homeopathy "many times" due to situations of "despair, with deeply held beliefs."Beyond its similarities with religion, "that is," this blogger says will "at least tried to implement the idea that belief is questionable."
http://www.elmundo.es/comunidad-valenciana/2016/03/27/56f7a11c46163fd1308b4614.html

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