Re: Re: Radio 4 and reductionist views

[Guest guest]

Yes I've increasing found that my emails to the NIMH are simply just ignored.

Even when it concerns matters of serious concern. Despite the fact that I am a

fully paid up member. So much for it existing mainly for members benefit.

However these things have a way of self regulating ...

Lorraine Hodgkinson MNIMH MRCHM

HERBS AND HELPERS

6, Butts Fold, Cockermouth,

Cumbria, CA13 9HY. UK.

Tel: +44 (0) 1900 826392

Mobile: 07761 489838 (O2)

www.herbalmedicineuk.com

> Will the professional bodies really take up your call to action?

>

> Unfortunately I think if you wait for any of the professional bodies

> to act you will be disappointed. On the very important issues of

> visibility, tackling public & professional misconception, and

> promoting the benefits, skills and professionalism of medical

> herbalists all the professional bodies I am aware of fail their members.

>

> Our future is I believe in our own hands - individual's taking on

> these issues whenever they see it, forming a type of cumulative voice

> for making us more visible, demonstrating professionalism, promoting

> our benefits, skills and professionalism. No one will do it for us!

>

> Yesterday I took Medscape to task - referenced (and erroneous) data on

> Echinacea, when tracked back through two further referenced journal

> articles to the original source, turned out to be completely

> unreferenced speculation! One email and 5 minutes of my time to

> promote medicinal herbs and highlight a shoddily researched article.

>

> Medscape Anesthesiology

> From Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain

> " Herbal Medicines and Anaesthesia "

>

> I hope others are able to take the time to do the same...

>

> Regards to all,

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Yes I've increasing found that my emails to the NIMH are simply just ignored.

Even when it concerns matters of serious concern. Despite the fact that I am a

fully paid up member. So much for it existing mainly for members benefit.

They've had time to write to me twice to insist I send my affirmation

certificate back, since I withdrew my membership a few months ago. Their

property apparently.

>

Zoe

Medical Herbalist

MCPP Dip. Phyt.

Buteyko Breathing Practitoner

" Wild Drugs " 'A Foragers Guide to Healing Plants' Gaia 2010

Bath

01761 439920

[Guest guest]

I've just switched off Woman's Hour in annoyance and frustration:

they had a feature about " weeds " in the garden, during which the

woman said that nettle could be used to treat gout, but she couldn't

really say anything else about it because that's all she knew. So

where was the bloody herbalist?? Or at least the information that was

gathered by the researcher who phoned a herbalist before the show? Or

a suggestion by Jennie Murray that listeners might want to phone a

herbalist to learn more about the medicinal value of the " weeds " ?

Argh and grrr etc.

Cristina

>

>

>Yes I've increasing found that my emails to the NIMH are simply just

>ignored. Even when it concerns matters of serious concern. Despite

>the fact that I am a fully paid up member. So much for it existing

>mainly for members benefit.

>

>However these things have a way of self regulating ...

>

>Lorraine Hodgkinson MNIMH MRCHM

>HERBS AND HELPERS

>6, Butts Fold, Cockermouth,

>Cumbria, CA13 9HY. UK.

>Tel: +44 (0) 1900 826392

>Mobile: 07761 489838 (O2)

>www.herbalmedicineuk.com

>

>On 11 Aug 2011, at 17:32, charles rodgers

><<mailto:clinic%40rothamstedclinic.com>clinic@...>

>wrote:

>

>> Will the professional bodies really take up your call to action?

>>

>> Unfortunately I think if you wait for any of the professional bodies

>> to act you will be disappointed. On the very important issues of

>> visibility, tackling public & professional misconception, and

>> promoting the benefits, skills and professionalism of medical

>> herbalists all the professional bodies I am aware of fail their members.

>>

>> Our future is I believe in our own hands - individual's taking on

>> these issues whenever they see it, forming a type of cumulative voice

>> for making us more visible, demonstrating professionalism, promoting

>> our benefits, skills and professionalism. No one will do it for us!

>>

>> Yesterday I took Medscape to task - referenced (and erroneous) data on

>> Echinacea, when tracked back through two further referenced journal

>> articles to the original source, turned out to be completely

>> unreferenced speculation! One email and 5 minutes of my time to

>> promote medicinal herbs and highlight a shoddily researched article.

>>

>> Medscape Anesthesiology

>> From Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain

>> " Herbal Medicines and Anaesthesia "

>>

>> I hope others are able to take the time to do the same...

>>

>> Regards to all,

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Well at least she's being honest! In context though if the show was not

medicinal use can it be expected!??! Was it a gardening flavour?

Lorraine

Lorraine Hodgkinson MNIMH MRCHM

HERBS AND HELPERS

6, Butts Fold, Cockermouth,

Cumbria, CA13 9HY. UK.

Tel: +44 (0) 1900 826392

Mobile: 07761 489838 (O2)

www.herbalmedicineuk.com

> I've just switched off Woman's Hour in annoyance and frustration:

> they had a feature about " weeds " in the garden, during which the

> woman said that nettle could be used to treat gout, but she couldn't

> really say anything else about it because that's all she knew. So

> where was the bloody herbalist?? Or at least the information that was

> gathered by the researcher who phoned a herbalist before the show? Or

> a suggestion by Jennie Murray that listeners might want to phone a

> herbalist to learn more about the medicinal value of the " weeds " ?

>

> Argh and grrr etc.

>

> Cristina

>

> >

> >

> >Yes I've increasing found that my emails to the NIMH are simply just

> >ignored. Even when it concerns matters of serious concern. Despite

> >the fact that I am a fully paid up member. So much for it existing

> >mainly for members benefit.

> >

> >However these things have a way of self regulating ...

> >

> >Lorraine Hodgkinson MNIMH MRCHM

> >HERBS AND HELPERS

> >6, Butts Fold, Cockermouth,

> >Cumbria, CA13 9HY. UK.

> >Tel: +44 (0) 1900 826392

> >Mobile: 07761 489838 (O2)

> >www.herbalmedicineuk.com

> >

> >On 11 Aug 2011, at 17:32, charles rodgers

> ><<mailto:clinic%40rothamstedclinic.com>clinic@...>

> >wrote:

> >

> >> Will the professional bodies really take up your call to action?

> >>

> >> Unfortunately I think if you wait for any of the professional bodies

> >> to act you will be disappointed. On the very important issues of

> >> visibility, tackling public & professional misconception, and

> >> promoting the benefits, skills and professionalism of medical

> >> herbalists all the professional bodies I am aware of fail their members.

> >>

> >> Our future is I believe in our own hands - individual's taking on

> >> these issues whenever they see it, forming a type of cumulative voice

> >> for making us more visible, demonstrating professionalism, promoting

> >> our benefits, skills and professionalism. No one will do it for us!

> >>

> >> Yesterday I took Medscape to task - referenced (and erroneous) data on

> >> Echinacea, when tracked back through two further referenced journal

> >> articles to the original source, turned out to be completely

> >> unreferenced speculation! One email and 5 minutes of my time to

> >> promote medicinal herbs and highlight a shoddily researched article.

> >>

> >> Medscape Anesthesiology

> >> From Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain

> >> " Herbal Medicines and Anaesthesia "

> >>

> >> I hope others are able to take the time to do the same...

> >>

> >> Regards to all,

> >>

> >>

[Guest guest]

Ok, I'm going to wade in here and have a rant too.

Setting aside the undisputable fact that the media are disgustingly

remiss in establishing the actual expertise of the people they invite to

speak on herbs (and this seems to be getting worse. - I remember when

they used to ask Anne McIntyre when they wanted an expert on Woman's

Hour, but the pharmacists have been trying to claim this territory for a

very long time - Iwrote to You and Yours correcting a pharmacist about

25 years ago.......)

Here is MY problem. When we do get our say, we aleways seem to have

to " establish our expertise " by claoiming an interaction or danger that

should be attributed to a herb. It seems sometimes to be a competition

as to who can be first on the scene with a new danger.........

Why aren't we cueing up to speak about our successes and the POWER of

herbs to restore health???

re Gingko and warfarin (which I am NOT suggesting you combine) this is

a theoretical interaction, and I'd be grateful if somebody could point

me to evidence of additive affect...... I've seen several studies that

question the clinical relevance of this suggestion, and I'd like to know

the whole picture. By all means avoid this and any other herb with

potential anticoagulatary effects, but please can we stop making it the

basis of our superiority.........

Rather accentuate the positive.......!!!

Sally Owen

> Hello everyone,

>

> I did my dissertation on Statutory Regulation. No-one else even dared to at

the time.

>

> As part of the dissertation I called a few pharmacists and Pharmaceutical

companies such as Boots, also BUPA, PPP and a couple of other mainstream medical

insurance companies plus the Pharmaceutical Society in order to see if they knew

anything about the interactions of, among others, blood thinning agents such as

warfarin with gingko etc. to inform their patients, customers. They knew

NOTHING. So much for asking doctors and pharmacists. Will at least one of our

representatives of our so-called professional bodies (Ha ha) support our

profession ? Over the years I have lost my confidence in their support (total

lack of) and ridiculous business studies modules at universities, which are

mostly useless for the real world.

>

> The Chiropractic course was stopped by their association because it was deemed

inappropriate for their profession, not hands-on enough for their requirements.

Why can't we have such support?

>

> It makes me so sad (and angry) that we actually have the power to do something

useful in healthcare, and yet there is no-one who is really dedicated, that I

know of (please prove me wrong), to supporting our profession/ craft and allows

the media to go on and on repeating, ad nauseum and infinitum unchecked, putting

out nonsense about our having a lack of research, our being unprofessional,

poisoning people etc. etc.

>

> I am on crutches (for a year now) because of medical negligence, my best

friend is dying because of medical negligence, and I know this to be true

because alongside my studies I had to work as a private and NHS medical/research

secretary to support myself. I find that most university teachers (but

definitely NOT all) cannot be bothered/are afraid (?!) to speak out and speak

up. When I was at University of Westminster (when they first started their CAM

programmes) as part of my studies, I had telephoned a TV station about the fact

that a doctor who knew nothing about herbal medicine was giving out advice to

the public. The tutors straight away wanted to know who had called and spoken to

the TV station. When I said that it was me, still a student, they turned away

and ignored me. I call that a total lack of support for the profession. Medical

herbalism was formally recognised BEFORE the BMA or GMC even existed. So,

everyone, speak up or write and complain about those who think we are quacks and

charlatans.

>

> Thank you for reading this rant but someone has to do it.

> Blessings to all of you,

>

>

>

>> Who heard Prof Theo Raynor yesterday morning on Radio 4 talking about the

dangers of herbal medicine, especially Gingko biloba and advising that the best

person to get information on herbal supplements was a Pharmacist, unsurprising

if you read his university staff profile

http://ulpd.leeds.ac.uk/profiles/XMLview_profile_direct.asp?PersonID=2852

>> I would like to see someone from one of our professional bodies challenge

this and question their editorial policy. Clearly the best person to advise on

herbal medicine is a Medical Herbalist, we need a right of reply and to

represent our profession.

>>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> List Owner: Graham White, MNIMH

[Guest guest]

Hello Sally,

There seem to be lots of these theoretical interactions. Of

course were damned if we do! I've taken the view that I must stick to the line,

however in a clinical situation where I can definately reference the fact that a

reaction is theoretical and I really would like to use the herb, then I make a

clinical judgement. So far no grief. I know some Herbalists that almost

completely ignore any interaction if they can't find an actual case in respected

journals and go ahead! I'm not this bold and regard patient safety as a

priority. I also explain to the client first and ask their consent if necessary.

Lorraine

Lorraine Hodgkinson MNIMH MRCHM

HERBS AND HELPERS

6, Butts Fold, Cockermouth,

Cumbria, CA13 9HY. UK.

Tel: +44 (0) 1900 826392

Mobile: 07761 489838 (O2)

www.herbalmedicineuk.com

> Oh Sally, very well said, exactlly what I was thinking and you said it for me

and probably a great many of us.

>

> You are so right, it is appalling that we have to be so disresepctful to our

wonderful healing modality by playing the herbs are dangerous game !!

>

> best wishes

>

> Jacqui

>

>

> > >> Who heard Prof Theo Raynor yesterday morning on Radio 4 talking about the

dangers of herbal medicine, especially Gingko biloba and advising that the best

person to get information on herbal supplements was a Pharmacist, unsurprising

if you read his university staff profile

http://ulpd.leeds.ac.uk/profiles/XMLview_profile_direct.asp?PersonID=2852

> > >> I would like to see someone from one of our professional bodies challenge

this and question their editorial policy. Clearly the best person to advise on

herbal medicine is a Medical Herbalist, we need a right of reply and to

represent our profession.

> > >>

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

> > > List Owner: Graham White, MNIMH