Jeremy Hunt, new Health Secretary, supports homeopathy

MikeTV

On Jeremy Hunt's appointment as Health Secretary:

"This is not unlike putting someone who thinks the Second World War began in 1986 in charge of the Department of Education" - Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary, thinks homeopathy works – Telegraph Blogs

(It's OK, I've checked - Michael Gove doesn't believe WWII began in 1986. He was just using that as an example. I did feel the need to check, though.)

krish

I'm probably alone in this view, but I think Hunt's okay, just too friendly and easily led .... whether it be with Murdoch/NI or that early day motion on homeopathy (from a Labour MP, the late Rudi Vis)
- just look at all the signatures from left, right, centre, nationalist, unionist, etc

As he believes it works, I agree it makes him unsuitable to be Health Sec.

karkus30

I'm not sure what you are getting at Mike. The heading which I have posted suggested it included things like acupuncture.

IronGiant

Do they mean complimentary medicine which includes acupuncture and homeopathy, or homeopathy alone?  I think that's the confusion.

Either way, to endorse homeopathy at all is an appalling step IMHO.

karkus30

It's all fitting together. There was a rumour that Cameron's connection with the Royal Family resulted in a telephone call to the Conservative party offices strongly suggesting that young David was given a job somewhere important.

HRH runs a series of charities that are supporting each other in such a way as you would have to wonder what's going on. He also sells homeopathic products under the Duchy Originals brand. Many of his not for profit companies have very nice renumeration packages for the CEOs. He created a council for alternative medicine and attempted to get alternative practitioners to register ( another money making scam by the looks of it ), it was closed down after it was put under investigation for money laundering. I note that Rothschild is involved in these trusts. The same Rothschild that sits on ATOS the organisation carrying out the disabled review, the same organisation that does all the Government IT and owns a chunk of BAE systems and the NP&I. That would be the same Rothschild that is rumoured to own the private part of the BoE along with the Royal Family.

No doubt no one would like to try to untangle that matted web of interests particularly if one is close to the Royal Family in the first place, so it's not surprising Cameron left it alone.

johntheexpat

In my book, homeopathy is fine for those who want it, but shouldn't be forced on those who don't.  (So long as its cheaper than proper healthcare, of course).
If there are people out there who want to take sugar tablets for everything and rely on the placebo effect for results, why not?  It should save the health service a fortune.  Lets face it, half the problem with modern (scientific) healthcare  is that its too effective at saving lives and for every life saved there will be huge on-going costs, as in further healthcare, continued pension payments etc etc.  With homeopathy you have a cheap system that fails it's adherents miserably, once and once only.  Its cheap and has on-going benefits for the rest of society.

But then I think smoking should be encouraged to reduce future pension liabilities and enhance government revenues.

IronGiant

Now I'm getting my cat suit on

He sure as hell isn't my David

Claws at dawn?  

I've tactically voted to try and keep the tories out of government all my life (since I was 18 I should add in case there is a pedant out there )

Shipley

I would have to say this is a total non issue - it is not going to prevent him doing the job.

Much more important was Ken Clarke getting kicked out of Justice - maybe we can get back to locking criminals up now rather than thinking of reasons for letting them out ever earlier.

karkus30

Aww, it's this effin autocorrect on iPad. I dislike it even more than the state. Anyway it's back as Young David so you can put your scratching tools and fur suit back in its bag .......laughing happy smiley followed by winking smiley and tongue out smiley.

krish

Perhaps .... but if a significant amount of taxpayer's money is diverted to NHS homeopathy, whilst blockbuster cancer drug therapy is curtailed by NICE on the grounds of cost, that would be shameful
- I'd like to see the figures