Is Health Canada bringing measles back by approving ineffective homeopathic remedies?

6079_Smith_W wrote:

I'm still a bit nervous that they don't give polio shots; I have good friends living with the aftermath of that disease.

??

Polio is part of the routine immunization schedule. Are you sure your kids didn't get it?

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/immunization/docs/schedul...

Anyway, back o/t. The Canadian organization Bad Science Watch has been fighting Health Canada's decision to licence nosodes.

Quote:

A number of homeopathic nosodes, promoted by many homeopaths as vaccine “alternatives”, are currently approved by Health Canada for sale under the Natural Health Products Directorate. Their approval implies efficacy similar to vaccines, when the really provide no protection at all, and it contradicts Health Canada’s own clear pro-vaccination policies.

What nosodes are:

Quote:

Homeopaths and naturopaths that use homeopathy in their practice offer preparations called “nosodes” that they claim, among other things, are capable of preventing infectious diseases. Using homeopathy for this purpose is known as “homeoprophylaxis”. Some homeopaths even claim that nosodes can serve as effective replacements or alternatives to standard vaccinations. Currently there are over 179 different nosode products that have been approved for sale by Health Canada under the Natural Health Product Regulations. At least 82 of these contain nosodes being used for the prevention of diseases like influenza, pertussis, measles, and polio.

However, the scientific evidence shows that people that choose a homeopathic alternative to standard vaccinations are not protected from infectious diseases. Even worse, because these products do not provide protection, relying on their use would actually increase the risk of contracting and spreading infectious disease.

I don't think, however, that any vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in North America are due to nosodes, but the Jenny McCarthy effect, whereby people aren't using replacements for vaccines, but no vaccines at all.

Yeah, I thought maybe you meant smallpox, Winston.

There's tons of stuff debunking nosodes, but here's a recent article by a retired physician that gives an overview of popular misconceptions regarding the immune system.

Quote:

In addition to ignoring what a weakened immune system looks like, and imagining that nutrition is the source of “strength” of the immune system, advocates of alternative medicine have another naïve belief about the immune system. They appear to think that the immune system can be overwhelmed by too much information. Ignoring the fact that each individual faces hundreds, thousands or more immune challenges each day, alternative medicine afficianados argue that vaccines, particularly those designed to immunize against more than one disease at a time, “overwhelm” the immune system, particularly what they imagine to be the “underdeveloped” immune system of small children.

Ironically, the truth is exactly the opposite. Vaccines are one of the few things, if not the only thing, that can strengthen the immune system by giving it a head start against a microscopic invader. Humoral (antibody) immunity takes time to ramp up if the body has never seen the invader before. It’s as if the body can’t start making weapons until it has already been invaded. Vaccines act like a picture of the enemy. Vaccines allow the body to “see” what the invader looks like before the invasion, and to stockpile weapons for the coming fight. When the assault ultimately occurs (when the person is exposed to the disease), the counterattack can begin without delay, and therefore it is much more likely to be successful.

http://www.skepticalob.com/2013/09/lets-review-strengthening-the-immune-...

The real problem revealed by the opening post is the lack of leadership from Health Canada with regard to alternative health products. A friend who used to work with the Therapeutic Products Directorate described all the big brain power, scientists with phDs who review drugs for licensure in Canada. These people do not countenance their employer giving a stamp of approval to nosodes or homeopathic remedies, and often express their frustration anonymously at places like Science Based Medicine.

The government's take:

Quote:

Through the Natural Health Products Directorate, Health Canada assures that all Canadians have ready access to a wide range of natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality.

We assess all natural health products before letting them be sold in Canada. We also check that NHPs are properly manufactured (without contamination or incorrect ingredients). And we do post-market monitoring to make sure that NHP Regulations are being followed.

So the government is careful to state that they are not saying these products are effective. Here's the rationale:

Quote:

A 2010  Ipsos-Reid survey shows that 73% of Canadians regularly take natural health products (NHPs) like vitamins and minerals, herbal products, and homeopathic medicines.

The trouble with Health Canada's neutral stance on alternative medicine is that it isn't really neutral. If the government licences homeopathic products, it puts upon them a stamp of legitimacy that the government's own scientists are not allowed to refute because they are not permitted to speak to the media.