Look what just appeared in my inbox.

It a communication that appears to have gone out to most homeopaths in the UK, both medically trained and lay, about the current complaints against homeopaths being considered by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The ASA have a large number of complaints to deal with as a direct result of the activities of a new pressure group called the Nightingale Collaboration. The NC was formed this year with the goal of reducing the number of misleading claims being made in advertisements by practitioners of superstitious and pseudoscientific medical therapies. Their first focus was on homeopaths and their web sites. At the same time, the ASA changed it’s remit to look at claims made on web sites. The result has been many dozens of complaints being made as a result of people taking part in the NC initiative.

So, what is important in this note?

1) Most strikingly, it is a joint and coordinated effort between doctors, vets and non-medically qualified homeopaths. The professionals have got into bed with the dangerous amateurs who vehemently claim that real medicine is an evil, vaccines kill babies and sugar pills cure AIDS. This is desperation and I would suggest completely discredits the Faculty of Homeopathy (which represents medical homeopaths) and makes them deeply irresponsible.

(Note that the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths are not included – an organisation that is not on speaking terms with other organisations and represents an even more ludicrous wing of this cult.)

2) The organisations took their lawyers into see the ASA. For what possible purpose? The ASA enforces a voluntary code of standards on bodies in the UK. Only with persistent offenders do the ASA refer to Trading Standards where criminal prosecutions may start. My guess is that this is just an intimidatory move.

3) What is missing is a recommendation for their members to comply with what the ASA is asking for. The ASA have been somewhat lenient on them so far and given them a special period for them to get their web sites in compliance with ASA guidelines. (ends next Monday) This is despite the fact that on joining the Society of Homeopaths all members must sign a code if ethics that compels them to ensure that their advertising meets CAP guidelines (as enforced by the ASA.) So the homeopaths want to fight. This blog has documented just how meaningless that code of ethics is.

4) That the homeopaths want to fight is made clear by the fact that the organisations themselves intend not to comply with the ASA requests and to challenge them. To do so, the homeopaths are trying to rubbish the House of Commons Science and Technology committee report on the evidence behind government policy on homeopathy and to produce their own dossier. That will be interesting. The MPs in their report castigated the homeopaths when they submitted their evidence to the committee for being highly selective and misleading. I doubt the ASA will fall for cherry picked substandard studies that try to support claims.

5) It would appear that the homeopaths tried to offer a BNR (But Not Really) disclaimer on their web site as is so often seen on quack web sites that to try to distance themselves from regulatory scrutiny. A claim would be made and the in the subtext some sort of weasel words that say that the claim is not medical advice or approved by any specific body. It’s childish at best and a deliberate attempt to mislead at worst.

The ASA are going to have their work cut out as homeopaths try to use their usual pseudoscience and substandard research to back up ludicrous claims that sugar pills cab treat illness. It is going to be interesting to see how this unfolds. Personally, I believe this could turn into a war of attrition until such time as homeopaths start to be prosecuted. The sooner that happens the better for all, I fear.

Homeopaths really believe they hold a sacred truth about healing. They are stuck in one of philosopher Stephen Law’s intellectual black holes. They are so surrounded by their anti-intellectual justifications and myths that there is no escape back through the event horizon of delusion and back into the real world.

And the goal of the NC campaign is to stop other people falling through that trap into a world beyond reason.

Anyway, enjoy.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HOMEOPATHS ON ASA

Status with Advertising Standards Authority following

meeting of 23 June 2011

The Society, Faculty and BHA along with our lawyer and

representative from our communications firm met with three

representatives from the ASA late Thursday to discuss

their guidelines to homeopaths about advertising.

The profession has opened a dialogue with the ASA but they

are not going to be easily shifted from their positions,

and they will not stop the course of action they have

already set in motion. What was gained from the meeting

are the following:

. Agreement by the ASA to consider our proposal for a

proper evaluation of the evidence in homeopathy, which we

will send to them by 1 July.

. To meet and work with one named person from the CAP

(Committee of Advertising Practice) team to develop a

vocabulary for use in websites that is appropriate and

useful for our professions and meets the Code.

We will therefore be following up these developments

directly with the ASA along with professional advice.

However, if you have received a letter from the ASA for

action by 1 July:

. In the short-term the ASA are not shifting their

position on the evidence. We have made clear this is not

acceptable given that they are inappropriately using a

non-scientific document (House of Commons Science and

Technology Committee Evidence Check Report) as

“authoritative”.

. The ASA have made clear that, from 4th July, they will

be reviewing and reassessing websites that were complained

about to see if modifications have been made.

. If you have made some but not all changes required, you

will be sent a second letter from the ASA.

. If you receive a second letter from the ASA, contact

your registering body immediately.

As a profession we wish to comply with the ASA and CAP

guidance on advertising so it is “legal, decent, honest

and truthful.” However, we are very prepared to defend

wording that is appropriately referenced to the evidence

base that does exist.

Unfortunately, the ASA made it clear that they do not see

merit in developing a disclaimer that would go on all

websites, as it would not change the fact that other

statements within the websites are not ‘compliant’.

However, we can take heart in the fact that the ASA are

willing to consider alternatives to its current blanket

approach to the research evidence (in which it applies the

Science and Technology Committee Evidence Check Report as

the final word).

We were told at the meeting that a number of complaints

have been made about organisational websites, particularly

the BHA, Faculty of Homeopathy and Society of Homeopaths.

These organisations will respond to these complaints with

a robust supply of evidence, and hope that through that

process we will gain further clarity on specific wording

that is acceptable to the ASA investigations team.

Naturally we will keep you posted.

Next steps will be shared as soon as possible but it is

very clear that as a profession we must be thoughtful and

strategic in response and not reactionary. A dialogue has

been initiated with the ASA, and that in itself is a

positive development.