Veil of Fire

Thank you for that answer, it clears things up quite a bit.

liquid

VoF, re expecting you to argue like a Xian... we just get a lot of them round here. If something you say sounds slightly similar, then its always a possibility you get the standard answers, even though your concept of divinity is wholly different.

Actually, there is a general mood that we would like more than Xians and the occasional muslim, but they don't seem to debate so much, for one reason or another. So that is one reason why I am pleased to see you here (Although I wouldn't want to see many people from UP - different atmosphere. Perhaps Llywelen and Dawntreader. Although DT always refused to have his ideas discussed here. Shame, as we both had different specialities and were often talking across each other.)

Ted Hoffman

The placebo effect only works for psychosomatic diseases. Its not amazing in the least.

Synaesthesia

SirenSpeak
*wince*, as if alcohol weren't amongst the most destructive drugs of all.

From the American Cancer Society (emphasis added):
"Imagery involves the use of visualization techniques that are used as complementary therapies in people with cancer and other diseases. The techniques can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, manage pain, lower blood pressure, ease some of the side effects of chemotherapy, and create feelings of being in control. There is no scientific evidence that imagery can influence the development or progression of cancer. "

From quackwatch.com:
"Carl Simonton, M.D., claims that cancers can be affected by relaxation and visualization techniques... However, he has not published the results of any well-designed study testing his ideas. Simonton theorizes that the brain can stimulate endocrine glands to inspire the immune system to attack cancer cells. He and his wife Stephanie (a psychotherapist) taught cancer patients to imagine their cancer being destroyed by their white blood cells. However, there is no evidence that white cells actually attack cancer cells in this manner or that "immune suppression" is a factor in the development of common cancers."

In the case of doctors, especially in the case of doctors, ignorance is not an excuse. It is their responsibility to skeptically gather information on relevant studies. Representing scattered anecdotes to one's patients as being "proof" of a treatments effectiveness is a serious breach of trust and a demonstration of incompetence.

Regards,
Synaesthesia

"It is commonly said that if you treat a cold it will disappear in a week, but if you leave it alone it will last for seven days." -Steve Barret

(edited for sentence fragments)

[ May 02, 2002: Message edited by: Synaesthesia ]</p>