Thread: Homeopathy -- fact or trifle?

Originally Posted by paco

Why are so many so sure science is ALWAYS correct?

Because science admits it is wrong when a better theory comes along. Unlike the alternatives.

And it isn't about being correct, it's about having the best model of how things work we can come up with. Newton's laws of motion don't apply so well under all circumstances, but they were good enough to put men on the moon.

If the Bible offered the most consistent explanation of things, it would be labelled a scientific journal.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Because science admits it is wrong when a better theory comes along. Unlike the alternatives.

And it isn't about being correct, it's about having the best model of how things work we can come up with. Newton's laws of motion don't apply so well under all circumstances, but they were good enough to put men on the moon.

If the Bible offered the most consistent explanation of things, it would be labelled a scientific journal.

I said nothing of the Bible and was only implying that some
claim science to be always correct and will not entertain other theories.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Because science admits it is wrong when a better theory comes along. Unlike the alternatives.

And it isn't about being correct, it's about having the best model of how things work we can come up with. Newton's laws of motion don't apply so well under all circumstances, but they were good enough to put men on the moon.

If the Bible offered the most consistent explanation of things, it would be labelled a scientific journal.

small correction:

Proper science admits it's wrong when a better theory comes along.

There's a lot of improper science around.

Ask a Contergan case!
Normally they admit nothing if you don't sue them and they refuse to make up for it even if you do.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Because science admits it is wrong when a better theory comes along. Unlike the alternatives.

And it isn't about being correct, it's about having the best model of how things work we can come up with. Newton's laws of motion don't apply so well under all circumstances, but they were good enough to put men on the moon.

If the Bible offered the most consistent explanation of things, it would be labelled a scientific journal.

Rajagra, that was *very* well put.

At least when science is wrong, they admit it, and continue working toward "the truth" instead of blaming their "wrongness" on the position of the Sun and Venus.

I've tried to post this a couple of times. I think I ran up against some length of post thing. It comes from a website I pay to have access to. It is peer reviewed and evidence based.

Quality — There are multiple determinants of the quality of an herbal product. These factors all impact the ability to insure consistency and standardization of herbal products.
Plant species used — Several common herbal products are drawn from closely related species. As an example, studies of echinacea for the treatment and prevention of the common cold utilize Echinacea purpurea, E. pallida, and/or E. angustifolia. The relative pharmacologic activity of these different species is unclear. Serious injury also has resulted from the misidentification of other plant species and subsequent mislabeling.
Plant parts used — Different plant parts from the same species may have different pharmacologic activity. As an example, echinacea products vary according to the proportion of root and aerial parts used. The relative activities of these different parts of the same plant are uncertain. Other inherent problems involve contamination by plant parts not normally utilized.
Harvesting and storage conditions — The strength of a plant's pharmacologic activity may also vary according to where it was raised, when it was harvested, and the length of time it was stored . Plant products and their active constituents can vary from year to year due to climatic changes involving rainfall, sunlight, and even genetic composition. A similar phenomenon is commonly experienced with wine grapes. Problems with prolonged storage may also lead to microbial contamination.
Processing — Herbs can be processed and formulated multiple ways. Whole herbs can be homogenized and extracted using solvents (eg, alcohol, glycerol, acetone, water). These extracts can be dried and encapsulated, or made into liquid tinctures. Whole herbs can also be consumed orally or packaged as loose teas. Topical applications can be made using poultices or creams. Different processing techniques can result in different chemical composition of the final product.
Accuracy of labeling — Multiple reports of inaccurate herb labeling have been documented. As an example, a study of commercially available Asian ginseng products showed that among products with a labeled concentration of ginsenosides, the actual measured ginsenoside varied from zero to over 300 percent of labeled concentrations. Similarly, in a study of valerian products, 4 out of 17 products tested had no detectable levels of the expected valerenic acids, while another four had only one-half the expected amount.
Furthermore, many brands of the same herb have labeling recommendations that vary greatly. Among 880 commercial products of the 10 most commonly purchased herbs, 43 percent were consistent with generally accepted benchmarks and 37 percent were either not consistent or were insufficiently labeled to determine whether or not it was consistent with generally accepted benchmarks. Cost per recommended daily dose was a significant predictor of consistency with the benchmark, but store type (ie, grocery, retail pharmacy, discount store, health food store) was not.
Standardization — Herbs are complex substances with dozens or hundreds of chemical constituents. Often it is unclear which of these chemicals play an important role in the herb's pharmacologic activity. Some herbal products are standardized to contain a specified amount of one or two chemicals or chemical groups thought to be the active ingredients for the herb. Examples include ginkgo extracts standardized to 24 percent flavonoid glycosides and 6 percent terpenoids, and St. John's wort standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin. The latter is an example of a product standardized to a component that many experts believe is not the most important component for antidepressant activity.
Even when herbal preparations are labeled "standardized," there may be significant variation. One study of echinacea found that the content did not match the labeling in 47 percent of samples labeled "standardized".
Purity — Reports of herbal medicines containing pharmaceuticals have occurred. Notable examples include the combination product PC-SPES used for prostate cancer that was found to contain DES, warfarin, and indomethacin. Reports of lead, mercury, and arsenic contamination in imported traditional Chinese and Indian herbal products have also occurred.