I was watching television the other night and saw an advertisement for the arthritis drug Celebrex. It shows a man painting his picket fence, then riding a bicycle and playing with
his dog. A gentle voice in the background informs us that “Bleeding and ulcers can occur without warning and may cause death”, and then…”It may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke which can lead to death.” At first I thought it was a satire of a drug ad, created by someone with a dark sense of humor. But this was the real thing.
The gentle voice goes on to proclaim with pride, that the drug “has never been taken off the market”, a desperate recommendation. So many drugs have been withdrawn that just being on the market is actually a selling point. The ad goes on to say, “In clinical studies a lower percentage of patients on Celebrex reported indigestion, abdominal pain and nausea.” So that’s it. We’re supposed to be grateful for a drug that can kill you in several different ways and stands a good chance of making you sick.
The only way to get someone to accept this absurdity is to spend millions in advertising, because you have to suppress both the patient’s better judgment and the doctor’s conscience (as he relegates Primum non nocere to distant memory). But there’s something else you must do. You have to create a low expectation about healing, which is one of the insidious effects of these ads.
A young doctor recently told me that he had to present a patient with a choice between her symptoms and a drug with lethal side effects. He said she chose the drug and suffered terribly. He’s a dedicated physician and cares about people, but as a victim of low expectations, he saw nothing wrong with those limited options.
With such inadequate tools, why doesn’t the medical establishment embrace homeopathy? I think one important reason is its magical quality. Of course we know that it’s totally scientific, based on thousands of proving (yes, they count!), hundreds of thousands
of clinical cures and numerous studies.
However, both in how it works and what it accomplishes, homeopathy is extra-ordinary, of a different realm. You need either personal experience or a functioning right brain to let it in. It deals with an invisible energy that can only be known by its effects. We have magical concepts like Similia similibus Curentur, potentization, suppression, layers of illness that you can peel away, acquired energy patterns you can pass to your children and finally….cure! With all due respect to Harry Potter….
So, strangely, homeopathy’s strengths make it a difficult sell for some. On the other hand, it so resonates to our inner wisdom, that once people experience it, they know it is real. Along with their dose of remedy, they also get an instant dose of higher expectations.
Click here to see Celebrex ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GvYI4VdVEI
Before I wrap-up, I want to express our appreciation to homeopath Katja Schütt, who secured many of the articles for this month’s issue. She also continues to bring us news about the state of homeopathy from around the world. Thank you Katja!
In this month’s issue:
Homeopath Beth Rotondo shares her personal experiences and some
“magical” cures in our Hot Seat interview. Rudi Verspoor
begins a fascinating new series on the evolution of Hahnemann’s
ideas, leading up to the Organon. It provides new insights into
Hahnemann’s true gift. Physicist Cyril Smith, author of “Electromagnetic
Man” in his continuing his series, explains the physics behind
potentization. This is an original work with surprising conclusions.
For those who love cats (and I am one) Veterinarian Irene DeVilliers
gives us a whole new perspective on FIP and how to treat it. George
Vithoulkas tackles another reader’s question…….and
much, much more.
Enjoy this issue and do send us your comments and feedback at
[email protected]
Alan V. Schmukler
