Steve Scrutton
Homeopath, Registrar, Alliance of Registered Homeopaths
www.stevehomeopath.co.uk
The failure of conventional or scientific medicine?
See www.nhs-conmed.co.uk
Press Release
10 August 2009
For Immediate Release
Tamiflu - why no honesty?
The limited effectiveness, and adverse reactions of Tamiflu, particularly
amongst younger people, have been known about since 2005, particularly from
Japan. The dangers identified included severe, sometimes fatal skin and allergic
reactions, anaphylactic shock causing 3 deaths, and 12 or more cases of death
caused by ‘neuropsychiatric’ events (which included erratic behaviors,
hallucination, and self-harm). Therefore, the BMJ’s research should have been no
surprise to anyone. Yet the government and the NHS have presented Tamiflu to the
public as an effective and safe response to influenza, initially without any
mention about either its limitations, or more seriously, the known dangers of
the drug.
Equally important, and perhaps more alarming, is the media’s approach to this
situation. Steve Scrutton, Media Director of the Alliance of Registered
Homeopaths, has asked two fundamental questions of the media handling of this
issue.
• Why did the popular media, without exception, completely ignore reporting on
the well-known limitations and dangers of Tamiflu?
• And why is the popular media always so apparently content to present drugs
like Tamiflu, and many other conventional drugs, as 'miracle cures', every time
they are asked to do so by the drug companies?
The Tamiflu situation also raises several fundamental questions about public
health and the information available to patients.
• Why are patients expected to take conventional medication, like Tamiflu,
without being fully informed about the possible adverse reactions?
• Can the public rely on the NHS, or the media, to tell them about the dangers
of conventional drugs before they are prescribed, and prior to them doing harm?
• And most important, have drug companies become so powerful that no-one is now
able to criticise them, even when the drugs they are marketing are suspected to
be causing serious disease, and death?
The Tamiflu situation highlights issues of basic openness, honesty, and
transparency within the mainstream medical system. The BMJ study has thrown up
nothing new, nothing that the public could not have been told about 6 months
ago, and long before. The fact that people have only been told at this late
stage is deeply worrying.
ENDS
CONTACTS FOR EDITORS
Alliance of Registered Homeopaths
Registered Office
Millbrook, Millbrook Hill, Nutley, East Sussex. TN22 3PJ
Tel: 01825 714506
Email: info@a-r-h.org
Website: www.a-r-h.org
Steve Scrutton.
Registrar and Media Officer.
Alliance of Registered Homeopaths.
15 Manitoba Close, Corby, Northamptonshire. NN18 9HX
Tel: 01536 744520
steve@a-r-h.org
THE ALLIANCE OF REGISTERED HOMEOPATHS
INFORMATION FOR EDITORS
The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths (ARH) is a UK professional organisation
that supports and promotes a high standard of safe, effective homeopathic
practice. It currently represents about 700 practicing homeopaths.
We are committed to:
• ensuring that quality homeopathy is available to all who wish to use it
• raising public awareness of the potential of homeopathic treatment
• encouraging a high standard of education for homeopaths
• supporting the ongoing professional development of our Members
• encouraging co-operation between our Members and other healthcare
professionals, for the benefit of patients
• engaging in research, publishing and other activities that enhance our
understanding of homeopathy
• acting as an information base for the general public.