Page 12 - Spring 17

continued from p9
Film scene, Haiti
Contributors include Rajan Sankaran, Roger Morrison, Farokh Master, Peter Fisher, John Morgan, Pierre Fontain, Francis Treuhertz, Massimo Mangialavori, DR Luc de Shepper, and Miranda Castro, among others. Now if that stellar cast doesn’t make you want to see the film, then why are you reading this journal? There are also appearances by the like of James Randi and other well-known anti-homeopathy campaigners just to balance the film – and create some light amusement from time to time!
Some anecdotal cases are also presented with particular emphasis on one case of autism in a male child. If there was one area, where I would feel a little critical, it would be on the time taken on this one case. Dr Tinus Smits has recorded many more complete cases than the one given, and perhaps some of the time taken returning to this and other anecdotal, yet interesting, cases could have been spent showing a bit more of the positive results many of the research papers ignored by the final NHMRC report show (well, they only finally allowed studies of over 150 patients to be included, leaving a very small handful of the original 1800 studies considered, all of which conveniently showed negative results). It was also a sad omission, in my view, not to include any veterinary evidence, as this bypasses the placebo argument so often cited by our detractors to dampen the slightest smouldering flame of a positive response. It also has the cute factor, always a winner with the general public!
Overall, this is a very worthy project, one which has independently been able to bypass the usual biased avenues available to spread the message, and showcases very clearly the massive efforts of the major pharmaceutical industry backed large institutes to suppress homeopathy at any cost. It also showcases, as Winston Churchill might have said, the extent to which so many owe so much to so few, who bravely continue to ruffle feathers and challenge those, who consider themselves beyond challenge, on behalf of us all. To all concerned, take a bow!
10
At just over an hour, the film has an ambitious brief of covering the history of homeopathy, with some biography of Samuel Hahnemann; the manufacture of homeopathic remedies; anecdotal patient evidence; and, most importantly, in my opinion, the exposure of the remarkable and biased suppression of evidence surrounding the 2015 report of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia, which report has been used as a basis for decision-making world-wide as it supplied the clamour of the pharmaceutical industry for negative findings. I will not go into the incredible evidence unearthed by the intrepid
investigators, as the film needs to be seen, but, as an example, the published review, which showed the negative results, was not the first review submitted.
The NMHRC hires independent contractors to do such reviews, and, following the submission of the final draft of their review, the first contractors were dismissed within 72 hours. It was suspected that their review showed some positive results for homeopathy. Optum was then hired to replace them. The NHMRC set up an advisory committee (The Homeopathy Working Committee) for the review, and this was chaired by Peter Brooks – until they found out that he had the undeclared conflict of interest of being a member of the major sceptic (or should that be septic?!) organization FSM (Friends of Science and Medicine). This second contractor, as is now well-known, found no effect of homeopathy, but they only finally allowed studies of over 150 patients to be included, leaving a very small handful of the original 1800 studies considered, all of which conveniently showed negative results. This is now in the hands of the Australian ombudsman, with investigations ongoing, but the bias and cover-up almost beggars belief, unless you have been at the sharp end of practicing homeopathy in a hostile environment, when it comes as no surprise at all.
I finish with the closing statement from the director, Laurel Chiten, from the website.
“I want JUST ONE DROP to open up a dialogue, get people talking to each other, asking questions, and sharing information. My ultimate dream is to have homeopathy available as a health care option for everyone and be integrated into healthcare systems around the world.”
A truly worthy aim for a truly worthy film.
For more information, visit www.justonedropfilm.com
Gerry Dendrinos and Laurel Chiten, Canberra, Australia
Mumbai, India
John Morgan (Helios) and Rachel Roberts (Homeopathic Research Institute) field questions after the film screening.
Mark Carpenter