How effective is Conventional Medicine (ConMed)?

A good question that someone asked me. Well, here's what ConMed's own site Clinical Evidence says, at http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/about/knowledge.jsp.What proportion of commonly used treatments are supported by good evidence, what proportion should not be used or used only with caution, and how big are the gaps in our knowledge? Of around 2500 treatments covered 13% are rated as beneficial, 23% likely to be beneficial, 8% as trade off between benefits and harms, 6% unlikely to be beneficial, 4% likely to be ineffective or harmful, and 46%, the largest proportion, as unknown effectiveness. Now, are you more impressed by the 13% Treatments...

Choice of Treatment needed in the NHS

As my opening post I'd invite any site visitors to read the letter to Nick Clegg at the current Liberal Party Conference.Any politician hoping to lead his /her party after the next General Election will have to have some answers about how to reform the NHS and to begin the process of educating the British nation on taking responsibility for their own health. Good nutrition and cost effective ways of preventing and self-treating for colds, coughs, snuffles and a host of "first aid" stuff can be taught in school to children and parents to reduce the load on the NHS. More on that in later postings. Meanwhile, take some time to read Martin Walker at http://home.comcast.net/~newcdc/THE%20GHOST.pdf . After you've read, and been amazed, I'd invite you to pretend you are the new Prime Minister and...