The Drugs are Better Than Fairy Dust (3): Quacktitioner Alert!

I don’t normally join in the shrieks of “quacktitioner” that some of the other health blogs are so fond of, but today I’m going to make an exception. I was reading through this article on Comment is Free by Madeleine Bunting writing in defence of complimentary therapies. The article itself is (in my opinion) a bit poor, and doesn’t really have much of an argument in favour of complimentary therapies except, “Well yes, most of them are just placebos, but it’s still a safe way to give someone the benefit of placebo effect, right?” (Well yes, Madeleine, but the point of medicine is that it’s supposed to be better than placebo.)

But it was this comment on the discussion thread afterward that attracted my attention.

As a Qualified Holistic Nurse with a Masters in Holistic Nursing and many qualifications in complementary therapies and doing research in the area, I get perturbed by the ’scientists’ and their forever bashing of therapies.I understand that there are many charlatans out there but I also know there are therapists who are qualified and ethical. I educate Patients about what to look for. I also -realise that the essence of these therapies is creating an atmosphere of trust , healing and the ‘relaxation response’ This relaxation response which has been documented & researched from ’60’s by Harvard MD Benson is what plays into the dynamics. It allows for the patient to iniatate their own inner healing which is what it is all about. Pills, surgery,chemo,etc - the medical model are all important but so indeed is the Patient’s own inner healing potential. When will they ever see this!!!

Just what on earth is a “Qualified Holistic Nurse”?