Alternative remedies 'dangerous' for kids says report (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Dominic Hughes
Health correspondent, BBC News

Alternative remedies can be dangerous for children and even prove fatal if taken instead of conventional drugs, according to a new study.

The report warns of possible adverse reactions in youngsters who are given alternative remedies.

Researchers say parents sometimes think remedies are "more natural" with fewer side effects than conventional drugs.

But in nearly two thirds of the cases the side effects were rated as severe, life threatening or fatal.

The study, published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, looked at 39 separate incidents reported to the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit between 2001 and 2003.
***
more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12060507




That's what Big Pharma WANTS us to believe! Who paid for this "research"!?! Etc, etc.!!






















Yargle bargle blargh!

[ThatPoetGuy]

1. This is important information...

and it should be spread far and wide.

The sarcastic comments following the article dilute the impact.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Actually all drugs have side effects, "natural," or not

For example st. John's Worth in high doses make you far more sensitive to light, and chamomille tea is a smooth muscle relaxant. Given that digitalis comes from a real plant and used improperly it can kill.

Look I worked with a yerbera for a while and I got a lot respect for these drugs, for they are drugs. And yes used improperly they can be as dangerous as oh Tylenol.

[toastbutter]

3. exactly

saying a drug is "natural" is relatively meaningless and certainly says nothing about safety. most drugs we don't consider "natural" are simply refined from natural sources. refinement gives better purity and exact dosage.

[kickysnana]

8. +1

[Voice for Peace]

4. pharmaceutical fearmongering, methinks.

[Crunchy Frog]

5. Probably depends on which alternative remedies you're talking about

and which conventional treatments they are alternative to. Overly generalized IMO.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Crunchy, seriusly cute spawn, there.

[MattSh]

7. Yep, and...

Alternative remedies are always 'dangerous' for kids of pharmaceutical executives.

Wouldn't want to have to send them to the normal schools with normal kids!

[evirus]

9. Ad Hominem Circumstantial

there are tons of examples of people being injured or even killed as a result of seeking alternative medicine to replace or supplement real medicine, to argue that this fact should be ignored simply because pharmaceutical industries would stand to profit given the revelation of this fact is ignorant, irrational, and illogical.

examples: http://whatstheharm.net/

[LeftishBrit]

11. And making pharmaceutical remedies available to ordinary kids is dangerous to right-libertarian

teabaggers who would rather see poor people die for want of modern medicine, than have the EVIL GOVERNMENT involved in providing healthcare!

ETA: Not saying that everyone who criticizes modern medicine (however wrong I think they are) is a supporter of Ron Paul and the teabaggers. But it's as fair as saying that everyone who criticizes alternative medicines as the main way to go is a supporter of 'Big Pharma'.

[bemildred]

10. Almost anything which is effective will also be dangerous.

Dosage is everything.

The disputes over whether "alternative" treatments are effective - emotional though they are - are far more illuminating than this sort of empty and biased fear-mongering.