David Tredinnick

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David Tredinnick is the Conservative MP for Bosworth.

David Tredinnick MP is perhaps the worst example of scientific illiteracy in government. His questions in parliament have promoted homeopathy, radionics (healing via a kind of psychic remote control) and astrology. He has been involved in campaigns to promote herbalism. He has been described by some MPs as the "Right Hon. Member for Holland and Barrett".[1][2][3][4]

Contents

Alternative Medicine

Here are a few examples of quotes from Tredinnick's questions in Parliament:

"Attacks have also been made on the efficacy of homeopathy. A letter was sent to the World Health Organisation warning against the use of homeopathy, but it ignored the very clear randomised, double-blind trials that proved that it is effective in the particular area of childhood diarrhoea on which it was criticised. Will the Government therefore be robust in their support for homeopathy and consider what can be done so that it is used more effectively in the health service?" [5]

To put this into context, according to the World Health Organisation, diarrhoea kills 2.2 million people a year. Tredinnick thinks we should treat them with magic sugar pills.

"The General Chiropractic Council has been bombarded by complaints from bloggers—spurious complaints I would say—which it is obliged by law to investigate." [6]

The complaints in question reported chiropractors who were making claims unsupported by scientific evidence.

"There are now people who teach, such as Jane Ridder-Patrick, who published "A Handbook of Medical Astrology". They look at aspects of the subject and how it affects people's health. Whatever one believes personally, the issue is one that we should look into and consider."[7]

"A number of disciplines were mentioned and I could have referred to radionics, for example, for which a double-blind trial is almost impossible, yet it is very popular because people believe that it gives them the ability to get remote healing. We need to think out of the box here. As with healers who can do remote healing, it is no good people saying that just because we cannot prove something, it does not work. The anecdotal evidence that it does is enormous."[8]


(Plenty of info and links on [1] - anyone fancy summarising and stuff on here?)

Homeopathy

David Tredinnick signed the March 2007 Early Day Motion 1240 calling for the positive recognition of NHS homeopathic hospitals[9].

In February 2010, following the publication of the House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee's report "Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy", Tredinnick proposed Early Day Motion 908: Science and Technology Committee Report on Homeopathy, which was critical of the report[10].

On 25th February, Tredinnick raised a point of order in the House of Commons concerning the report:

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I want to raise the issue of the advice given by Clerks to Select Committee Chairmen. It is my belief that the advice the Clerks provided to the Science and Technology Committee Chairman was inadequate, in that the evidence taken by the Committee in its evidence check on homeopathy was biased, as they did not call representatives of the homeopathic profession and instead chose a professor who did not represent the alternative medicine world. They chose the one person who would give an answer that suited those who were in opposition.[11][12]

On 21st June 2010, Tredinnick proposed four Early Day Motions supporting homeopathy. Three of the EDMs were based on cherry-picked scientific papers, when the overwhelming majority of science indicates that homeopathy is no more effective than placebo. The Motions were:

On 29th June 2010, Tredinnick proposed EDM 342: British Medical Association Motions on Homeopathy[17].

Herbal Medicine

In May 2008, David Tredinnick proposed Early Day Motion 1549: Herbal Clinic at The Royal London Homeopathic Hospital[18]. The motion stated:

That this House welcomes the opening of the first NHS herbal clinic at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital (RLHH); notes that the clinic is staffed by highly qualified conventionally-trained doctors with additional qualifications in complementary medicine; further notes that herbal medicines can be used for a wide range of conditions, acute and long-term, alone or as a complement to other treatments; considers that herbal medicine is particularly helpful in treating skin and digestive disorders, allergies, joint problems, stress and recurring infections, thus saving funds and resources in NHS primary care facilities; observes that the clinic only uses herbal medicines produced to the highest standards and approved by UCLH's Use of Medicines Committee; welcomes the RLHH's aim to integrate clinical excellence in complementary therapies with the best of conventional medicine; and calls on the Government to establish a network of integrated healthcare clinics encompassing herbal medicine at the existing regional homeopathic hospitals.

Tredinnick has also signed EDM 1103: Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (2005)[19], and EDM 295: Statutory Registration of Herbalists (2009)[20], both of which are concerned with maintaining availability of herbal medicines.

Integrated Medicine Adjournment Debate

On 2nd June 2010 Tredinnick called an adjournment debate on integrated healthcare[21][22], covering some of the same material in an article promoting the debate[23]. He praised the use and cost-effectiveness of alternative medicine, talked of an "attack on the homeopathic hospitals", looked forward to changes that would allow GPs to commission services on behalf of patients, spoke in favour of regulation and registration with the CNHC ("OfQuack"), and gave examples of the use of alternative medicine in other countries.

Abortion

In May 2008 in the abortion amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (now Act), David Tredinnick voted to keep the current time limit of 24 weeks[24].

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report of October 2007[25] had found no good evidence of change since the limit was set in 1990, and hence no new reason for a reduction. However, it acknowledged that this was only one of many factors to be taken into account when legislating, and did not make any recommendations as to how MPs should vote.

Faith based Adoption Agencies

In 2007, David Tredinnick signed Early Day Motion 742 calling on the government to exclude "faith based" adoption agencies from the Equality Act to avoid such agencies being forced to consider gay couples.[26]

Policymaking On Drugs And Alcohol

David Tredinnick signed Early Day Motion 2244 calling for Government policy on alcohol and drugs misuse and harm to be based on scientific evidence. The motion came shortly after the sacking of Government drug adviser David Nutt by Home Secretary Alan Johnson in 2009.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-03-30a.621.0
  2. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2001-03-13a.805.3#g806.4
  3. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2002-03-26.700.2#g701.2
  4. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2001-03-13a.805.3#g806.4
  5. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-14b.412.0#g412.2
  6. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-14b.412.0#g412.2
  7. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-14b.412.0#g412.2
  8. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-14b.412.0#g412.2
  9. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=33006
  10. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40517
  11. ↑ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100225/debtext/100225-0007.htm#10022591001212
  12. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-02-25a.466.0#g467.0
  13. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41216
  14. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41217
  15. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41218
  16. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41219
  17. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41282
  18. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35819
  19. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29454
  20. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=39855
  21. ↑ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100602/debtext/100602-0021.htm#1006037000132
  22. ↑ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-06-02a.548.0
  23. ↑ http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/government-urged-to-embrace-integrated-health-care/
  24. ↑ http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2008-05-20&number=203&mpn=David_Tredinnick
  25. ↑ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmsctech/1045/104502.htm
  26. ↑ http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32436

External links

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