JONATHAN Swann rather misses the point in his letter of November 8. Whether or not I like homeopathy is irrelevant - the question is whether or not it works and the evidence is that it does not.

Mr Swann has to admit this and so is forced to attack the very notion of evidence itself.

Rather like Trump and his “fake news” or Nigel Lawson and his dismissal of climate change evidence. Or Michael Gove and his “enough of experts”.

And yet despite this supporters of homeopathy seem anxious to clutch at any straw, such as the notorious Swiss report which you will find quoted approvingly by alternative medicine sites all over the internet.

This is despite the report being regarded as a textbook case of research malpractice with failure to declare conflicts of interest, misrepresentation of results, selective quotation and methodological incompetence.

And does he really think the homeopathy industry is free of the lobbying and excessive profits of big pharma?

It is a huge and growing industry with profits boosted by not having to invest in expensive research, trial programmes and regulatory compliance. And water is cheap.

Mr Swann is welcome to believe whatever nonsense he likes just as I am entitled to contest it when he presents it as fact.

I do not expect to change his mind but it may be possible to prevent others being misled.

JIM WATSON
Selsley