Madam, - Tuesday's HEALTHplussupplement seems to be becoming a section of your newspaper where the usual rigour is not deemed appropriate.
Sylvia Thompson's article of June 17th tells us of a "growing evidence base for therapies such as aromatherapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy and massage therapy".
This statement could be easily dismissed as twaddle were it not supportive of the greater deception being peddled by "complementary therapists" as they drape their treatments in pseudo-science in the hope that it will add some veneer of respectability.
Sadly, amid the gullible public who are free to dabble in such nonsense are vulnerable people with real illnesses, desperate for any and all help. These people are not helped by the fake legitimacy conferred on these dubious practices by such uncritical newspaper articles. - Yours, etc,
Dr LIAM HEALY,
Mount Oval,
Rochestown,
Cork.