Talk:Steffan Browning

Homeopathy/EVD

Remember that as a BLP talk page, there are guidelines on the way we refer to living people here.

There seem to be some clear facts on Browning's recent escapade in the local news:

1. He signed the Change.org petition (he admitted as much, and shared the petition on his Facebook page).
2. According to Stuff, at least, he does appear to still think that homeopathy might work in treating Ebola virus disease.
3. The comments from Key and Coleman also appear to have been quoted correctly in WP's article from Stuff's article.
4. Browning has been demoted as a result.

I think that the event warrants a mention. I think it should be a separate section, possibly titled "Homeopathy controversy". I am cautious of giving it too much weight. He's said himself that it was ill-advised to sign the petition. The petition is a 5000+ signature minor online effort, many signatories of which are frankly just in it for a laugh:

"BECAUSE MAGIC WATER AND SUGAR TABLETS SOLVE EVERYTHING AND THERE REALLY IS PROOF, HONEST!!!"

WP:BLPSTYLE asks us to be balanced at all times so we should include the Green Party response to the event.

While I agree completely with the above IP user on the frankly bizarre notion of using homeopathic remedies to treat EVD, I do not agree that the Browning article should include passages and references lifted straight from the lead of Wikipedia's homeopathy article. A WL to the article is entirely sufficient.

Here's a suggested, hopefully more balanced approach to the topic:

Homeopathy controversy
In November 2014 the Green Party stripped Browning of his natural health products portfolio, after he signed and shared an online petition supporting the use of homeopathy to treat Ebola virus disease. Party co-leader Metiria Turei described Browning's actions as "a mistake", and said that the portfolio change was designed to reassure the public that the Greens "take health issues seriously". Browning said he did not oppose homeopathy on a personal level.

If there's concensus I'll make the changes later today using the two references linked above. Cheers, Basie (talk) 20:50, 11 November 2014 (UTC)

• That sounds like a balanced approach to this issue. I suggest you use appropriate wikilinks in the text above, and wait a couple of days before you make the change, so that others who don't look here every few hours have a chance to comment first. Schwede66 21:17, 11 November 2014 (UTC)

Thanks, will do. Basie (talk) 22:31, 11 November 2014 (UTC)

• I agree as per Schwede - NealeFamily (talk) 22:02, 11 November 2014 (UTC)

As there has been no further comment, I have applied the changes. Cheers, Basie (talk) 22:32, 13 November 2014 (UTC)

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