Homeopathy Advocacy Campaign - FAQs

FAQs ON HOMEOPATHY AND THE MEDIA

What can I do to promote homeopathy? 
The best way to promote homeopathy is to tell everyone about the benefits and good experiences that you, your family and friends have with homeopathy.  Sending letters to your local newspaper, your favorite magazines, websites and blogs helps to spread the positive message about homeopathy.  When you read an article about homeopathy, add your comments so that others know there are a whole legion of homeopathy users and supporters out there.  If there are misconceptions or errors, offer accurate information.  (Click here for links to letters templates)

What about the articles attacking homeopathy that I see on internet blogs and websites?  

Most of these are written by skeptics who are theorists with no first-hand experience in homeopathy. Individually, or as a group, they publish negative, inaccurate and misleading articles.  Some of the skeptics are members of a non-profit organization in the UK, Sense About Science, that claims to promote science.   Often the skeptics are those in or connected to conventional medicine with an economic interest in destroying homeopathy.

Are there “skeptic” groups in the US?

Yes.

Why are they attacking homeopathy?

If one looks carefully at the history of medicine, a pattern emerges around the topic of homeopathy.  Throughout its history – those with a vested interest in conventional medicine have sought to discredit homeopathy out of economic self-interest (Divided Legacy; Coulter H).  That pattern continues today all over the world.  The U.K., as an example, is seeing endless attacks on homeopathy in an attempt by conventional medicine to eliminate funding for homeopathic care.  Why?  Conventional interests are fighting to secure limited health care dollars as their own. 

The debate about homeopathy is rarely a scientific one. Sadly – a desire to monopolize the healthcare market has guided those who seek to tear homeopathy down.

Should we respond to these writings?
 
It depends….
Some of these attacks are on the skeptics’ own websites and are provocations to get media attention.  There is no value in commenting, as there is no interest in having an educated exchange of ideas.  Responding to them only serves to raise their visibility in internet search engines.

Some of the attacks are in local newspapers or on natural health websites or blogs.  These are read by an interested public or someone searching for an alternative health practice and need to be corrected.  Your supportive comments, such as giving your personal experience, citing research and correcting inaccuracies or misconceptions can make a difference to a curious reader.
 
 I would like to respond, but what should I say?

There are some common themes  skeptics focus on….  Below are some brief answers.  (Click here for links to letters templates)

FREQUENT FALSE STATEMENTS

“Homeopathy is nothing but placebo.”   This statement is false.  Literally hundreds of basic science, pre-clinical and clinical studies have been published in respected, peer-reviewed journals showing the good effects of homeopathic remedies. Furthermore, many homeopathy studies have been done using farm animals, which are not susceptible to a “placebo effect”.

“Homeopathy is ‘implausible.”   This statement is also not true. The skeptic’s claim of “implausibility” directed at homeopathy arises from the system’s use of very highly diluted medicines.  These medicines are prepared through a series of sequential dilutions of medicinal substances with vigorous shaking at each stage of dilution, a process known as succussion.  Thanks to the work of scientists at institutions like Penn State University, the University of Washington, Stanford University, Moscow State University, and London South Bank University, we now know that the properties and effects of substances are dictated by their molecular structures, not their chemical composition.  Thanks to these same scientists, we also know that ultra-dilutions, like homeopathic remedies, do indeed contain stable and unique molecular structures with recognizable properties (Materials Letters. 62. 2008). The water studies convincingly show that water is restructured in the process of homeopathic remedy preparation allowing for transfer of information from the original solute (substance) to water

What’s more, there have been numerous high-quality peer reviewed studies showing the biological effects of homeopathic remedies.  The most frequently used experiment on ultra-dilutions has involved basophils.  Basophils are white blood cells involved in the immune response.  One series of experiments conducted in Europe over a period of 25 years on a multi-laboratory basis with independent replications has consistently shown the inhibition of basophil activation by high dilutions of histamine (Inflammation Research. 2009).   Another study, a meta-analysis led by Claudia Witt M.D. of the Charité University Medical Centre, Berlin evaluated the quality and results of biological experiments with ultramolecular, agitated dilutions.  Seventy-three percent of these studies showed an effect with ultramolecular dilutions (Complimentary Therapies in Medicine.  2007).   Yet another study – this one also the subject of repeated experiments over a long period - shows the effect of ultramolecular dilutions of aspirin on blood clotting (Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis 2008).  And there are others.


“Homeopathy needs to be held to the standard of conventional science, using the Randomized Controlled Trial to measure its efficacy.”   The RCT is the most popular method used by pharmaceutical companies to bring a new drug to the marketplace.   However, it is not the best scientific method for researching “whole systems” modalities such as homeopathy. A “whole systems approach” recognizes that the human body and mind are dynamic and complex, with each part influencing the other and acting together.  Therefore, one part or system of the body cannot be studied in isolation without looking at the effect on the whole person. Scientists find the RCT methodology is too restrictive when studying a “whole system” and advocate other more appropriate research paradigms.  

Many scientists and health practitioners question the usefulness of RCT studies even in standard drug testing.  They prefer “real world” or “clinical outcome” studies that are more applicable to day to day practice instead of strictly controlled drug trials.  Health practitioners and the US Dept of Health and Human Services are calling for “comparative effectiveness” research. These are studies that compare the usefulness of various treatments and provide more practical information about their use for patients and practitioners.  “Clinical outcome,” “comparative effectiveness” and “systems-based” studies are types of research that are better suited for investigating the healing ability of the body and the effect of homeopathic treatment. 
  

“There is no evidence to support homeopathy. No proof that it works at all.”
There are over 600 published research studies of homeopathy and more are being done every day.  Research shows the effectiveness of homeopathy for human and animal patients with a wide range of acute, chronic and epidemic conditions such as eczema, asthma, upper respiratory illnesses, ear infections, fibromyalgia, menopause, diarrhea, ADHD, irritable bowel and depression.  There is even laboratory research showing the action of homoeopathic remedies on individual cells, including cancer cells.  Click here for Research Articles

“Homeopathy is woo-woo, magic, quackery and pseudo-science.”  These statements are attempts on the part of the skeptics/denialists, who want to shut down homeopathy by discrediting and associating homeopathy with unscientific ideas.  Throughout its history – those with a vested interest in conventional medicine have sought to discredit homeopathy out of economic self-interest (Divided Legacy; Coulter H.).  That pattern continues today all over the world.  The technique is to repeat certain words and phrases repeatedly hoping they will stick.
Homeopathy is a complete medical system, based on principles of holism and the scientific laws of nature.  It has a 200 year history, a significant body of confirming research and, according to the World Health Organization, is the 2nd most widely practiced medicine in the world (http://www.homeopathyusa.org/faq/).


“Homeopathy is dangerous because sick people will delay getting the medical treatment that they need and will die.”
This is scaremongering and is untrue for two reasons:
1.  Homeopathy is not exclusive and can be used along with conventional and other complementary medical treatments.  There is no need for a patient to choose one over another.
2. It is a common tactic by the skeptics when their other arguments against homeopathy are not credible, to infer that patients are gullible, have poor judgment and are unable to decide properly about the health treatments they want.  In fact, patients have the right to choose treatments  and spend much time researching both conventional and integrative health options,making choices based on their own needs and wishes.

“There is no need for homeopathy because people have evidence based conventional medical treatment to use.”   “Evidence based” is a codeword that the homeopathy opponents use to attempt to discredit homeopathy and other alternative treatments.  “Evidence based” means that data from randomized controlled studies is claimed to give certainty about whether a treatment will work and is safe. In fact, 46% of the treatment procedures and drugs that are popularly used in conventional medicine have no or little evidence to recommend them.  (British Med Jl 2007)  Many procedures have serious complications and many drugs cause difficult unwanted effects.  These situations drive people to search for less harmful, health promoting alternatives, such as homeopathy.  

“Homeopathic remedies are unsafe.”   This statement is false. Current studies show that homeopathic remedies are unquestionably safe. (Thompson Homeopathy:2004). Homeopathy has been widely used to save lives in epidemics.  Recently, 2 ½ million people were given a homeopathic remedy in Cuba as a vaccine, with no serious adverse effects reported (Bracho Homeopathy 2010).