HomeopathyIntroduction- the origins of homeopathyHomeopathy is system that believes disease can be cured using minute amounts of substances that would normally cause the same disease when used in larger amounts. Homoepathy got its start in the late 1700's when Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, declared that diseases disrupted the body's ability to heal itself and that only a small stimulus is needed to begin the healing process. He also claimed that chronic diseases were manifestations of a suppressed itch (psora), a kind of miasma or evil sprit. At first he used small doses of accepted medications. But later he used enormous dilutions and theorized that the smaller the dose, the more powerful the effect -- a notion commonly referred to as the "law of infinitesimals." He and his followers conducted experiments, called provings, in which they administered herbs, minerals and other substances to healthy people and themselves. Detailed records of what they observed were kept. These records were later used to record long reference books called materia medica that matched a patient's symptoms with a particular drug. It must be kept in perspective that conventional medicine of the time was often quite dangerous for the patient. Dr. Hahnemann was rightfully upset over practices such as bloodletting, leeching, purging, and other medical procedures that did far more harm than good. Using extremely dilute substances that could cause no real harm, especially when no safe or effective alternative existed, was the safest thing for the patient during this period of time. However, as medicine evolved homeopathy did not change much. At the turn of the twentieth century, homeopathy had about 14,000 practitioners and 22 schools in the United States. As medical science and medical education advanced, homeopathy declined sharply in America, where its schools either closed or converted to modern methods. The last pure homeopathic school in this country closed during the 1920s [1]. Current status Homeopathic "remedies" are the only category of quack products legally marketable as drugs. ("Herbal Medicines" are not technically considered drugs). This resulted from several political considerations:
How is a "drug" included in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia ? [1] The basis for inclusion in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia is not modern scientific testing, but homeopathic "provings" conducted during the 1800s and early 1900s. The current (ninth) edition describes how more than a thousand substances are prepared for homeopathic use. It does not identify the symptoms or diseases for which homeopathic products should be used; that is decided by the practitioner (or manufacturer). The fact that substances listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia are legally recognized as "drugs" does not mean that either the law or the FDA recognizes them as effective. How are homeopathic "medicines" prepared?Homeopathic products are made from minerals, botanical substances, and several other sources. Depending on the substance it is dissolved in water, alcohol (or both), or a milk sugar solution. This solution is then diluted with more liquid (not containing the substance) until the desired concentration is reached. Dilutions of 1 to 10 are designated by the Roman numeral X (1X = diluted 10 times, 2x = 100 times dilution, 3X = 1/1,000, 6X = 1/1,000,000). Similarly, dilutions of 1 to 100 are designated by the Roman numeral C (1C = 1/100, 3C = 1/1,000,000, and so on). Most remedies today range from 6X to 30X, but products of 30C or more are marketed. A 30X dilution means that the original substance has been diluted 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times (wow!). Assuming that a cubic centimeter of water (about 1/5th teaspoon) contains 15 drops, this number is greater than the number of drops of water that would fill a container more than 50 times the size of the Earth. Actually, the laws of chemistry state that there is a limit to the dilution that can be made without losing the original substance altogether. Modern supporters claim that even when the last molecule is gone, a "memory" of the substance is retained. This notion is unsubstantiated. Moreover, if it were true, every substance encountered by a molecule of water might imprint an "essence" that could exert powerful (and unpredictable) medicinal effects when ingested by a person.
Invalid comparisons to vaccination It has been claimed homeopathic products resemble vaccines because both provide a small stimulus that triggers an immune response. This comparison is not correct:
Unimpressive "Research"Since many homeopathic remedies contain no detectable amount of active ingredient, it is impossible to test whether they contain what their label says. Unlike most potent drugs, they have not been proven effective against disease by double-blind clinical testing. The vast majority of homeopathic products have never even been tested. Homopathic studies emerge from time to time claiming to show benefit. However, no well designed study has ever shown an effect that is better than placebo nor has a well designed study demonstrated "imprinted essence". [2, 3, 4] Illegal Marketing [1] In a survey conducted in 1982, the FDA found some over-the-counter products being marketed for serious illnesses, including heart disease, kidney disorders, and cancer. An extract of tarantula was being purveyed for multiple sclerosis; an extract of cobra venom for cancer. During 1988, the FDA took action against companies marketing "diet patches" with false claims that they could suppress appetite. The largest such company, Meditrend International, of San Diego, instructed users to place 1 or 2 drops of a "homeopathic appetite control solution" on a patch and wear it all day affixed to an "acupuncture point" on the wrist to "bioelectrically" suppress the appetite control center of the brain. America's most blatant homeopathic marketer appears to be Biological Homeopathic Industries (BHI) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, which, in 1983, sent a 123-page catalog to 200,000 physicians nationwide. Its products included BHI Anticancer Stimulating, BHI Antivirus, BHI Stroke, and 50 other types of tablets claimed to be effective against serious diseases. In 1984, the FDA forced BHI to stop distributing several of the products and to The company's publishing arm issues the quarterly Biological Therapy: Journal of Natural Medicine, which regularly contains articles whose authors make questionable claims. An article in the April 1992 issue, for example, listed "indications" for using BHI and Heel products (distributed by BHI) for more than fifty conditions-including cancer, angina pectoris, and paralysis. The October 1993 issue, devoted to the homeopathic treatment of children, includes an article recommending products for acute bacterial infections of the ear and tonsils. Bottom lineGreater regulation is needed. However, it is unlikely the FDA will require homeopathic products to be proven effective in order to remain marketable. FDA officials regard homeopathy as relatively benign (compared, for example, to unsubstantiated products marketed for cancer and AIDS) and believe that other problems should get enforcement priority. If the FDA attacks homeopathy too forcefully, its proponents might even persuade a lobby-susceptible Congress to rescue them. [1] We believe the FDA should not permit worthless products to be marketed with claims that they are effective. It has been recommended by some that the FDA should, at the very least, include a warning that although the FDA has permitted homeopathic remedies to be sold, it does not recognize them as effective.
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