Homeopathy: a case for greater acceptance

Drug Store News, August 18, 1997 by James B. LaValle

With today's prevalent trend of people wanting safe, effective and low-risk agents for the management of their chronic self-care complaints, homeopathy is enjoying a resurgence of sorts and showing consistent growth in the retail market. However, there remains resistance to recommending homeopathic medicines.

The confusion, which haunts homeopathic product use in the United States, seems to lie with healthcare professionals who don't understand it. If we, as pharmacists, are going to make an informed decision on homeopathy, some facts must be clear.

Just as any drug has its limitations, so do homeopathic drugs. When rationally utilized, homeopathy can be a valuable therapeutic tool in the promotion of total health and the treatment of disease. Homeopathic remedies have a history dating back more than 200 years. They have an unmatched safety record and enjoy the confidence of health professionals in countries such as France, England, Germany and India, as well as many others.

Misconceptions

The most misguided bit of information in homeopathy is the more dilute the remedy the more potent the product. This is referred to as the law of infinitesimals. This law simply does not exist.

The mistaken belief is that no substance is left in a typical homeopathic remedy. Approximately 95 percent of the combination homeopathic remedies that are sold OTC have ingredients in the molecular range. Additionally, more than 40 percent of the individual or single-dose homeopathic remedies are sold in the molecular range.

It is well established in pharmacology that agents in the parts per thousand to parts per million can have an affect on our chemistry, and frequently do.

In the past 100 years alone, thousands of healthcare professionals have devoted their careers to the science and research of homeopathy in this country. It has grown tremendously since Hahnemann's initial writings first surfaced in the late 18th century.

Although sometimes attacked, these 18th century principles stressed the importance of hygiene, stress reduction, genetics, good nutrition, exercise and finding a treatment for illnesses that would do no harm (be side-effect free). That should make one think about today's hot health concept, preventative medicine.

Homeopathy progresses with time

Homeopathy follows the Law of Similars, a concept that began with Hippocrates. It means remedies are selected based on the concept of "like cures like." The dilution selected is the minimum dose needed to restore health by stimulating a response through a gentle action and without aggravation of the condition.

A homeopathic proving is the result of a mother tincture given to healthy individuals until symptoms were produced and recorded. The listing of provings with recorded toxicology (symptoms) are found in various books called "materia medica."

Today, homeopathy has taken a symptom-specific turn, meaning remedies that have a known action on a particular complaint are suggested. This is known as clinical homeopathy. Complex homeopathy, however, refers to the mixing of various ingredients for a specific symptom or purpose.

Dilutions: a perceived mystery

Homeopathic medicines are commonly seen on the pharmacy shelf in two dilutions, X or C. X-dilutions are 1:10 dilutions. Between each dilution, the remedy undergoes succussion, a process where the product is shaken with impact. With each successive dilution the X designation increases. SO, a 3X dilution is a 1:10 dilution starting with tincture or raw material, repeated three times. The C dilution is defined as a 1:100 dilution. In the homeopathic world, therefore, a 1C dilution is equivalent to a 2X dilution.

Legal status

The Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States is the official compendium that gives classification, manufacturing and prescription or OTC status to each agent in the formulary. The Pharmacopeia is updated by the HPCUS, or the Pharmacopeia Convention, which comprises professionals from various fields who review policy and new drug additions, among other functions.

Homeopathic agents are produced in laboratories licensed by the Food and Drug Administration and must follow good manufacturing practices regulations. They are regulated by the FDA, but do not need to be approved. Currently, the FDA is allowing homeopathic agents to be marketed as long as they have documentation for use as a homeopathic agent in an official formulary or materia medica from another country.

Homeopathy has a bright future and a role to play in healthcare management, because it offers a safe first line of defense for prevention and treatment of chronic self-limiting conditions. Acceptance of this ancient science is clearly dependent upon the education of healthcare professionals and the public alike.

Disadvantages to homeopathy:

* No extensive new studies due to the lack of patent ability.

* Formulas for conditions can and will vary from company to company.

* A person s innate response may not be adequate.

Advantages to homeopathy:

* No known side effects.