June 15, 2018 — DailyRounds

Efficacy of Homeopathy : An unending debate

Remember when we were kids, our classmates used to bring a bottle of small white homeopathic pills. More than considering it as a medicine, as kids, we used to have it as a kind of toffee or “sugar pills.” Homeopathy was invented in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann. Today it is the most popular branch of so-called alternative medicine. People tend to consult a homeopathic doctor since they believe that the “medicine” has no side effect. But does it have a scientific basis, Or can we at least consider as a ‘medicine’?

Does Homoeopathy work?

While Homoeopathy is gaining popularity as one of the most used forms of alternative treatment, people need to ask themselves, Does it work? If it works, then how? A study was conducted by Lancet Journal in 2005, to review the homeopathic treatments. The paper analyzed every clinical investigation published until then into the effects of homeopathy and concluded that any apparent benefits from homeopathic ‘treatments’ were simply placebo effects. This conclusion was supported by the Cochrane Collaboration, an independent global network of medical professionals tasked with examining medical research to determine exactly which treatments are effective. Several studies were conducted by several countries to find out the scientific basis of Homoeopathy but in vain. Also, an article published in Bioethics, It states that Homoeopathy is unethical and unscientific. According to the article,

Homoeopathic theory is implausible
There is no credible evidence for homeopathy
Laboratory experiments do not support homeopathy

Also, In 2013, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia has released a draft on a review of Homoeopathy. This exhaustive survey of the evidence for homeopathy concludes that there is no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for treating health conditions. They also find out that homeopathy should not be used to treat health conditions that are chronic, serious, or could become serious. People who choose homeopathy may put their health at risk if they reject or delay treatments for which there is good evidence for safety and effectiveness. For some health conditions, studies reported that homeopathy was not more effective than placebo. For other health conditions, there were poor-quality studies that reported homeopathy was more effective than placebo, or as effective as another treatment. For the remaining health conditions, it was not possible to make any conclusion about whether homeopathy was effective or not, because there was not enough evidence.

The chief executive of England’s National Health Service in 2017 said that homeopathy is “at best a placebo and a misuse of scarce NHS funds”; the NHS will no longer prescribe homeopathic medicines.
The United States Federal Trade Commission requires advertising and labelling of over-the-counter homeopathic drugs to make it clear that “(1) there is no scientific evidence that the product works and (2) the product’s claims are based only on theories of homeopathy from the 1700s that are not accepted by most modern medical experts.”

So studies all around the world find Homoeopathy evidence-lacking. Even if we suppose it works, without any available evidence how can we conclude that homeopathy works?

Is it harmful?

Homeopathic remedies are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that conventional over-the-counter and prescription drugs are. Homeopathy is believed to have no side effects. People, especially children, who opted for homeopathic treatment might’ve had extra pills at least once. So, it won’t kill people. Then how will it affect? Indirectly.

These have nothing to do directly but only when homeopaths replace doctors as sources of medical advice. For example what if instead of injecting insulin, we seek help from a homeopath to cure high diabetes?

Deciding whether one should trust or not trust the alternative medicines is strictly personal. But next time before you consult a homeopath, just ask yourselves, “There are not much clinical evidence to prove the effects of homeopathy. Then how can I trust that it’ll cure my illness”. Think!