Homeopath

Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann, based on his doctrine of like cures like (similia similibus curentur), a claim that a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people would cure similar symptoms in sick people. Homeopathy is a pseudoscience – a belief that is incorrectly presented as scientific. Homeopathic preparations are not effective for treating any condition; large-scale studies have found homeopathy to be no more effective than a placebo, suggesting that any positive effects that follow treatment are only due to the placebo effect, normal recovery from illness, or regression toward the mean.

History

Samuel Hahnemann (1755–1843) was a German physician who synthesized the theoretical foundations of homeopathy. Dissatisfied with the state of medicine in his time, Hahnemann developed a radically new approach that he called homeopathy (homoeopathy).

Principles

Homeopathy's underlying theories are not accepted by mainstream science, and are not consistent with long-accepted principles on the way the physical world works. The theories of like cures like and potentization are pseudoscientific.

Like cures like

The homeopathic principle of similia similibus curentur (like cures like) states that a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people will cure similar symptoms in sick people.

Potentization

In homeopathy, a solution that is more dilute is described as having a higher "potency", and more dilute substances are considered by homeopaths to be stronger and deeper-acting.

Efficacy

The efficacy of homeopathic preparations is disputed within medical science. A variety of systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that there is no good medical evidence that homeopathy is effective.

Safety

The safety of homeopathy treatments, like all medical treatments, depends on various factors including the specifics of the treatment, the training of the practitioner, and the condition and overall health of the patient.

Regulation

In many countries, the laws that govern the regulation of drugs do not apply to homeopathy, while others, such as the USA, have special legal frameworks for the sale of homeopathic treatments.

See also

• Alternative medicine
• Placebo effect
• Pseudoscience

References

Homeopath Resources
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