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Science vs nature: the homeopathy debate
As controversy always surrounds complementary medicine, we look at the pros and cons of
using herbal and homeopathic remedies.
Homeopathy is one of the most hotly debated areas of alternative medicine. Yet its supporters
point out that the numbers of those turning to homeopathic remedies is growing by around 20% a
year and last year 22% of people in the U bought remedies for a wide range of ailments.

!t"s estimated that around #0 million people in $urope visit homeopaths and here in the U the
therapy has had many high%pro&le supporters including the 'ueen( Sir )aul *c+artney( ,ude -aw
and .avid /ec0ham.

Homeopathic remedies di1er from conventional drug%related treatments by using raw e2tracts
from plants or animals( or powders of minerals and salts made into a "tincture" and mi2ed with
alcohol.

3hey treat a variety of conditions from sore throats and chronic illnesses such as arthritis through
to asthma( an2iety and chronic fatigue.

)atients are given tiny diluted doses of something that causes symptoms similar to those they are
already e2periencing. So co1ee( which uses sleep disturbance( can be used as a homeopathic
treatment to prevent insomnia.

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3he theory is that a minute 4uantity will stimulate the body"s own healing powers without side
e1ects.

/ut among the medical profession and scientists there are those who believe this theory 5ies in the
face of science which follows the principle that the stronger the medicine % or the more
concentrated a dissolved substance % the more powerful it becomes.

Homeopathy"s outspo0en critics include )rofessor *ichael /aum( )rofessor $meritus of Surgery at
University +ollege( -ondon.

He says: 63here"s a complete lac0 of clinical evidence to support alternative remedies. *edicine is
based on evidence. !f a drug or surgical treatment does not pass stringent surgical trials( it is
abandoned.

63he results of clinical trials are published whether they are favourable or not. Yet when it comes to
homeopathy( the standards of evidence are highly 4uestionable.6

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/ut 7ndy ir0( chair of 3he Society of Homeopaths which is the largest body of professional
homeopaths in $urope( points to its general acceptance within the 8ational Health Service as it has
been available since its inception in 9:;<.

He says: 67round =0% of >)s feel complementary medicine should be freely available. 7lso(
substantial savings could be made by introducing homeopathy into general practice.6

3here are around #(:00 registered homeopaths practising in the U and &ve 8HS%funded
homeopathic hospitals. ir0 adds: 6!t"s been shown that adding therapies such as homeopathy( at a
minute cost to conventional 8HS care( results in improved outcomes for similar or reduced cost. /y
comparison( the 8HS spends ?;@@ million a year treating adverse e1ects from medicines.6

The arguments for
7ndy ir0( +hair of 3he Society of Homeopaths puts the case for homeopathy. He says:
6Homeopathy is recognised by the Aorld Health Brganisation as the second largest therapeutic
system in the world.

6!n the main( most people who see0 the help of a homeopath do so after they have been through
the conventional route( and have been prescribed drugs or other treatments which have either not
helped( or have unacceptable side e1ects. Sometimes( although people are obviously ill( medical
tests have been unable to &nd anything wrong.

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6Ahile conventional medicine treats the speci&c symptoms of ill health( a homeopath will loo0 at
the whole person( recognising that these symptoms are e2pressions of an underlying problem.
Cemedies will then be selected with the aim of restoring balance( so that the symptoms will
gradually subside.

6Homeopathy was re&ned 200 years ago by .r Samuel Hahnemann in >ermany who discovered
that if remedies were potentised( that is diluted and sha0en( not only were side e1ects reduced but
remedies were more e1ective.

6Scienti&cally it can not yet be e2plained precisely how it wor0s but new theories in 4uantum
physics are going some way towards shedding light on the process. Ahat we do 0now from
e2perience is that a carefully selected homeopathic remedy will act as a trigger which stimulates
the body"s own healing processes.

6!t"s an investigative process and the homeopath needs detailed information about the patient to
help select the best remedy. 3he remedies themselves are drawn from the plant( mineral and
animal 0ingdoms. 7nd because they are non%to2ic( they can be used by anyone( including pregnant
women and children.

63here are those in the scienti&c community who( in the last few years( have been outspo0en in
their condemnation of homeopathy suggesting it is no more than a placebo. 7nd yet it wor0s on
babies and animals.

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6Bne of the problems conventional medicine has with testing the eEcacy of homeopathy is that it
does not perform well in the placebo controlled trials favoured in drug testing( which measure very
speci&c symptoms.

63here are actually more than 20 studies( where the patient has been treated as an individual(
which have found that homeopathy has an action in the patient above and beyond placebo.

67round 22% of adults bought homeopathic or herbal remedies in the last year in the U. !t seems
to me that modern medicine has forgotten its roots % it was Hippocrates who said you cannot treat
the disease without understanding the whole. +hronic illness % migraines( allergies( depression(
asthma( fatigue % have become part and parcel of life and we accept the su1ering. /ut it doesn"t
have to be that way.6

3he Society of Homeopaths has a list of registered homeopaths. +all 0<;F ;F0 @@99 or visit
www.homeopathy%soh.org

The arguments against
.r *a2 )ittler( .eputy .irector of the +omplementary *edicine faculty at )eninsula *edical
School( Universities of $2eter and )lymouth puts the case against homeopathic treatment:

He says: 63he vast maGority of rigorous scienti&c reviews of homeopathy conclude that
homeopathic medicines fail to generate clinical e1ects that are di1erent from those of placebo
Hwhere an otherwise ine1ective treatment is thought to wor0 because the individual e2pects or
believes it willI.

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6Yet many patients swear by homeopathy and homeopaths insist they witness therapeutic success
every day of their professional lives.

6/ut observational or anecdotal reports( endorsements by celebrities or reports of its popularity are
useless when it comes to evaluating its e1ectiveness.

63he acid test for &nding out whether the patients" response to homeopathy is truly more than a
non%speci&c e1ect % placebo e1ect % is the clinical trial.

63he discrepancy between the trial and the observational data continues to be hotly debated. 3he
e2planation seems obvious: patients often do improve for a number of reasons unrelated to any
speci&c e1ect of the treatment we prescribe.

67mongst all the placebos that e2ist( homeopathy has the potential to be an e2ceptionally powerful
one. 3hin0( for instance( of the individualised remedies or the long and empathic encounter
between patient and therapist.

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6Dew adverse events e2ist( but homeopaths agree that about 20% of patients e2perience
"homeopathic aggravations"( i.e. an e2acerbation of the presenting symptom which can be
classi&ed as adverse event.

6Bverall therefore( the balance of ris0 and bene&t for homeopathy is unconvincing. 3his is also true
for the reasons as to why it is available on the 8HS.6

How can it help me?
Homeopathy has been practised in the U for 200 years( and claims to be suitable for everyone(
young and old.

!t is possible to be referred to a homeopath through a >)( but a private consultation can range
from around ?#0 to ?:0.

-aura enyon( a registered homeopath with 8elsons Homeopathy treats a wide range of patients
who present with ordinary aches and pains through to more severe conditions such as asthma or
arthritis.

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She says: 6Bne of the great bene&ts of homeopathy is that it is bene&cial both emotionally and
physically. !t is trying to treat the person as a whole( not Gust loo0ing at the symptom but trying to
loo0 at any lifestyle factors that may play a part. ! have more time( sometimes not available to a
busy( hard pressed >) to loo0 at all the causes of an ailment.6

How soon will it work?
-aura says: 6Ae don"t claim homeopathy is a miracle magic bullet. Dor instance if you ta0e a pain
0iller it will wor0 around in #0 mins but homeopathy has an accumulative e1ect and can ta0e
longer than conventional medicine to have an impact. However( bene&ts may be felt while
treatment is progressing. !t stimulates the body to heal itself.6

Can I use it alongside conventional medicine?
-aura says: 6Homeopathic treatment can safely be used alongside conventional medicine. Ae
would never advise people to stop ta0ing their conventional medicine without ta0ing advice from a
a doctor. Ae also hope people would discuss with their >) if they wanted to have homeopathy as
part of their treatment.6