The Miracle (?) of Homeopathy

One week ago I compared adults’ belief in psychic abilities to children’s belief in the Easter Bunny. But that is not the extent of these false notions. Another subject that adults love to believe in is miracle cures. It reflects a problem in the areas of discipline, not wanting to do the hard work or stick to a routine, and critical thinking, not wanting to accept evidence over stories. A good example of this is homeopathic medicines.

The theory dates back to the 1700s and is based on the idea that the body can be stimulated to cure itself by means of a like-cures-like reaction. In other words, substances that cause an adverse reaction in a healthy person can (supposedly) cause the body of a sick person to fight against the same condition.

Here is how WebMD explains it. “Red onion makes your eyes water. That’s why it’s used in homeopathic remedies for allergies.” Similarly, they may use poison ivy, white arsenic, crushed whole bees, and various herbs to evoke a beneficial effect.

“Homeopathic doctors weaken these ingredients by adding water or alcohol. Then they shake the mixture as part of a process called ‘potentization.’ They believe this step transfers the healing essence [from the ingredient to the liquid]. Homeopaths also believe that the lower the dose, the more powerful the medicine. In fact, many of these remedies [are so diluted that they] no longer contain any molecules of the original substance.”

The theory sounds a little like vaccinations where a small number of living or dead cells are injected to fire up the body’s immune system, but it’s not the same. Vaccines have something in them. Homeopathic medicines are diluted to the point where they contain only water, plus any contaminants the water carries. Therein lies the problem.

Last summer the FDA released a warning about one particular manufacturer saying, “Consumers and pets who use these products could have an increased risk of serious infection, that could require medical attention, due to the high levels of microbial contamination.” They warned three other companies for violations of (1) inadequate investigation of test results that found high levels of microorganisms, (2) lack of quality oversight of ingredients with potentially toxic effects, including snake venom, and (3) having insects in their ingredients.

The usual disclaimer applies to all these remedies: "Products labeled as homeopathic have not been approved by the FDA for any use and may not meet modern standards for safety, effectiveness and quality." 

It strains credibility that medicine containing not a single molecule of the active ingredient would be effective. The doctor who runs this site calls homeopathy “the ultimate fake,” giving a thorough explanation of his position. So if it does actually work, it must be a miracle. But what does the evidence show?

Here is a headline from Science Direct a few months ago: “A randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial comparing antibody responses to homeopathic and conventional vaccines in university students.” Their conclusions from this well designed experiment were four-fold: 

• Homeopathic vaccines failed to elicit an antibody response.
• The antibody response to homeopathic vaccines was similar to placebo.
• In contrast, conventional vaccines showed a robust response.
• These findings suggest homeopathic vaccines should not be licensed.

How does a half-billion-dollar industry react to these facts? They continue to promote their products as “a safe, gentle, and natural system of healing that works with your body to relieve symptoms, restore itself, and improve your overall health. It is extremely safe to use, even with very small children and pets, has none of the side effects of many traditional medications, is very affordable, is made from natural substances, and is FDA regulated.”

Add "holistic" and "alternative" to that sales pitch and people will ignore facts and fall all over themselves trying to obtain some magical relief! Of course, with nothing in it, it is safe and has  no side effects, except possibly from contamination the manufacturer has overlooked. Here’s an idea: skip the trip to the health food store and feed your children and pets tap water. It’s basically the same thing, but even safer.