What Is a Homeopathic Drug?

Homeopathic drugs are a form of alternative medicine believed to provide natural remedies for various diseases, aliments, aches, pains and essentially any type of discomfort. It is one of the most misunderstood of all alternative practices. Homeopathic drugs are a form of the placebo effect. They are little more than water and sugar pills, and the FDA does not recognize them as effective.

History

• Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician who practiced in the late 1700s--during a time when medical treatments consisted of bloodletting, leeching and purging patients--observed that these practices caused more harm than good and developed his own method which he called the "Law of Similars." During the 1700s, it was believed that all medical conditions were caused by an imbalance in one of the body's four "humors"--blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. Hahnemann believed that the body could self-balance its humors by administering a small dose of whichever toxin was causing an imbalance. Since the toxin could prove to be deadly, Hahnemann devised a method of heavily diluting it with water. The toxin was meant to stimulate the body into healing itself.

Dilution

• Hahnemann believed that disease was a form of "supressed itch" or a manifestation of evil spirits, and decided that the higher the dilution, the more effective the treatment would be. He called this the "law of infinitesimals." The formula for dilution is 1 part of the "medicine"--which can be a mineral, herb or other "remedy"--diluted with either 9 or 99 parts of distilled water or alcohol and shaken. Then, 1 part of that dilution is further diluted again and again until the "remedy" no longer exists.

Potency

• Homeopathic potency is signified by a number and letter combination, such as 6X, 30C or 200C. For example: A homeopathic drug of 6X potency has a formula of 1 part of "remedy" diluted by 1,000,000 parts per water. A drug of 30C potency--which is the most common dilution marketed--has a formula of 1 part of remedy diluted by 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 parts per water. This is like dropping a grain of salt into an ocean larger than any that exists on Earth. Homeopaths follow Hahnemann's belief that the liquid used for dilution has the ability to take a "spiritual" imprint of the remedy, so no matter how many times a product is diluted, it is not just water, it is still the "remedy." The liquid has a memory. Homeopathic pills that are currently on the market are made from water or alcohol that has been combined with sugar.

The Placebo Effect

• Homeopathic treatments are a form of the placebo effect. Placebos are a product given to a patient that has no pharmacological effects but is meant only to satisfy a need for treatment. They are typically sugar pills. They are used mostly in experimental medical trials to determine the effectiveness of actual medicines. When a placebo is combined with psychological treatment and a doctor's strong bedside manner, it can be just as effective as pharmaceuticals in treating certain conditions. In the BBC documentary "The Enemies of Reason," Prof. Richard Dawkins observed that homeopaths spend more time listening and conversing with patients and act more like psychiatrists than medical doctors. He concludes that, "It's our own minds that cure the pain"--not the homeopathic medicine.

Pseudoscience

• Homeopathy is a pseudoscience. Its results are not supported by viable, peer-reviewed scientific research and are not supported by the FDA. It is water, nothing more. Homeopathic medicine should not be used to treat any serious medical condition, and any and all conditions and concerns should be discussed with actual, licensed doctors.

Risks

• An Australian couple was convicted of the manslaughter of their 9-month-old baby in June 2009 when they failed to get her proper medical treatment for severe eczema, instead relying on homeopathic remedies. The baby died of malnutrition because her body used all its nutrition to deal with her condition. Thomas Sam, the girl's father, was a homeopath.