Homeopathy
<p ><b>Homeopathy</b> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/En-uk-homeopathy.ogg" title="Listen" ><img src="/709fa134-bd2f-505d-9065-31a7fda745e8.png"/></a><sup class="noexcerpt" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En-uk-homeopathy.ogg" title="File:En-uk-homeopathy.ogg" >i</a></sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English" title="Wikipedia:IPA for English" >/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Wikipedia:IPA for English" >ˌhoʊmiˈɒpəθi</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English" title="Wikipedia:IPA for English" >/</a> (also spelled <b>homoeopathy</b> or <b>homœopathy</b>; from the Greek<i>hómoios-</i> ὅμοιος- "like-" + <i>páthos</i> πάθος "suffering" ) is a form of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_medicine" title="Alternative medicine" >alternative medicine</a>. Practitioners treat patients using highly diluted preparations<sup id="cite_ref-pmid12492603_0-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid12492603-0" >[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-inquiry_cfm_1-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-inquiry_cfm-1" >[2]</a></sup> believed to cause symptoms in healthy individuals similar to the undesired symptoms of the person treated. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method" title="Scientific method" >Scientific</a> evidence has found homeopathy no more effective than <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo" title="Placebo" >placebos</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-pmid12492603_0-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid12492603-0" >[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-inquiry_cfm_1-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-inquiry_cfm-1" >[2]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-nhsdirect_2-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-nhsdirect-2" >[3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid17285788_3-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid17285788-3" >[4]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-shang_4-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-shang-4" >[5]</a></sup>
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German physician <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Hahnemann" title="Samuel Hahnemann" >Samuel Hahnemann</a> first stated the basic principle of homeopathy in 1796, known as the "law of similars". This principle is: "let like be cured by like." <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#Homeopathic_.27remedies.27" title="Homeopathy" >Homeopathic remedies</a>are prepared by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_dilution" title="Serial dilution" >serial dilution</a> with shaking by forceful striking on an elastic body, which homeopaths term "succussion". Each dilution followed by succussion is assumed to increase the effectiveness. Homeopaths call this process "potentization". Dilution often continues until none of the original substance remains.<sup id="cite_ref-Dynamization_and_Dilution_5-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Dynamization_and_Dilution-5" >[6]</a></sup> Apart from the symptoms, homeopaths examine aspects of the patient's physical and psychological state,<sup id="cite_ref-Organon_5th_5.2B217_6-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Organon_5th_5.2B217-6" >[7]</a></sup> then homeopathic reference books known as "repertories" are consulted, and a remedy is selected based on the totality of symptoms.</p>
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In the context of homeopathy, the term "remedy" is used to refer to a substance which has been prepared with a particular procedure and intended for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient" title="Patient" >patient</a> use; this differs from the generally accepted use of the word, which means "a medicine or therapy that cures disease or relieves pain".<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-7" >[8]</a></sup> Homeopathic remedies should not contain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacology" title="Pharmacology" >pharmacologically active</a> molecules,<sup id="cite_ref-Ernst2005_8-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Ernst2005-8" >[9]</a></sup> A<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacology" title="Pharmacology" >pharmacological effect</a> would violate fundamental principles of homeopathy.<sup id="cite_ref-shang_4-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-shang-4" >[5]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-NatureWhenToBelieve_9-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-NatureWhenToBelieve-9" >[10]</a></sup> Modern homeopathic practitioners have suggested "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_memory" title="Water memory" >water has a memory</a>", allowing homeopathic preparations to work without any of the original diluted substance; however, no verified observations nor scientifically plausible physical mechanisms account for such phenomena.<sup id="cite_ref-NatureWhenToBelieve_9-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-NatureWhenToBelieve-9" >[10]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-delusion_10-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-delusion-10" >[11]</a></sup>
Oral homeopathic remedies are safe at the high dilutions recommended by Hahnemann, but they may not be safe at lower dilutions.<sup id="cite_ref-pmid14705842_11-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid14705842-11" >[12]</a></sup> Homeopaths have been criticized for putting patients at risk due to advice against<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence-based_medicine" title="Evidence-based medicine" >conventional medicine</a> such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccination" title="Vaccination" >vaccinations</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-pmid8554846_12-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid8554846-12" >[13]</a></sup> anti<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria" title="Malaria" >malarial</a> drugs,<sup id="cite_ref-malaria2_13-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-malaria2-13" >[14]</a></sup> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotics" title="Antibiotics" class="mw-redirect" >antibiotics</a>. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_and_prevalence_of_homeopathy" title="Regulation and prevalence of homeopathy" >regulation and prevalence of homeopathy</a> is highly variable from country to country.<sup id="cite_ref-WHO_14-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-WHO-14" >[15]</a></sup></p>
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Although a few isolated studies have seen positive results from homeopathic treatments, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systematic_review" title="Systematic review" >systematic reviews</a> of published trials have failed to demonstrate efficacy.<sup id="cite_ref-pmid1825800_15-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid1825800-15" >[16]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid9310601_16-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid9310601-16" >[17]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Linde1999_17-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Linde1999-17" >[18]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid10853874_18-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid10853874-18" >[19]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-mathie03_19-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-mathie03-19" >[20]</a></sup> Higher quality <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trial" title="Clinical trial" >trials</a> tend to report results that are less positive,<sup id="cite_ref-Linde1999_17-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Linde1999-17" >[18]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Caulfield2005_20-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Caulfield2005-20" >[21]</a></sup> and most positive studies have not been replicated. Many have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodological" title="Methodological" class="mw-redirect" >methodological</a>problems preventing them from being considered unambiguous evidence of homeopathy's efficacy.<sup id="cite_ref-pmid12492603_0-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid12492603-0" >[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid17285788_3-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid17285788-3" >[4]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Time19951125_21-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Time19951125-21" >[22]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid11416076_22-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid11416076-22" >[23]</a></sup>The lack of convincing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_evidence" title="Scientific evidence" >scientific evidence</a> to support homeopathy's efficacy<sup id="cite_ref-Adler_23-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Adler-23" >[24]</a></sup> and its use of remedies lacking active ingredients have caused homeopathy to be described as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoscience" title="Pseudoscience" >pseudoscience</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackery" title="Quackery" >quackery</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-NSBattitudes_24-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-NSBattitudes-24" >[25]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Holmes_25-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Holmes-25" >[26]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid17719708_26-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid17719708-26" >[27]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pmid14676179_27-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-pmid14676179-27" >[28]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Ernst_28-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Ernst-28" >[29]</a></sup> and a "cruel deception".<sup id="cite_ref-Janes_29-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#cite_note-Janes-29" >[30]</a></sup></p>