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If I asked around what is HOMEOPATHY, the majority would probably say something along the
lines like: "A homeopath gives you a small sugar pill which contains almost nothing
and that is supposed to cure all your problems." In the age of technology penetrating every single
branch of modern biomedical science, more and more complex diagnostic and treatment
procedures being used and more and more effective medications being introduced daily, an
idea that one small pill can take care of asthma, eczema, ulcer, PMS, depression, seizures
with no side – effects, no painful procedures, no allergies sounds very strange.
Sounds unreal.
HOMEOPATHY seems to have
no scientific background. One of the critics wrote:
" [Homeopathic]
so-called remedies don't work. They are the equivalent of a car with no engine or a phony
stock certificate. Yet they are marketed for everything from colds to cancer."
"A car with no
engine." Is that so?
Why than an increasing
number of patients seem to seek out homeopathic treatment? In the United States and
Europe, the sale of homeopathic medicines was reported to increase by 20% to 30% per year
for the past 20 years. In Europe, because of the public's interest in homeopathy, the
European Parliament mandated the European Commission to examine whether homeopathy is
beneficial. Based on the report of the Homeopathy Medicine Research Group, it was
recommended that homeopathy be integrated into medical practice. In January 1998, the
French Conseil National de l'Ordre des Médecins (the equivalent of the American Medical
Association) recommended the official recognition of homeopathy, with the inclusion of
homeopathy training in the undergraduate medical curriculum and the creation of a
postgraduate degree. Coincidentally, a British Commission formed by the Prince of Wales to
examine the possible integration of complementary health into conventional biomedical
practice called for education and training in various complementary and alternative
disciplines, including homeopathy with the consequent integration into mainstream health
care.
A famous violinist
Yehudy Menuhin (who was the President of the Hahnemann society in Great Britain at the
time) once said: "Homeopathy is one of the rare medical approaches which carries no
penalties – only benefits." Many famous people have used homeopathy
successfully: The Royal Family of Great Britain, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Mark
Twain, Tina Turner, John D. Rockefeller, Sr., just to name a few.
In England, Australia,
New Zealand, India, Russia, Brazil and many other countries homeopathy is recognized as a
valid mode of treatment.
In the United Kingdom,
around 42 percent of physicians refer patients to homeopathic practitioners, and
homeopathic training is the most popular post-graduate training program. In France,
approximately 36 percent of the public and 32 percent of the physicians use homeopathic
remedies. Moscow, Russia, has a homeopathic hospital with a large homeopathic outpatient
clinic and many homeopathic pharmacies with many people using various homeopathic
preparations daily.
India has approximately
125 four- and five-year homeopathic medical colleges with over 100,000 homeopathic doctors
practicing around the country.
I hope this small
brochure will clarify who can benefit from HOMEOPATHY, how it is practiced and what, after
all, it is. |
