100 Facts About Homeopathy.

Foundations of Homeopathy:- FACT 1: Hippocrates ‘The Father of Medicine’ of Ancient Greece said there were two Laws of Healing: The Law of Opposites and the Law of Similars. Homeopathy utilises the Law of Similars, orthodox medicine uses the Law of Opposites, e.g. antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-convulsants, anti-hypertensives, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics. FACT 2: Discovered by German doctor Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago, homeopathic medicine is based upon sound scientific principles of the Laws of Nature – unlike medical theories which are constantly changing. Far from being ideas-based, Homeopathy is a completely evidence-based, empirical medicine – a unique concept when it was founded. FACT 3: In Hahnemann’s first experiment, though perfectly healthy at the time, he found that by giving himself repeated doses of cinchona bark (quinine), he brought on all the symptoms of a malaria attack – fever with heat and chills. FACT 4: Hahnemann was the first to conduct trials on medicines. He set about discovering the healing properties of plants, metals and minerals by testing them on himself and on healthy volunteers or ‘Provers’, recording all the symptoms that each substance caused. He created a ‘Provers Union’. FACT 5: After some years of practising, Hahnemann found the tiny doses of substances he was using caused side effects. He experimented by diluting then succussing a substance (shaking through striking the phial a number of times between numerical potencies). The potentised remedy was safer to use on the sick, unwanted side effects disappeared and medicines were more effective. FACT 6: Hahnemann tested hundreds of substances on himself and healthy volunteer Provers, keeping detailed accounts of his observations. He matching the tested substances to heal symptoms of his patients using the Law of Similars. Homeopathic Prescribing:- FACT 7: Every patient is unique so homeopathic medicines are individualised. The homeopathic practitioner treats the WHOLE PERSON, believing all symptoms are interrelated and seeks to select a medicine which fits the whole state. FACT 8: Homeopathic medicines are chosen on the basis of a patient’s mental, emotional and physical constitutional type, unlike orthodox medicines which treats in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ manner. A homeopathic medicine is chosen which most closely suits the type of person, as well as all their symptoms. FACT 9: Just as there are fat and thin, dark and blonde, tall and thin, chilly and hot, talkative or quiet people, lazy or hurried people, etc., etc., there are homeopathic medicines to match all types. FACT 10: Homeopathic medicine awakens and stimulates the powers of the whole body by communicating a current/pattern/frequency of energy, which acts as a catalyst to set healing into motion and jump start the body’s own inherent curative mechanisms. FACT 11: Homeopathy assists the body to heal itself, to overcome an illness which brings the patient to a HIGHER level of health. Orthodox medicine suppresses the illness, bringing the patient to a lower level of health. FACT 12: Outcomes of homeopathic treatment are measured by the LONG TERM curative effects and the complete eradication of the disease state. FACT 13: Homeopathic medicines are used for inherited diseases and trace their origins to six main genetic causes or ‘miasms’: Tuberculosis, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Psora (scabies), Cancer, Leprosy. Homeopathic Medicines:- FACT 14: Every true homeopathic medicine is made with ONE SUBSTANCE – whether plant, mineral, metal, etc. The exact substance is known, unlike pharmaceutical drugs which do not always reveal contents. FACT 15: During the production of a homeopathic remedy, the formative intelligence of the substance is imprinted on the alcohol/water medium via the process of succussion (vigorous shaking) between each numerical potency. Remedies are not made using dilution alone. FACT 16: Homeopathic medicines are made using the original substance, plus 40% alcohol as a preservative and 60% distilled water. FACT 17: Any remedy up to a 12c or a 24x potency, known as Avogadro’s number, contains the original measurable molecules of the substance. FACT 18: There are more than 4,000 homeopathic medicines. FACT 19: In 2006, an Arnica gel product was the first homeopathic product to be registered by the MHRA. http://www.mhra.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pressreleases/CON2025160 FACT 20: Homeopathy works very FAST in acute illnesses, more gradually in chronic illness. FACT 21: High fevers can be lowered within minutes after taking the homeopathic medicine Belladonna and Aconite. FACT 22: Homeopathic remedies are inexpensive to produce and buy. FACT 23: Homeopathic medicines can also be made using a Radionics machine. http://www.homeopathyheals.me.uk/site/featured/317-homeopathy-and-radionics FACT 24: Homeopathic medicines have no toxic side-effects. FACT 25: Homeopathic medicines are NON-ADDICTIVE. FACT 26: Homeopathic medicines work well for small babies, showing this cannot be placebo effect. FACT 27: Homeopathy is safe for women to take during pregnancy and safe for old people. FACT 28: There are thousands of text books on homeopathic medicine, available at specialist outlets, which record historical evidence of homeopathic cures for a vast number of conditions. FACT 29: Homeopathic medicine has been proven extremely effective in Epidemics such as cholera, typhoid, diptheria, yellow fever, polio and influenza and used extensively in the 19th century. http://www.whale.to/v/winston.html http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_pro/hahnemann_rev1.html FACT 30: Homeopathy prevented a Leptospirosis Epidemic in Cuba for over 2.4 million people with only 10 reported cases. 99% success rate. http://www.homeopathyeurope.org/news-and-press/news/stunning-cuban-experiences-on-leptospirosis Homeopathy for Animals and Agriculture FACT 31: Homeopathic medicines are used successfully for treating disease in animals, proving that there is no placebo effect. http://www.homeopathyheals.me.uk/site/featured/185-homoeopathy-on-the-farm-works-for-animals FACT 32: Homeopathy is used to treat the cows at Yeo Valley Organic Farms. http://www.yeovalleyorganic.co.uk/#/2010/11 FACT 33: There are courses on homeopathy for farmers.http://www.hawl.co.uk/homoeopathic-vets/ and in 2010 Christine Lees was the Farmers Weekly Livestock Adviser of the Year finalist with advice on homeopathy for animals. http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/08/16/122560/2010-FW-Awards-Livestock-Adviser-of-the-Year-finalist-Christine.htm FACT 34: There is a list of homeopathic vets at the British Association of Veterinary Surgeons who treat all animals http://www.bahvs.com/ FACT 35: Homeopathic medicines are used in agriculture, known as Agrohomeopathy. http://www.hpathy.com/papersnew/moreno-agrohomeopathy.asp FACT 36: Wine is produced from grapes using 100% homeopathic agriculture. http://popsop.com/42532 Homeopathic Hospitals FACT 37: There were once fourteen Homeopathic Hospitals in Britain. http://www.homeopathyheals.me.uk/site/homeopathic-hospitals-nhs/237-there-were-fourteen-homeopathic-hospitals-in-britain FACT 38: In the USA, by 1900 there were 22 homeopathic medical schools, more than 100 homeopathic hospitals, over 60 orphan asylums and old people’s homes, and more than 1,000 homeopathic pharmacies. http://www.homeopathic.com/Articles/Introduction_to_Homeopathy/A_Condensed_History_of_Homeopathy.html FACT 39: In 1854 there was a cholera epidemic in London. When the House of Commons asked to see a report about the methods of treatment, patients who had received homeopathic treatment at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital were not included. The House of Lords demanded an explanation and it was shown that under conventional medical care the death rate was 59.2 per cent but for patients under homeopathic care, only 9 per cent. FACT 40: There were homeopathic hospitals in France, with Neuilly treating soldiers in WW1. http://www.homeoint.org/cazalet/neuilly/index.htm FACT 41: Homeopathy in Russia dates back to 1824. http://ollo.norna.ru/eng/arts/history.htm http://www.homeoint.org/books4/kotok/index.htm FACT 42: At one of the earliest debates on the NHS Act of 1948 the Government pledged that homoeopathy would continue to be available on the NHS, as long as there were “patients wishing to receive it and doctors willing to provide it”. http://homeopathy.wildfalcon.com/archives/2008/02/05/aneurin-bevan-and-homeopathy/ FACT 43: There are now only four homeopathic hospitals in the Britain – in London, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow. The total cost to the NHS in 2010 was around £4 million a year compared to over £100 billion for the total annual NHS budget! FACT 44: The cost of homeopathic medicine to the NHS in 2010 was £57,000 per annum compared to £11 billion for pharmaceutical medicine. FACT 45: In March 2007 – 208 MPs signed Early Day Motion 1240 to save the NHS Homeopathic Hospitals. http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=33006 FACT 46: In November 2005, the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital published a study of 6500 patients who had received homeopathic treatment showing an overall improvement in health for 70% of them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4454856.stm http://www.trusthomeopathy.org/research/homeopathic_hospitals/Bristol_study.html FACT 47: In a survey of 500 patients at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, 72% reported being able to stop or reduce their conventional medication. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/45/4504.htm#note102 FACT 48: In 2010, spending on homeopathy in Scotland was a third of the rest of the UK with an annual total of 60,000 prescriptions and the Scottish Government backing the funding. Evidence for Homeopathy from the Glasgow Homeopathy Hospital http://www.adhom.com/adh_download/EVIDENCE_9.0_Sept_06.pdf FACT 49: In 2010, 55,000 patients were treated on the NHS with homeopathic medicine On average, 70% of follow-up patients seen at the homeopathic hospitals report a positive outcome from homeopathic treatment. http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/research/homeopathic_hospitals/ FACT 50: Homeopathic hospitals SAVE money for the NHS, as the Smallwood report commissioned by Prince Charles has demonstrated in 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4312780.stm FACT 51: Homeopathic Hospitals are clean, friendly, with well informed staff and patients are generally pleased with their treatment. The chances of contracting MRSA or C. Difficile at a Homeopathic Hospital are extremely rare. Orthodox Medicine Opposing Homeopathy FACT 52: After its formation in 1847, members of the American Medical Association had great animosity towards homeopathy and decided to purge all local medical societies of physicians who were homeopaths. FACT 53: In 1847, the American Medical Association published a code of ethics which stated that physicians would lose their membership if they consulted with a homeopath. At an AMA meeting, Dr. J.N. McCormack of Kentucky, who was the driving force behind the 1903 reorganisation of the AMA, said: ‘We must admit that we never fought the homeopath on matters of principle. We fought him because he came into the community and got the business.’ FACT 54: In 1858 the British Medical Association also passed internal rules that forbade their members from practising homeopathy or even consulting with a homeopath. FACT 55: In 1910, vigorous attempts to stamp out homeopathy were stepped up in the USA when the Carnegie Foundation commissioned a report by Abraham Flexner, who was chosen to reform American medical education. The report was an evaluation of US medical schools and it gave the homeopathic and herbal colleges a bad rating. In 1900 there had been 22 homeopathic colleges but only two were left in 1923. FACT 56: In 2005 the World Health Organisation brought out a draft report which showed homeopathy was beneficial causing Big Pharma to panic and the Lancet to bring out an editorial entitled ‘The End of Homeopathy’. FACT 57: At the end of August 2005 the Lancet looked at eight inconclusive trials out of 110, of which 102 were positive. “The meta-analysis at the centre of the controversy is based on 110 placebo-controlled clinical trials of homeopathy and 110 clinical trials of allopathy (conventional medicine), which are said to be matched. These were reduced to 21 trials of homeopathy and 9 of conventional medicine of ‘higher quality’ and further reduced to 8 and 6 trials, respectively, which were ‘larger, higher quality’. The final analysis which concluded that ‘the clinical effects of homoeopathy are placebo effects’ was based on just the eight ‘larger, higher quality’ clinical trials of homeopathy. The Lancet’s press release did not mention this, instead giving the impression that the conclusions were based on all 110 trials.” http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1375230 FACT 58: In 2006 there was a campaign by UK Professors to oust homeopathy completely from the NHS. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article1827553.ece and in 2007 they sent a document on NHS headed paper to all Primary Care Trusts telling managers not to refer patients to the homeopathic hospitals. http://dcscience.net/homeopathy_paper_for_nhs_commissioners.pdf FACT 59: There are thousands of Skeptics who spend their time attacking homeopathy on their blogs and websites, especially in the UK. FACT 60: In February 2010, the House of Commons Science & Technology Committee called for an end to funding for homeopathy on the NHS after conducting an Evidence Check in November 2009. Science & Technology Committee Evidence Check on Homeopathy Wednesday 25th November 2009 http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=5221 Monday 30th November 2009 http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=5257 FACT 61: Only half of the 14 Members of the Science and Technology Committee actually attended the two oral hearings and those MPs who attended appeared to have little knowledge or understanding of it. Of the nine witnesses at the first hearing, only two who had any relevant qualifications – Dr. Peter Fisher, the Queen’s physician and Clinical Director of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital and Dr. Robert Mathie, Research Development Adviser of the British Homeopathic Association. There was noone called to represent patients. FACT 62: Their Report was voted on by just five of its fourteen members, with only three MPs ratifying it. http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-archive/science-technology/s-t-homeopathy-inquiry/ http://vonsyhomeopathy.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/stop-funding-nhs-homeopathy-mps-urge-who-are-these-mps/#more-293 Science & Technology Committee Evidence Check on Homeopathy REPORT – 22nd February 2010 Evidence Check – 33 Conclusions http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/45/4504.htm FACT 63: Out of a total of 66 written submissions to the Committee, nearly 40 compiled by the homeopathic profession that were positive about homeopathy, was not properly considered. Written Submissions: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/45/4510.htm FACT 64: In May 2010 The British Medical Association called homeopathy Witchcraft http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/alternativemedicine/7728281/Homeopathy-is-witchcraft-say-doctors.html FACT 65: In July 2010 the UK Government came out in favour of continuing the NHS Funding for homeopathy. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117810 FACT 66: According to BMJ only 11% of NHS treatments are found to be evidence-based medicine with any benefit. http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/about/knowledge.jsp FACT 67: Hundreds of medical doctors have converted to Homeopathy http://homeopathy.wildfalcon.com/?s=converted&submit=Search FACT 68: Unlike orthodox medicine, where the bill for claims for side-effects of pharmaceutical medicines runs into millions, a leading UK insurance company reported only ‘a couple’ of insurance claims against homeopaths in a ten year period! Hence insurance cover for homeopathy is around £70 per year, reflecting low risk. FACT 69: In 200 years, there has never been a single homeopathic medicine recalled, unlike many pharmaceutical medicines. FACT 70: The pharmaceutical industry does not want the Public to discover that homeopathy works! Scientific Studies FACT 71: In 1985 French scientist Jacques Benveniste published his ‘Memory of Water’ research in Nature. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWYlMSHOGBw http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2804%2917339-X/fulltext FACT 72: The first clinical trials of medicine where undertaken by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann and called Provings of medicines. 50 – 100 volunteer Provers took the 30c potency of a medicine every two hours until they started experiencing symptoms which were carefully recorded. The group supervisors collected all the data and delivered it to the Proving Master, who was the only person who knew the name of the medicine under trial. That way, all bias was removed. FACT 73: In the past 24 years there have been many clinical trials that prove homeopathy works. there have been more than 180 controlled, and 118 randomized, trials into homeopathy, which were analysed by four separate meta-analyses. In each case, the researchers concluded that the benefits of homeopathy went far beyond that which could be explained purely by the placebo effect. http://avilian.co.uk/2008/08/scientific-research-and-homeopathy-overview/ http://knol.google.com/k/dr-nancy-malik-bhms/scientific-research-in-homeopathy/pocy7w49ru14/2 FACT 74: In 2004 Rustum Roy published The Structure Of Liquid Water; Novel Insights From Materials Research; Potential Relevance To Homeopathy Rustum Roy1, W.A. Tiller2, Iris Bell3, M. R. Hoover4 http://www.rustumroy.com/Roy_Structure%20of%20Water.pdf FACT 75: After carefully studying the structure of homeopathic medicines, a team of researchers from Pennsylvania State University and the University of Arizona reported that by using ‘spectroscopy’ these researchers were able to see distinct structural differences between a homeopathic remedy and plain water, between one remedy and another remedy and between different potencies of the same remedy. Equally important, they replicated the results many times over. www.bodyandsoulclinic.blogspot.com/2007/09/groundbreaking-research-regarding.html FACT 76: In 2008, a major CAM Pilot Project, implemented by Get Well UK, was commissioned by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in two primary care trusts in Northern Ireland. There was a 79% improvement in the level of health for those who had homeopathic treatment. (see page 31 for Homeopathy) http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/final_report_from_smr_on_the_cam_pilot_project_-_may_2008.pdf FACT 77: In 2001 Professor Madeleine Ennis of Queen’s University Belfast finds homeopathy works. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2001/mar/15/technology2 FACT 78: In 2009 Nobel Prizewinner Luc Montagnier Proves Homeopathy Works http://avilian.co.uk/2009/09/luc-montagnier-foundation-proves-homeopathy-works/ FACT 79: There are more than 90 homeopathic trials on animals http://avilian.co.uk/2008/08/scientific-research-and-homeopathy-animal-studies/ FACT 80: Homeopathy can never be properly tested through double blind randomised trials because each prescription is individualised. Therefore 10 people with arthritis may all need a different homeopathic medicine. Homeopathic Practitioners FACT 81: The homeopathic practitioner endeavours to search for and treat the CAUSE of the disease in order to heal the EFFECT. FACT 82: Homeopathic Practitioners train for three to four years. They study anatomy and physiology, as well as pathology and disease, Materia Medica, Homeopathic Philosophy and the Homeopathic Repertory. FACT 83: Most homeopaths treat patients who have been referred to them by word of mouth. Most patients seek out homeopathy because conventional treatment has not benefitted them or because it poses too great a risk of side-effects. FACT 84: The homeopathic community has thousands, even millions, of written case notes that demonstrate the positive benefits of their treatment. Some homeopaths have video proof of their patients before and after treatment. FACT 85: Homeopaths charge patients an average of £50 an hour, whereas specialist Doctors can charge up to £200 or more. Popularity of Homeopathy:- FACT 86: According to the WHO, homeopathy is the 2nd most popular and widely used medicine in the world. FACT 87: The popularity of homeopathy has grown in the past 30 years, its revival entirely through word of mouth and estimated to be growing at more than 20% a year the world over! FACT 88: Hundreds of famous people throughout the past 200 years have enjoyed the benefits of homeopathic medicine. www.homeopathicrevolution.com FACT 89: Many of the famous swore by it including writers Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, George Bernard Shaw; artists such as Renoir, van Gogh, Monet and Gaugin and the composers Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann, to name a few. FACT 90: Nowadays many modern celebrities opt to use homeopathic preparations. http://www.ok.co.uk/body/view/1374/Back-to-nature/ FACT 91: That aristocratic patronage of homeopathy in the UK extended well into the 1940s and beyond can be easily demonstrated. In the Homeopathic Medical Directories there are lists of patrons of the dispensaries and hospitals. www.homeopathyhome.com/reference/articles/ukhomhistory.shtml http://www.homeoint.org/morrell/articles/pm_arist.htm FACT 92: The Royal Families of Europe use homeopathic medicine and Queen Elizabeth II of England is reputed to never travel anywhere without her homeopathic medicines. FACT 93: Homeopathy is practised nowadays in countries all over the world. FACT 94: In India there are 100 homeopathic medical schools, around 400,000 registered homeopathic doctors with approximately 13,000 being added every year! There were 28 homoeopathic dispensaries in Delhi in 1978 and now 78. The number of patients taking homeopathic medicines has increased from around 800,000 patients in 1997 to 13,62,174 patients in 2006. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/savvy-marketing-sees-surge-in-alternative-therapies/66042/on FACT 95: 100 million Europeans use homeopathy – 29% of the EU population. http://www.homeopathy-ecch.org/ FACT 96: Homeopathic medicine is used in France by a third of the French population. Almost all French pharmacies dispense it with its use covered by state social security. In 2004, 62% of French mothers used homeopathic medicines in the previous 12 months. A survey of French pharmacists in 2004 found that 94.5 per cent. reported advising pregnant women to use homeopathic medicines. 70% of French doctors are receptive to homeopathy and consider it effective and at least 25,000 of them prescribe homeopathic medicines for their patients. http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40806&SESSION=903 FACT 97: In Germany 20% of doctors treat patients with homeopathy. FACT 98: In the Netherlands 47% of doctors treat patients with homeopathy. FACT 99: In a 2008 Global TGI survey where people were asked whether they trust homeopathy the following percentages of people living in urban areas said YES: 62% in India, 58% Brazil, 53% Saudi Arabia, Chile 49%, United Arab Emirates 49%, France 40%, South Africa 35%, Russia 28%, Germany 27%, Argentina 25%, Hungary 25%, USA 18%, UK 15%. http://www.tgisurveys.com/documents/TGIbarometerhomeopathy_Jan08.pdf FACT 100: The media as a whole has been unwilling to air a proper defence of the efficacy of homeopathy and the validity of this 200 year old profession.