Research in Homeopathy, Is homeopathy safe?

6. Is homeopathy safe?

Homeopathy can be used in pregnancy and in infants, for example, without harm. A review of the safety of homeopathy, conducted by doctors associated with the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital (RLHH) looked at papers published between 1970 and 1995 for reports of adverse effects of homeopathy. Adverse effects reported in clinical trials were temporary aggravations of symptoms or other mild and transient effects (mostly headaches, tiredness, skin eruptions, dizziness or diarrhoea). These are symptoms that can also occur with placebo, though their frequency of occurrence has been questioned.⁷¹ Only a very few isolated reports of proper adverse effects have been attributable to homeopathic medicines.⁷² One of the expressed reasons for the popularity of homeopathy among patients at the RLHH is that it does not have the side effects associated with many conventional drugs.⁷³

The issue of direct risk (due to the medicine per se) compared with indirect risk (due to the prescriber, rather than the medicine itself) is of considerable importance. By far the greater risks associated with homeopathic medicine are indirect. At the present time, homeopathy is not subject to statutory regulation. However, members of the Faculty of Homeopathy are all statutorily registered healthcare professionals bound to act within the competence of their profession and their level of training and qualification in homeopathy. This minimises the likelihood that a homeopathic medicine could be prescribed when, for example, an allopathic treatment is actually the better option for a given patient.

Some people claim that homeopathy is an effective substitute for immunisation, but there is no evidence that this is so. The policy of the Faculty of Homeopathy is to advise that children be immunised according to the guidelines published by the UK's Department of Health.

		6. Is homeopathy safe?
		Homeopathy can be used in pregnancy and in infants, for example, without harm. A review of the safety of homeopathy, conducted by doctors associated with the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital (RLHH) looked at papers published between 1970 and 1995 for reports of adverse effects of homeopathy. Adverse effects reported in clinical trials were temporary aggravations of symptoms or other mild and transient effects (mostly headaches, tiredness, skin eruptions, dizziness or diarrhoea). These are symptoms that can also occur with placebo, though their frequency of occurrence has been questioned.⁷¹ Only a very few isolated reports of proper adverse effects have been attributable to homeopathic medicines.⁷² One of the expressed reasons for the popularity of homeopathy among patients at the RLHH is that it does not have the side effects associated with many conventional drugs.⁷³ The issue of direct risk (due to the medicine per se) compared with indirect risk (due to the prescriber, rather than the medicine itself) is of considerable importance. By far the greater risks associated with homeopathic medicine are indirect. At the present time, homeopathy is not subject to statutory regulation. However, members of the Faculty of Homeopathy are all statutorily registered healthcare professionals bound to act within the competence of their profession and their level of training and qualification in homeopathy. This minimises the likelihood that a homeopathic medicine could be prescribed when, for example, an allopathic treatment is actually the better option for a given patient. Some people claim that homeopathy is an effective substitute for immunisation, but there is no evidence that this is so. The policy of the Faculty of Homeopathy is to advise that children be immunised according to the guidelines published by the UK's Department of Health.		Table of contents Homeopathy: the great debate Clinical research in homeopathy Veterinary homeopathy Issues and controversies Mechanism of action Is homeopathy safe? Is homeopathy cost effective? BHA/Faculty’s research strategy References Research discussion forum C O N T A C T U S S I T E M A P H O M E
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