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Homeopathy: An alternative medicine or placebo?
Summary
Science-backed evidence may be lacking about the efficacy of homeopathy, but it is the second most popular medicinal treatment in India
66-year-old homemaker Champa Rajpuria’s journey with homeopathy started thirty years ago. Her 10-year-old son was diagnosed with a cyst in his brain, and he was healed without surgery with the help of homeopathy medicines. Since then, her trust in homeopathy has been ironclad. She has been taking homeopathy to manage her diabetes and knee pain for the past fifteen years. “Homeopathy medicines have worked wonders for me and my family. I believe that homeopathy works at the root cause of the ailment and in all my years of taking these medicines, not once have I seen any side effects. It has also helped in balancing my sugar levels," she shares.
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Rajpuria is not alone in her faith in this alternative form of medicine. According to a report by Business Research Insights, the global homeopathic medicine market size was $854.4 million in 2021 and the market is projected to touch $1687.98 Million By 2031. As per the Ministry of Ayush, homeopathy is the second most popular system of medicine after allopathy in India with roughly 10% of the population relying solely on homeopathy for treatment and as per a Statista report, as of January 2021, there were approximately more than three lakh homeopathy doctors across India.
Homeopathy was developed by German physician and chemist Samuel Hahnemann in 1796. It is an alternative medicine based on the theory that a diluted form of a substance that causes the illness can also cure the illness. This diluted substance encourages the body to heal itself. Doctors from Dr. Prasanta Banerji Homoeopathic Research Foundation in Kolkata insist that homeopathy runs on the same principle as Ayurveda, uses the same plants and herbs, but with a different level of potency – it uses a highly diluted form of the herb or mineral. The process of dilution and shaking is called ‘succussion’ and it is believed that the more a substance is diluted this way, the better it treats the symptoms. Most homeopathic remedies consist of minerals or herbs that have been diluted in water multiple times, and almost none of the original substance remains in the final medicine.
While Dr. Banerji’s Foundation believes that “there is nothing incurable in homeopathy", it is this diluted form of medicine that sometimes raises questions regarding the medicine’s efficacy. However, despite many arguments against them, a significant part of the population often turns to homeopathy for treatment. “We have had severe complications post-homeopathic use. It could be due to the form or dose of the drug, it cannot be said," says Manisha Kumar*, an MBBS and MD from Chennai. But she is against belittling any form of medicine. “Homeopathy is also a science. Essentially, they do use the same core drugs that are needed in any form of medicine. It works for some, but patients mostly tend to swing between allopathy-homeopathy-Ayurveda all the time. Yet one must not forget that allopathic medicine is evidence-based in the good and adverse effects. “Other medicines do not show their adverse effects, so that is a drawback," she reveals.
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Where is the science?
The homeopathy vs allopathy debate has been on for a long time. Consultant anaesthetist Dr. Kirti Sharma, from Kolkata, believes that both are alternative treatment strategies that have their share of pros and cons and it is not fair to compare them. “People have this notion that while allopathic medicines relieve the symptoms, homeopathy medicines treat the ailment from the root cause without any side effects. This might be true to an extent but homeopathy lacks scientific evidence," she explains.
Homeopathy may be considered by some for chronic or minor illnesses, but for more serious conditions one should not rely solely on homeopathy, she says. Instead, in such conditions, Sharma recommends seeking medical intervention at the earliest based on scientific evidence and research. “We had a case where the patient had an inflamed gall bladder. Due to the fear of adverse effects of surgery, he opted for homeopathy medicines. Ultimately, his gall bladder ruptured after two days, resulting in emergency surgery", she shares. At the same time, she mentions that homeopathic treatment might work for chronic ailments like psoriasis and mild asthma, but since the duration of (homeopathic) treatment is very long it might prove risky in cases of acute conditions that require immediate surgical or medical intervention.
Inversely, Padmashri awardee Dr. Mukesh Batra, the founder of Dr Batra's group of companies, a chain of homeopathy clinics in six countries, firmly defends homeopathy. “There are enough double-blind clinical trials done in India and all over the world to prove that homeopathy works. Almost 3000 trials have been conducted in India alone by the R&D department of the government of India. However, groundbreaking research conducted by Dr Jayesh Bellare and his team at IIT-Bombay demonstrated the presence of nanoparticles of medicinal molecules in homeopathic remedies. This provided substantial evidence challenging the notion that homeopathy is merely a placebo," he insists.
Homeopathy is used for a wide range of health conditions including asthma, ear infections, food allergies, dermatitis, arthritis, and high blood pressure amongst others. In his latest book, Feel Good Heal Good, Dr. Batra emphasizes the role homeopathy can play in treating mental health issues along with physical ailments. An excerpt from his book reads ‘Homeopathy offers a potential avenue for addressing mental health concerns through a holistic lens, acknowledging the connection between the mind and the body. It values the individual’s unique mental, emotional, and physical makeup, tailoring remedies to match these specifics. By stimulating the body’s innate healing ability, homeopathy seeks to restore harmony, aiming for long-term well-being rather than just symptom suppression’.
“While allopathy offers medication for mental health issues, they are often addictive and come with side effects such as sexual dysfunction, digestive issues, and drowsiness that results in fatigue and low energy levels. Homeopathy, on the other hand, is safe and non-addictive. While allopathy treats the patient by altering the patients’ chemistry, homeopathy heals the patient holistically by treating both mind and body together," he reiterates.
While homeopathy offers several benefits, it also has its limitations.
Dr. Banerji’s foundation accepts that homeopathy involves a slow healing process, and it cannot be used in emergency cases or where surgery is required. But when used safely, recognizing the potential of alternative medicine doesn’t undermine conventional medicine. It suggests that it can be complemented as ultimately, the goal of every health professional is to ensure the patient’s healing.
*Name changed on request.
Aditi Sarawagi is an independent writer who covers wellness, travel and food.
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