How does homeopathy work?

Homoeopathy is a style of natural medicine developed by the German medical physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago. It is based on the ‘Law of Similars’ a principle that was described in the writings of Hippocrates in 400 BC.

The Law of Similars is based on the concept that if symptoms can be caused by a large amount of a substance then they can be treated by using very small amount of the same substance.

Caffeine and insomnia provide an interesting example. We know that drinking too much caffeine found in coffee and other drinks can cause insomnia. In homeopathy, we use very small amounts of caffeine to treat insomnia. In the same way, a homeopathic medicine for hayfever may contain very small amounts of pollen or grasses. Homeopathic medicines work with the body and use these substances to encourage the body to begin its own healing process.

How are homeopathic medicines made?
Homeopathic medicines are made by a specialised process of diluting one part of a therapeutically active substance in many parts of water and alcohol. (The total amount of alcohol in any homeopathic medicine is very small and does not affect blood alcohol levels and can be used by children without concern.) This dilution is vigorously shaken — a process called succussion.

The process of dilution and succession is very exact and is repeated until the desired potency of the medicine is achieved. The full process is also called ‘potentisation’.

What does research say about homeopathic medicines?
A large amount of research has been carried out on homeopathic medicines, with more than 150 of these studies published in medical journals. A study that reviewed many different trials (known as a meta-analysis) was published in the British Medical Journal in 1991 and found that out of 105 placebo-controlled trials, 81 found a positive effect for homeopathy.

Homeopathy is used by millions of people in over 65 countries. In the UK, homoeopathy has been supported by the British National Health Service (NHS) since it began in 1948 and research has shown that 42% of British doctors refer their patients for homeopathic treatment.

A 2003 survey found that homoeopathy was the most frequently used complementary medicine in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy and Switzerland. In 1999, the European Parliament called for homoeopathy to be integrated into medical practice.

Homeopathy is extremely popular in other European countries, the USA, India and New Zealand. In 2003, the World Health Organisation ranked homeopathy as the second most popular system of medicine in the world in a ranking that included pharmaceutical drug therapy.