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Home , Alternative medicine, Cochrane (organisation), Faculty of Homeopathy, Homeopathy, Oscillococcinum, Samuel Hahnemann

Summary the preparation by the end of the process. It is believed A number of people in Australia consider or use that the process of succussion transfers the protective complementary and alternative (commonly activity of the nosode into the diluting water. However, referred to as CAM). Complementary medicines are used due to the extensive dilution of the nosode, it is unlikely in conjunction with conventional while that the final homoeopathic preparation contains a single alternative medicines are used instead of conventional of the original material. While the amount of medicine. One form of CAM is homoeopathy, which uses dilution can vary, the most common dilution factor is 60 highly diluted preparations that are thought to stimulate 10 , which means the original material has been diluted the body‟s own response to prevent and/or treat a many billions of times. wide range of illnesses. Some people consider Many of the schedules to administer homoeopathy are homoeopathy (also spelt „‟) for their child‟s complex, extend over a period of years with multiple immunisation rather than conventional . doses and involve a significant financial cost, without any However, unlike conventional , there has of . been no rigorously tested research to demonstrate the safety or effectiveness of homoeopathic preparations in Several homoeopathic preparations are available and providing protection against childhood infectious come in differing strengths and constituents. Each . In addition, there is no biologically plausible homoeopathic practitioner has a different approach to mechanism for how homoeopathy could work to prevent their preparations, and there is no centralised body to infectious diseases. regulate the practice of homoeopathy in Australia. In general, homoeopathic preparations do not undergo the This fact sheet aims to discuss this issue further by rigorous testing for safety and efficacy by the Therapeutic answering these commonly asked questions: Goods Administration that other drugs do.

What is homoeopathy? Is homoeopathy an alternative to Is homoeopathy an alternative to conventional conventional immunisation? immunisation? No. Although homoeopathic preparations and schedules How effective is homoeopathy in preventing infectious have been developed claiming to prevent childhood diseases? infectious diseases such as pertussis (whooping cough), Which is safer, homoeopathic preparations or tetanus, diphtheria, , mumps and rubella (German conventional medicine, for immunising my child? measles), homoeopathic peak organisations still support the need for children to be vaccinated conventionally2,3 What do homoeopathic organisations recommend? (also see „What do homoeopathic organisations Can homoeopathic preparations be given to lessen the recommend?‟) possible of conventional vaccination? Homoeopathic preparations use nosodes, which are diluted to such an extent that no trace of the original What is homoeopathy? nosode remains. Unlike immunisation using conventional , there is no reliable evidence to support the (1755–1843), a German claimed protective effect of homoeopathic „immunisation‟ and chemist, was the founder of homoeopathy. The (see „How effective is homoeopathy in preventing fundamental principle behind homoeopathy is that „like infectious ‟). cures like‟.1 Homoeopathic „immunisation‟ is not recognised for Homoeopathic preparations in general are made using the family tax benefits or rebates linked to immunisation processes known as „potentiation‟ and „succussion‟ status and does not fulfil any childcare or school entry meaning that the disease, tissue or plant extract (known as vaccination requirements in Australia. the nosode) is diluted in water a number of times with vigorous shaking between each dilution, to the point where none of the original material is contained within

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How effective is homoeopathy in Which is safer, homoeopathic preventing infectious diseases? preparations or conventional medicine, Some homoeopathic preparations for the treatment of for immunising my child? certain health problems, such as childhood diarrhoea and Conventional medicines such as vaccines are thoroughly hay fever, have been scientifically tested. However, no scrutinised, tested, evaluated and followed up for their well-designed, well-reported and high quality research safety and effectiveness. Homoeopathic preparations are can be found that demonstrates the effectiveness of not subjected to the same level of attention. Many homoeopathic „immunisations‟ for prevention or homoeopathic preparations have not undergone testing or treatment of preventable diseases without a approval through government regulatory bodies, such as 1,4,5 significant risk of bias. the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration or the This is in contrast to conventional immunisations which Food and Drug Administration, which is have been rigorously tested, and for which there are large standard practice for conventional vaccines. amounts of high quality clinical and epidemiological data to support their efficacy in the prevention of certain What do homoeopathic organisations childhood infectious diseases. recommend? There are few studies in the published peer-reviewed Both the British Homeopathic Association and the literature that investigate the effectiveness of Australian Register of Homoeopaths recommend that homoeopathic „immunisation‟. people should receive conventional immunisation and that homoeopathic preparations “should not be recommended A recent Intervention Review aimed to as a substitute for [conventional] immunisation”. determine the efficacy of the homoeopathic preparation Anecdotally, however, this is not the of all ® in the prevention of influenza. This homoeopaths.8,9 review reported no statistically significant difference between the effects of homoeopathic preparation and The Australian Homoeopathic Association has strict in the prevention of influenza-like illness.6 The guidelines in place regarding the use of homoeopathic review also reported that the overall standard of „immunisation‟, including a compulsory consent form reporting in the included studies was poor and stating the treatment is not an immunisation, that no contained unclear risk of bias. prophylactic treatment guarantees immunity from infectious disease, and that the evidence for the efficacy An ecological study has been published applying of homoeopathic „immunisation‟ is limited. homoeopathic „immunisation‟ to Leptospirosis epidemic control. A decrease in the disease was observed in a community who received the Can homoeopathic preparations be homoeopathic intervention, but due to the of given to lessen the possible side effects ecological study design, which is inferior to other of conventional vaccination? epidemiological study designs, whether this decrease is Conventional vaccination may cause minor side effects due to the intervention or other factors could not be such as redness, swelling and pain at the injection site, established. The authors concluded that their study did which in most cases can be easily treated with not provide evidence to support the replacement of paracetamol and other comfort measures. More serious conventional disease prevention strategies with side effects are rare. For further information refer to the homoeopathic „immunisation‟.7 10th edition of The Australian Immunisation Handbook.10 There are other studies published in various forms There is no to demonstrate the (though not peer-reviewed) which suggest homoeopathic effectiveness of homoeopathic remedies in preventing or preparations may provide protection against infectious lessening vaccine side effects. diseases. However, they are of poor scientific quality, contain small sample sizes and provide limited scientific evidence.

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Web-based resources Scientific articles Australian Homoeopathic Association 1. Ernst E. A of systematic reviews of http://www.homeopathyoz.org/ (accessed 8 April 2014) homeopathy. British Journal of Clinical 2002;54:577-82. Better Health Channel. Fact sheet: Homeopathy. Department of Health Victoria. 2011. 2. The Australian Register of Homoeopaths Ltd (AROH). AROH statement on the use of http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcArticles.nsf/ homœopathic medicines for prophylaxis. 2013. pages/Homeopathy?OpenDocument (accessed 8 April Available from: 2014) http://www.aroh.com.au/Resources/Documents/ARO H%20HP%20Statement%204%20Oct%2013.pdf Better Health Channel. Fact sheet: Immunisation – facts (Accessed 8 April 2014). and misconceptions. Department of Health Victoria. 3. Council. Position statements. 2013. Immunisation. 2005. Available from: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/ http://www.facultyofhomeopathy.org/media/position- pages/Immunisation_common_misconceptions?open statements/immunisation/ (Accessed 8 April 2014). (accessed 8 April 2014) 4. Guo R, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Complementary medicine British Homeopathic Association. Homeopathy and for treating or preventing influenza or influenza-like illness. American Journal of Medicine 2007;120:923- immunisation [fact sheet]. 2013. 9. http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/wp- 5. Clausen J, van Wijk R, Albrecht H. models content/uploads/2013/05/immunisation_factsheet-2-1.pdf in basic research on homeopathy. Homeopathy (accessed 8 April 2014) 2010;99:263-70. National Center for Complementary and Alternative 6. Mathie RT, Frye J, Fisher P. Homeopathic Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Clinical trials. Oscillococcinum® for preventing and treating 2012. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/clinicaltrials/ influenza and influenza-like illness. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (accessed 8 April 2014) 2012;(12):CD001957. US Food and Drug Administration. Department of Health 7. Bracho G, Varela E, Fernández R, et al. Large-scale and Human Services. Conditions under which application of highly-diluted for Leptospirosis homeopathic drugs may be marketed. March 1995. epidemic control. Homeopathy 2010;99:156-66. http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/Complia 8. Ernst E. 'First, do no harm' with complementary and ncePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074360.htm (accessed 8 . Trends in Pharmacological April 2014) 2007;28:48-50. 9. Ernst E. Complementary and alternative medicine's opposition to measles immunisation continues. Focus on Alternative and Complementary 2011;16:110-4. 10. Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. The Australian immunisation handbook. 10th ed. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing; 2013.

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