Useful Remedies

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AN INAPPROPRIATE CHALLENGE Rev 2004; CD000353 7. McCarney RW, Warner J, Fisher P, Van Haselen R. scientifically implausible; for homeopa- Sir, there is an interesting and ongoing Homeopathy for dementia. Cochrane Database thy to be valid most of what we know Syst Rev 2003; CD003803. debate about the ethics of using place- 8. Smith C A. Homoeopathy for induction of labour. about chemistry and physics would have bos in medicine, so I was disappointed Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003; CD003399. to be not just wrong but spectacularly 9. Coulter M K, Dean M E. Homeopathy for attention that the response to Unethical aspects deficit/hyperactivity disorder or hyperkinetic disor- wrong. Unfortunately this would under- of homeopathic dentistry1 has focused der. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007; CD005648. mine the placebo effect and the counsel- 10. Kassab S, Cummings M, Berkovitz S, van Haselen instead on disputing the overwhelming R, Fisher P. Homeopathic medicines for adverse ling nature of the consultation.1 scientific consensus that homeopathy is effects of cancer treatments. Cochrane Database Science has advanced in the last 200 Syst Rev 2009; CD004845. baseless and unproven.2-5 years in a way that homeopathy simply It is well known that people are prone DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.484 has not; indeed, one (possibly the most) to trust experiences and evidence that prominent homeopath, George Vithoul- support their preconceptions. It is there- USEFUL REMEDIES kas, has chided homeopaths for failing to fore inappropriate to challenge such an Sir, I was delighted to read the excellent follow the letter of Hahnemann’s ‘Orga- established consensus in the letters and defence of homeopathy in dentistry by non’. In a comment on the Nature blogs, opinion pages, particularly by citing per- Drs Eames and Darby in the recent BDJ Vithoulkas says: ‘to tear down a thera- sonal experiences, individual studies and (BDJ 2011; 210: 299-301). peutic system by examining and evalu- one’s own website. To make a convincing I have used homeopathy very success- ating its theory instead of its therapeutic case, a large, unbiased systematic review fully in my practice for many years and results is quite inappropriate. Until a few is needed. The Cochrane Collaboration wouldn’t like to be without it. years ago, we did not know how aspirin has already done this for several condi- There are particularly useful remedies works, yet it was the most frequently pre- tions,6-10 but has yet to find compelling for aphthous ulcers and cold sores which scribed drug in conventional medicine.’ evidence of any benefit. Usually, few or get rid of these troublesome conditions The point not noticed by Vithoulkas or no well-conducted trials exist. within a day or so. made in the article is this: with drugs, no In the absence of evidence that home- Nat mur 200 is astonishingly good for principles of science are violated; while opathy works, one is forced to estimate developing cold sores at the vesicle stage – the mechanism may be unknown in detail, its priori plausibility as the homeopaths they disappear within 24 hours and don’t it is plausible and consistent with other do – by comparing it to experience. The return for weeks. Arnica is famous for its branches of knowledge, so the hierarchy two founding principles of homeopathy usefulness in bruising and general trauma of evidence may safely place clinical trials are that a patient presenting with a given – fantastic after a difficult extraction. at the apex because the basic premises on symptom is best cured by a substance My patients really appreciate this small which the proposed intervention are based known to cause that symptom, and that but very useful aspect of my practice. are widely understood and accepted, the diluting medicine makes it stronger – We may not understand how homeopa- evidence gap is small and specific. With including well beyond the point where thy works (and many other things too for homeopathy the gap is substantial. no medicine remains. I wonder how your that matter) but there’s no doubt that it Disease is not caused by ‘miasms’ readers’ clinical experiences compare to does. One day we’ll have the explanation. as Hahnemann believed and the basic these principles. D. G. Horobin, Bexleyheath principles of homeopathy, ‘the law of A. Taylor, Manchester DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.485 similia’, ‘potentization’ and ‘the law of 1. Shaw D. Unethical aspects of homeopathic den- infinitesimals’ are articles of faith, not tistry. Br Dent J 2010; 209: 493-496. A SUBSTANTIAL GAP 2. Mellor T. Pretty powerful. Br Dent J 2011; 210: 198. laws of nature. There is no credible evi- 3. Farrer S. Personal diatribe. Br Dent J 2011; Sir, I write in regard to Homeopathy and dence that any one of them is a valid 210: 291-292. 4. Dymitr Z. Seek to understand. Br Dent J 2011; 210: 292. its ethical use in dentistry (BDJ 2011; generalisable principle. Are we really to 5. Eames S, Darby P. Homeopathy and its ethical use 210: 299-301). Any ethical practice believe that powerful healing can result in dentistry. Br Dent J 2011; 210: 299-301. 6. McCarney R W, Linde K, Lasserson T J. Homeopa- involving homeopathy must necessar- from forces unmeasurable by any scien- thy for chronic asthma. Cochrane Database Syst ily begin by telling the patient that it is tific instrument?

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