ARTIST OPINION WENHUI (WENDY) YU doi:10.35493/medu.37.20 HANNAH SILVERMAN Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Class of 2020, McMaster University Pseudo-Science or Efective Treatment? Correspondance: [email protected]

ABSTRACT One of the most controversial topics in healthcare is whether complementary and alternative (CAM) can replace modern medicine. Homeopathy has become a popular form of CAM, and while it is generally regarded as safe, it has not been proven efective. Most scientifc professionals mistrust homeopathy due to the lack of scientifc rigour and credibility in studies that seek to analyze homeopathic practices; many argue that any positive outcomes may be attributed to the placebo efect. While homeopathy cannot replace conventional medicine, the therapeutic efects of homeopathic consul- tation addresses the impersonal nature of traditional medicine. opinion

PART 1: HOMEOPATHY LACKS SCIENTIFIC Almost none of the original remedy remains at the end as the BASIS AND SHOULD NOT REPLACE dilutions ofen fall below 1 mol/L, the scientifcally determined CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE limit for dilutions.6 As such, any efects from these treatments would be implausible.7 Hahnemann explained the discrepancy INTRODUCTION by stating that water is able to change structures to capture Developed over 200 years ago by German physician Samuel the “essence” of the diluted molecule.8 Several studies have Christian Hahnemann, homeopathy is a form of alternative attempted to corroborate this claim using techniques such medicine practice based on belief in “Te Law of Similars” as magnetic imaging and thermoluminescence, but strong —the idea that a natural substance that causes symptoms conclusions have not been reached.9,10 Since this principle in a healthy person can be used to cure the same symptoms conficts with scientifc knowledge, it is hard for the medical in a sick person.1 Several types of homeopathic treatments community to consider such an efect to be possible, let alone exist, ranging from auto-isopathy, whereby treatments for efective. For this reason, homeopathy is ofen dismissed as ailments stem from the patient’s own body, to classical “the ultimate fake,” and “concentrated nonsense.”11,12 Unless homeopathy, in which individualized natural remedies are convincing research emerges, there is no plausible reason given.2 Physicians are wary of recommending homeopathy that such heavy dilution would cause any efect whatsoever. and other forms of complementary and (CAM) due to a lack of proven efcacy and long-term EFFECTIVENESS risk assessments.3 As the trend towards distrust in the Few studies have been able to demonstrate the positive healthcare system and medicine increases, it is important efects of homeopathic remedies. One clinical trial review that patients are aware of the risks of pursuing homeopathy concluded that limitations on study quality and conficting in place of traditional pharmacological interventions.4 evidence demonstrate the overall lack of scientifc credibility of homeopathic remedies.13 A large area of interest THE DILUTION EFFECT for the potential usage of homeopathic remedies is in Tere are several principles of homeopathy that contradict cancer pain relief. In a European survey, 35.9% of cancer MEDUCATOR | MARCH 2020 | MARCH MEDUCATOR scientifc ideology. One such principle is the dilution efect, patients reported using homeopathy or other forms of CAM.14 wherein remedies that are more dilute have more potent However, a review on homeopathy showed that using this efects. Tese remedies are prepared by diluting a mixture form of treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy did not several times, shaking vigorously between each dilution.5 20 MEDUCATOR | MARCH 2020 opinion 21

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