This article is going to talk about homeopathy in the country of India.  Homeopathy has been around 200 years and invented by Samuel Hannehman.  Homeopathy was introduced in India by Dr. John Martin Honigberger from Transylvania in 1839.  He was actually in Lahore to treat the maharaja's horses who were suffering from leg ulcers.  The maharaja was impressed with the results of this type of treatment.  Maharaja Ranjit lated asked the homeopath to treat him for paralysis of vocal cords and oedema.  The maharaja was quite satisfied with the treatment which cured his paralysis.

  Homeopathy continued spreading in India since 1839.  Every major city in India has pharmacies dispensing homeopathy medicine.  Many states in India also have homeopathy colleges teaching this type of alternative medicine to prospective students.  Currently there are 186 homeopathic medical colleges in India.  37 of these colleges are government run.  The other colleges are privately run. 

  The Indian government created the Central Counil Of Homeopathy which requires uniform education at the graduate level and diploma level  in homeopathy.  This has lead to standardized practice in India preventing unqualified homeopaths to prescribe medicine and treatments.    Currently, there are over 300,000 homeopathic doctors practicing medicine in India.  

  Homeopathic medicine is significantly cheaper than conventional drugs.  This makes this type of medicine more available to India's population many of whom do not have access to allopathic prescription drugs.  Homeopathy is the third most popular medicine in India after allopathy and ayurveda.  Approximately, 10% of the population in India uses homeopathy.  This makes India the largest consumer of homeopathy medicine in the world.

  India has become the mecca of homeopathic research.  There are over 37+ homeopathic research centers in India carrying out various types of clinical trials.  The government helped form many of these reseach centers.  

  Some of this research includes Dr. Prasanta Banerji & Dr. Pratip Banerji scientific papers on brain cancer.  This research was collaborated with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  The study showed that Ruta 6C and Calcarea Phosphorica 3X helps to kill cancerous brain cells but does not damage normal brain cells or fuctions.

  The Banerji family has also been successful in treating other type of cancers as well.  Their clinics in Calcutta will see 1000 people per day.  Their cancer success rate is between 30 to 40%.  

   Homeopathy is an accepted form of medicine by the Indian government.  It is generally regarding in the same light as allopathic medicine.  India is one of the few countries that generally accepts homeopathy.  

  Why does the Indian governement accept Homeopathy?  Why have many other governments not accepted homeopathy as a system of medicine?   Do you see other governments accepting homeopathy in the future?

References

Homeopathy In India

Homeopathic Research 

Homeopathy Links of the Week 

From Poison to Pill Homepathic Medicine Dilutes Some of Nature's Nastiest-and Nicest Ingredients to Treat Ilness and Pain.

  This talks how homeopathy has helped people with many ailments.   Cancer, type 1 diabetes and low thyroid are some of the conditions that homeopathy cannot treat.  Most research points to homeopathy working.  Some critics point out that homeopathy has never proven to be conclusively effective for any single medical condition.

Can water remember??? 

  This article talks about recent research on water memory.  The research is promising but not conclusive.  More research needs to be done on water memory.  The article also talks about French Scientist Jacques Benveniste who showed water had a memory in an experiment.  However, it was later proven that this trial had issues and researcher bias.

Patient satisfaction and side effects in primary care: An observational study comparing homeopathy and conventional medicine

  This news article talks about a trial comparing homeopathy patients to conventional medicine patients.  They sent a customer survey to see how satisified people were with the treatments that they received.  The survey showed the homeopathy group was much more satisified with respect to health status, the treatment they received  and the side effects that they felt.

100 Best Herbs For Your Health 

  Talks about 100 best herbs for your health.  Many of these herbs have homeopathic preparations.  This just gives you a summary of some of the herbs that can be used to treat your health problems. 

    Send us your news about homeopathy or alternative health.  It may get posted on to our blog on the links of the week if it is interesting, accurate and informative.  You can also add some more interesting homeopathy news in the comments section.

Power Point Presentation On A Homeopathy Weight Loss Trial

  Above is a link to a series of power point slides discussing a trial testing homeopathic medicine for weight loss.  We will summarize the power point presentation below.

This is a trial to find out if homeopathy promotes more weight loss than a placebo.

  The product used was weight control by Dolisos.  This product is no longer available.  However, it was a combination of the following single remedies.

  35 patients were in the trial, 30 completed the trial.  This was a 4 week trial to see if homeopathy promotes weight loss.  It was a double blind placebo trial.

At the end of 4 weeks,  body measurement between the placebo group and homeopathy group showed no difference.

  Patients in the homeopathy group reported more exercise than the placebo group.  The daily questionnaire filled out by the homeopathy group showed better quality of life than the placebo group. 

  In conclusion, the homeopathic product did not show that it promoted weight loss.  However, an interval of one month maybe too short to draw a conclusion.  The product did show that the homeopathy group was exercising more and living a better quality of live than the placebo group.  

   A larger study with a longer time interval would help to determine if homeopathy may help with weight loss.

  Trial provided by Dr. Mike Smith, a homeopathic doctor with Carolinas Natural Health Center.

Links of the Week 09-13-08

Homeopath To Her Majesty

  Dr. David Fischer, the homeopath to the queen of England, is coming to Australia to show evidence that homeopathy is an effective form of alternative medicine.  He is going to Australia to show doctors how effective homeopathy is with clinical trial evidence.

Actress Jane Seymour Finds Inspiration

   This article talks about Jane Seymour's new book Open Heart.  It talks about her new love of painting and helping people with live threatening illnesses.  Jane is a big advocate of alternative medicine.  She has seen amazing things with homeopathy and used acupuncture herself.  She believes alternative medicine combined with western medicine responsibly can be the best medical combination.

Homeopathy: Treatment by wishful thinking

  The commentary here is about homeopathy works by wishful thinking.  Regardless of this, homeopathy seems to be growing.  Since homeopathy has no real side effects, the FDA does not really monitor homeopathic medicine other than the labeling.

Who uses alternative medicine and for what 

  This story talks about what people use alternative medicine for.  It also tells how many males uses alternative medicines compared to females.  The number one use of alternative medicine was back pain. 

  Homeopathy has started to become a very popular method for treatment of animals.  Many critics say homeopathy does not work.  The results homeopathy gives are due to the fact that people think they have taken something that will help them get better.  This phenomenon is called the placebo effect.  However, pets getting better after taking homeopathy seems to contradict the placebo effect.

   Throughout Europe and Asia many veterinarians practice treating animals ranging from cat, dogs and horses with homeopathic pet meds.  The practice is less common in the US but more vets having been trying homeopathy.  Homeopathy vets usually prescribe single remedies to help with a pet's medical condition.

   Homeopathy petmeds combination medicine has become  popular in the US.  Combination medicines usually contain several homeopathic remedies in one pill.  All natural stores and large retail pet stores such as Petsmart are carrying homeopathic combination remedies such as Homeopet.  These combination remedies treat a wide range of acute conditions such as anxiety, cough, travel anxiety and skin and itch relief for dogs and cats.

  Most people do not even know they are buying homeopathic remedies for their pets with these combination medicines.  They are simply looking for away to cure acute conditions without having to make an expensive trip to the vet's office.  Sales of homeopathic combination remedies for pets have been strong.  Many people feel their pets have become better by taking these type of medications.

    How can there be a placebo effect with homeopathy when treating pets?  Why are sales of these combination remedies for pets so strong?

  Homeopathy in England was introduced by Dr. Quinn in the 1830s.  Since that time this form of alternative medicine has flourished in England.  Homeopathy has steadily grown in England and is funded by the National Healthcare System (NHS) of the UK. 

Homeopathy has always had an elite status in UK.  It is used by the royal familiy and other celebrities such as Paul McCarthney and Catherine Zeta Jones.  This form of alternative medicine has been under attack of late in England. 

Current homeopathic hospitals in the United Kingdom face closure due to an orchestrated campaign by leading doctors in the UK saying homeopathy is simply a placebo.  They point to many studies showing trials where homeopathic medicine is no better than a placebo.  The doctors are telling many doctors not to give out homeopathic referrals.  Without enough referrals, homeopathic hospitals will have to close.   Tunbridge homeopathic hospital has already scheduled to close due to lack of funding and referrals.  Some other hospitals are also facing cuts by the NHS and they are getting less referrals than in the past.

The media and other have pointed to Lancet trials showing homeopathy does not work.  However, these homeopathy trials have many issues with research bias and validity. BBC has done some experiments with homeopathic dilutions showing no effects between a water dilution and a homeopathic dilution.  There has not been in scientific evidence that this type of alternative medicine works.  

  The homeopathy users of the homeopathic hospitals seems to be quite satisified with their treatments. Even with all the lack of funding from the NHS, fewer doctors writing referrals and the bad media press, homeopathy in England still seems to be growing.  The public comes in growing numbers to this type of alternative medicine. In 2007, the UK market is estimated to be worth 38 million pounds.  In 2012, the market is going to reach 46 million pounds.

  Is all the media coverage really bad for homeopathy? Do  people  feel that more homeopathic hospitals will close in England?  Why have doctors  targeting Homeopathy now even though it has been in England since  the 1830s?  Do  doctors in England view homeopathy as a threat? 

References