An estimated 5 million U.S. adults and 1 million children use a homeopathic product
each year. Homeopathy is an alternative medicine practice based on the unproven
and biologically implausible theory that “like cures like” and the “law of
infinitesimals,” wherein extraordinarily diluted substances that supposedly cause
the symptoms of a disease in healthy people will cure similar symptoms in sick
people. Because they are so dilute, most, but not all, homeopathic products are
likely to be safe but have no therapeutic value beyond a placebo effect.
As dietary supplements, homeopathic products are also largely unregulated for safety and efficacy
by the FDA. However, their unproven claims could be curbed by the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) on the basis of being false advertising.
Some of the poorly regulated homeopathic formulations have resulted in serious
harms. The JAMA reported that over 6 years, the FDA received more than 400
reports of adverse events—even seizures and deaths— in infants and children associated
with homeopathic teething products. Following a warning from the FDA,
product manufacturers and some pharmacies voluntarily removed all brands of homeopathic
teething products from their online and retail stores. In January 2017,
the FDA announced that its laboratory analysis had found elevated belladonna levels
in some of the teething tablets that “far exceeded” the amount stated on the
label. Beyond being a waste of money, the use of some homeopathic products
could harm health and result in avoiding or delaying the diagnosis and treatment
of an illness with scientifically proven medical remedies and thus could result in
significant harm.
This blog presents opinions and ideas and is intended to provide helpful general information. I am not engaged in rendering advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures and suggestions in that are presented are not in any way a substitute for the advice and care of the reader’s own physician or other medical professional based on the reader’s own individual conditions, symptoms or concerns. If the reader needs personal medical, health, dietary, exercise or other assistance or advice the reader should consult a physician and/or other qualified health professionals. The author specifically disclaims all responsibility for any injury, damage or loss that the reader may incur as a direct or indirect consequence of following any directions or suggestions given in this blog or participating in any programs described in this blog or in the book, The Building Blocks of Health––How to Optimize Your Health with a Lifestyle Checklist (available in print or downloaded at Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble and elsewhere). Copyright 2021 by J. Joseph Speidel
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