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Jun 4, 2011

Homeopathy: Challenges, Our mistakes and Preparations for 21st Century


                Homeopathy is now well-known among peoples, print media and on internet. There are lot much websites sharing information, articles, prescribing medicines, suggesting homeopathy in various disorders, online clinics and much more. There are website against and in favor of homeopathy, there are websites challenging homeopathy and with unproven facts. Homeopathy is favored and opposed simultaneously. There are Modern physicians who don’t believe in efficacy of Homeopathy, there are Modern physicians who prescribe Homeopathic medicines. There are question marks, how homeopathy works? There are questions, how these medicines can work? There are questions, why fake system is added by money of Tax payers (as in UK). There are countries where governments pouring money (If not enough) in Homeopathy (as India). So this picture, with favors and opposes, is very confusing and sometimes disgusting. As a Homeopath, I wish to favor homeopathy but our challenges and historical mistakes seems unapproachable with our poor preparations. Earlier decades of 20th Century, in western world specially, were proved as worst time for homeopathy and homeopaths. What will happen in earlier decades of 21st century is still to come out!!

Challenges

  1. We have still to prove Homeopathy as science.
  2. In world of medicine all the studies, discussions and scientific papers are presented as basis of pathological point of view, but due to homeopathic concept of individualization, most of homeopaths work on individual basis, but there is big challenge to present individual cases on pathological point of view. But for sake of Health policies and issues and to prove efficient role of homeopathy in making those policies we have to present all our work on mainstream methods.
  3. In beginning of Homeopathy our masters, proposed some concepts as Vital Principle and Theory of Miasm, which does not match with concepts of science. So we need to discuss these concepts and their relative practical use in day to day practice. We need to discard any of those concepts which are not scientific and are not of any practical use.
  4. In practice and prescribing Homeopathy the first and biggest problem is that in a particular case of disease we have not a standardize method of case taking, we have not a fix guideline to prescribe medicines and we can not explain prognosis according to homeopathy.
  5. The Dose is the next issue; Selection of potency, repetition of dose and upgrading, on every step we have different experiences, different opinions and different methods. There is lot of theories and each of them has pros and con.

Ongoing Mistakes and Preparations 

  1. Our institutions has lack of infrastructures, faculty is not up to date to handle these challenges and worst is that there is no one worried, serious and discussing these challenges. 
  2. There is lack of methodical research and research patterns.
  3. There is no structure to collect data of patients approaching for homeopathic treatment. So we can not infer any conclusions for trend in Homeopathy.
  4. We have not any strong, single platform which can decide any policies about homeopathy and can standardize various steps (Case taking, Prescribing, Selection of Medicine, Potency and Prognosis) in Practice of Homeopathy.
  5. We have lot many Associations, Councils, Doctor Groups, Boards and Unions but there is no uniformity in action and lack of influence.
  6.  As in India, perhaps we are giving 6% to 10 % prescriptions out of all the prescriptions given per day all over the country but we lack in evidence and facts.
  7. Our pharmacies are also lack of lobbying and influence on policy makers.

                     Homeopaths are prescribing and treating almost all the disorders with less or more effectiveness but on one hand due to lack of collective efforts we can not claim for our true role in society and on other hand due to this lack of data, general peoples are far from easy, safe and cheap alternative medical  hand. 

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