Homeopathy as a prophylaxis for malaria

Malaria kills 1 to 1.5 million people every year, and 80% of cases occur in tropical Africa although the disease is endemic in other countries also.

Infection rate of visitors to Kenya is 2% and 1% elsewhere and although many survivors of malaria attacks develop some immunity, visitors to these regions do not have this protection. Attempts to combat mutating strains of the disease has called for more intense prophylactic drugs which also poses the problem of increased risks of side affects.

In Africa, where for many, pharmaceuticals are unavailable, teams of homeopathic practitioners are treating residents who have contracted malaria, as well as using homeopathy as a prophylactic. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that certain homeopathic drugs are effective in preventing and treating cases of malaria. In July 2003 an 18 month study in Kenya, using 33 subjects, found that the use of homeopathy as a prophylaxis dramatically reduced the risk of contracting malaria. At baseline 21/33 subjects had had malaria 1 to 3 times during the 18 months prior to the trial. At the end of the 18 month study only one person suspected he’d had malaria during that time. This was not confirmed by a blood test and he recovered very quickly.

Reference:
Partington, T. (2006) Silent and deadly: prophylaxis and treatment of malaria Homeopathy in Practice (spring)
http://www.a-r-h.org/Publications/Journal/sampleArts/Malaria%20Prophylaxis.pdf

Homeopathy: The Controversy

Homeopathy has always been the focus of controversy, largely because it is a system of medicine that works, but it is not yet understood how. One source of confusion is the question of dilutions, and how can substances that are diluted to the high degree that homeopathic remedies are, retain healing properties. According to Avogadro’s law, once a substance has been diluted a certain number of times, it no longer contains any of the original molecules. This gives rise to the very unscientific argument that homeopathy does not work because it cannot work.

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines science as:

“Any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails
unbiased observations and systematic experimentation. ”

Therefore the hypothesis that “Homeopathy does not work because it cannot work” is unscientific because it is not grounded in observation.

However, dilution is only one aspect of the preparation of homeopathic remedies. The other important aspect is succussion between dilutions, which involves agitating the mixture, according to a specific formula. It is thought that this releases the energy of the original substance into the preparation. Without this part of the preparation, the remedies would be ineffective.

There is an extensive amount of clinical and empirical evidence to support the efficacy of homeopathy, and thousands of cases have been documented giving anecdotal evidence that homeopathy is a successful source of healing. Millions of people worldwide use homeopathy as their first choice of medical care. It is widely used in Europe, South America, Pakistan and in India where 10% of the population (approximately 100 million people) rely on homeopathy for healthcare.

An article in an independent newspaper, The Tribune, which is the largest selling daily in North India, suggests that homeopathy cures untreatable diseases such as cancer, cardiac affections, renal failures, rheumatism and skin diseases. The claims are made by Dr Paramjeet Singh Ranu who runs a homeopathic hospital in India and who is the national president of the Indian Homeopathic Medical Association and has several other credentials to his name. You may wish to follow the link for an interesting read.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040323/ncr3.htm

The British Royal Family

The British Royal family are avid supporters of homeopathy and the Queen’s homeopath and rheumatologist, Dr Peter Fisher, is also the clinical director at the National Health Service’s Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. There are a total of 5 National Health Service funded homeopathic hospitals in the U.K.

Prince Charles, president of the Princes Foundation for Integrated Health, recently visited Nelson’s the U.K.’s largest maker of alternative medicines, in Wimbledon, southwest London. His tour of the manufacturing laboratories highlighted the prince’s backing for such treatments. He is reported to have told workers, “When I was very small, I remember my grandmother having her wonderful leather pouch with all these homeopathic glass phials in it.”

Other homeopathy new sources:

Complementary Medical Association: CMA News
http://www.the-cma.org.uk/default.aspx?id=4005

ABC Homeopathy
http://abchomeopathy.com

Google Alerts Homeopathic News Feed:

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