Homeopathy: what is it and is it of value in the care of patients with cancer?
The underlying principles of homeopathy include treating 'like with like' by remedies which are potentized by serial dilution and succussion. These distinguish homeopathy from other forms of alternative or complementary therapy. Conventional scientific wisdom dictates that homeopathy should have no effect above and beyond placebo but experiments on ultra-high dilutions of solutes together with some clinical data suggest the intriguing possibility that it might do in some circumstances. However, most clinical evidence comes from treating relatively minor self-limiting diseases and little comes from treating life-threatening disorders such as cancer. This paper explains the principles of homeopathy and reviews the data on its use in cancer care.
Paterson
I C M
IC
Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK. ian@ipaterson.fsnet.co.uk
D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*