# Homeopathic "medicines" now in drugstore **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860 "2013-10-21T20:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/1 "2013-10-21T20:17:09Z")
I’ve just noticed that my local drugstore has begun stocking some homeopathic “medicines” . . . not in a separate section, but along with the actual medicines. Has anyone else encountered this? Or is this old news, and I’m just late in noticing it? Or am I the only person concerned about this? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/2 "2013-10-21T20:31:48Z")
Ours keeps them with the bottled water. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/3 "2013-10-21T20:40:09Z")
I’ve seen them for years, you have to be careful to read all labels nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/4 "2013-10-21T20:51:11Z")
I never noticed them until I had a baby. There are tons of varieties of bottled water masquerading as all sorts of infant-related treatments. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/5 "2013-10-21T20:55:28Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Ours keeps them with the bottled water. 😉 Memory water? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/6 "2013-10-21T21:00:32Z")
Our local drugstore has the homeopathic BS stuff in a separate section. Though I used to work at a local toy/children’s store, and I think they had all the medicines (and homeopathic “medicines”) together. I figure that generally, if a medication claims on the box to cure all sorts of different things really well (too good to be true), it’s usually homeopathic (I verify the package to make sure.) ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/7 "2013-10-21T21:01:45Z")
Obligatory “Mitchell & Webb” skit - homeopathic hospital [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cVV3QQ3wjC8/hqdefault.jpg "If Homeopathy Beats Science") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVV3QQ3wjC8) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/8 "2013-10-21T21:12:29Z")
Oh, that’s been going on for decades. I first noticed it when vaginal yeast infection creams began to be sold over the counter, instead of prescription only. What really pissed me off was when the ONLY yeast remedies offered at a particular chain were homeopathic! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/9 "2013-10-21T21:17:07Z")
Both CVS and Walgreens stock homeopathic bilge. Last time I caught a cold, I had a notion (based on some of **Qadgop** ’s posts) to try some zinc. The cold/allergy section was full of “zinc” products…but I had to go to the supplement section to find anything that actually _contained_ any zinc. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/10 "2013-10-21T22:20:20Z")
Not just homeopathic, but “herbals” and “supplements” with huge claims, too. If you removed everything from my local drugstore that didn’t have a balance of evidence behind it, the shelves would be 2/3 empty at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/11 "2013-10-21T22:28:30Z")
You guys are behind the times. I have unlimited free homeopathic medicine available for use in my house 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/12 "2013-10-21T22:37:50Z")
Our pharmacist actually recommended some homeopathic granule crap when I was looking for something to help with my kid’s teething. And when I said I don’t believe in homeopathy, he suggested I should try it anyway because it can’t do any harm, which duh no shit Sherlock I know it can’t because there’s nothing IN it. I told him I already had sugar in the house. I don’t have that much problem with pharmacies stocking stuff that hasn’t been conclusively proven to work, like much of the herbal stuff. I do have a problem with them recommending stuff that \*has \*been proven \*not \*to work. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/13 "2013-10-22T00:39:14Z")
They’ve been selling that Airborne junk for over a decade now. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/14 "2013-10-22T01:02:18Z")
I’m sorely tempted to buy a bottle of homeopathic sleeping pills and chug the whole thing on the way out the door. But (a) I’m not actually keen on being that big a jerk to the CVS staff, and (b) until I managed to convince someone that I _knew_ the pills were harmless, I might be vulnerable to a psych hold for attempting suicide. Wouldn’t last long (psych nurses and doctors aren’t dumb), but it wouldn’t be fun, either. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/15 "2013-10-22T03:13:51Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > I don’t have that much problem with pharmacies stocking stuff that hasn’t been conclusively proven to work, like much of the herbal stuff. I do have a problem with them recommending stuff that \*has \*been proven \*not \*to work. Most of the herbal stuff _has_ been proven not to work. But for the rest, I’d argue that pharmacologically active “drugs” that are being sold in unregulated and uncontrolled dosages and with no studies of side effects or counterindicationss (how many heart patients has St. John’s Wart killed?) are much more dangerous to the public than water. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/16 "2013-10-22T03:40:44Z")
I prefer to deal with small, independent stores (I used to be able to afford the luxury). Mid-90’s I went to Golden Gate Pharmacy (guess where that was?) for a 'script. Sitting on the pharmacy counter was a display of small bottles. Yep. The pharmacist/owner actually told me they work, and suggested I think of trying one or two. I found another pharmacy down the street. The storefront that was GG is now a gift shop. Guess the old boy couldn’t find a buyer for the business (or maybe died before retiring). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/17 "2013-10-22T03:55:53Z")
Homeopathic “medicines” are highly profitable. Our local drug store stocks them, and mixes them with other, true medicines. I once asked the store owner (and former mayor) why he sold stuff that doesn’t work, and he said, “It makes me filthy rich.” How can you argue with that? Are you actually suggesting that pharmacies have ethics, and they trump profits? Hah! ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/18 "2013-10-22T04:10:31Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Homeopathic “medicines” are highly profitable. A markup of infinity percent will do that. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/19 "2013-10-22T08:59:48Z")
Do not simply discard homeopathy, it sometimes works (and its not just placebo effect). ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/20 "2013-10-22T09:31:02Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Do not simply discard homeopathy, it sometimes works (and its not just placebo effect). evidence please [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860.md?page=2)