# Homeopathy--quackery or legit medicine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 21, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899 "2011-07-21T19:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/61 "2011-07-22T17:13:43Z")
I am currently preventing hair loss, menstral cramps, and polio. . . just by reading the SDMB! ---
**Author:** ![Lothario\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lothario\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lothario_1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/62 "2011-07-22T17:43:33Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Okay, which medicines and what type of treatment regimen? Details, please. > Losing ten kilos will help a sore knee. You need to establish that you are losing your hair before you can show that a treatment is preventing that hair loss. And so on. > > Thank you. > [@Grumman](#): > > Are you sure it wasn’t switching to homeopathic food supplements that did it? > [@xtisme](#): > > Anecdotes does not equal evidence. Blah Blah Blah > [@DrFidelius](#): > > My wife lost 90 pounds over the past three years with just diet and exercise. I dropped 35 pounds over the past year, controlled a pre-diabetic situation, and have less knee pain through diet (I am terrible with an exercise routine). No conventional or homeopathic medicines needed for either of us. > [@Kolga](#): > > Please provide details, and an explanation of how plain water (which is what homeopathy is) accomplished all of that. > > Unless you mean herbal medicine, holistic medicine, or some other “alternative” medical care that actually isn’t homeopathy? With due respect, I don’t have to convince any skeptics here. You’re entitled to your own views. I don’t represent the homeopathy industry. I’m just a user of their products and the results speak better compared to me. As for the specific medicines, excuse me if there are any mis-spellings as I never bothered to know the precise name. Knee pain: Something called APIS MEL Weight loss: PHYTOLACCA BERRY tablets Hair loss: Dr. Batra’s Anti-DHT tablets (again you wont find it on Google) ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/63 "2011-07-22T17:53:01Z")
Homeopathy will work to cure dehydration. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/64 "2011-07-22T17:55:10Z")
> [@HookerChemical](#): > > Homeopathy will work to cure dehydration. Only if you dilute it until there isn’t any molecule of the original water left. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/65 "2011-07-22T17:55:54Z")
> [@Lothario\_1](#): > > I’m able to prevent hair loss and dandruff…homeopathic medicines And tiger attacks. Don’t forget how homeopathic medicine prevented any tiger attacks. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/66 "2011-07-22T18:06:22Z")
Colour me less than impressed if the best evidence presented is weight loss (which has been shown to be possible with no medicines, conventional or homeopathic), knee pain relief (which is often a result of weight loss, again no medications neded) and control of hair loss and dandruff. Although I still have question about what course of treatment was used for these un-Googleable medicines. ---
**Author:** ![Lothario\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lothario\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lothario_1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/67 "2011-07-22T18:37:58Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Colour me less than impressed if the best evidence presented is weight loss (which has been shown to be possible with no medicines, conventional or homeopathic), knee pain relief (which is often a result of weight loss, again no medications neded) and control of hair loss and dandruff. > Although I still have question about what course of treatment was used for these un-Googleable medicines. Are you a pharmacist or someone well-versed in medicines? Is this your full-time hobby? Why would I as an end user care about your so-called “evidence requirements”. I bought a great product, used it systematically and got great results. End of story. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/68 "2011-07-22T18:41:10Z")
[QUOTE=Lothario\_1] With due respect, I don’t have to convince any skeptics here. You’re entitled to your own views. I don’t represent the homeopathy industry. I’m just a user of their products and the results speak better compared to me. [/QUOTE] Well, that’s good since anecdotal evidence is singularly unconvincing. There is anecdotal evidence that you can get all over the internet for everything under the sun, and you can read about it throughout history. For my own part, whatever floats thy boat. If you want to believe this stuff works then that’s fine by me. None of the conditions you are using this stuff for is serious, and as long as you take any actual, real medical problem to a trained professional then there is really no harm done. It’s the same with a large percentage of the nostrum at any local pharmacy sold over the counter, and probably about as effective. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/69 "2011-07-22T18:42:46Z")
> [@Lothario\_1](#): > > Are you a pharmacist or someone well-versed in medicines? Is this your full-time hobby? > > Why would I as an end user care about your so-called “evidence requirements”. I bought a great product, used it systematically and got great results. End of story. Reminds me of the end of an old joke: “Aren’t you a little old to be believing in magic, sonny?”. Homeopathy is nothing more than sympathetic magic. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/70 "2011-07-22T18:46:11Z")
> [@Lothario\_1](#): > > With due respect, I don’t have to convince any skeptics here. You’re entitled to your own views. Here’s the thing. Actual medicine doesn’t work because of anyone’s views. If it did, there would be a lot of men walking around with giant penises. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/71 "2011-07-22T18:49:03Z")
> [@Lothario\_1](#): > > Are you a pharmacist or someone well-versed in medicines? Is this your full-time hobby? > > Why would I as an end user care about your so-called “evidence requirements”. I bought a great product, used it systematically and got great results. End of story. Nine years in pharmaceutical development for a major drug company, until downsized four years ago, but that is not relevant. You are the one giving a testimonial; we just like something more than “I used it and it was great” without any further details. So please, educate us instead of just testifying. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/72 "2011-07-22T18:51:29Z")
I Googled Dr. Batra’s clinic. What a steaming pile of crap. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/73 "2011-07-22T19:01:21Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Nine years in pharmaceutical development for a major drug company, until downsized four years ago, but that is not relevant. Ooooo, Big Pharma shill! You’ve just blown your credibility all to hell 😉 Yea, **Lothario\_1** , in general when people make claims on this board, they’re expected to back them up. The anti-homeopathy crowd (that is, anyone with a rational mind and the beginning of an understanding of physics) can, and has, provided links that back up the FACT that homeopathy is quackery. If you’re going to claim that it isn’t, you’ll need to provide cites to peer-reviewed journal articles that show evidence of homeopathy’s effectiveness. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/74 "2011-07-22T19:11:20Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Ooooo, Big Pharma shill! You’ve just blown your credibility all to hell 😉 Did you miss the part where they canned my ass? No love lost on my part, but I do miss the cafeteria. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/75 "2011-07-22T19:13:05Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Did you miss the part where they canned my ass? No love lost on my part, but I do miss the cafeteria. No, I saw that, but I was just playing the part of the anti-pharmacy crowd. Doesn’t matter that they fired you, unless you can parlay that into a “I’m a Big Pharma fighter, and they canned me for it!” testimonial - you should get to work on that. It’ll make you millions from the anti-pharm woo-woo crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/76 "2011-07-22T19:18:08Z")
> [@Lothario\_1](#): > > With due respect, I don’t have to convince any skeptics here. You’re entitled to your own views. I don’t represent the homeopathy industry. I’m just a user of their products and the results speak better compared to me. Then why are you posting this stuff here? If you don’t care about what anyone here thinks, or don’t want to convince us of your views, why bother saying anything? You obviously do want us to listen to you and believe you, else you wouldn’t be participating in this thread. What everyone else is communicating is that you need some better arguments if you wish to accomplish your goal. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/77 "2011-07-22T19:29:14Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > No, I saw that, but I was just playing the part of the anti-pharmacy crowd. Doesn’t matter that they fired you, unless you can parlay that into a “I’m a Big Pharma fighter, and they canned me for it!” testimonial - you should get to work on that. It’ll make you millions from the anti-pharm woo-woo crowd. Hrrrmm. Maybe I could play up the “all new research is driven by the marketing department; they are just looking to extend their patents and aren’t interested in new discoveries” angle. That always goes over well, and has the distict advantage of being mostly truthful. (We would have had an erectile dysfunction drug out before Viagra, but our short-sighted Teutonic overseers only saw that as an embarassing side effect on an ineffective heart medicine. Go figure.) ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/78 "2011-07-22T19:33:49Z")
> [@Lothario\_1](#): > > So I can’t agree with anyone who has ignorant views on such an excellent system of treatment. Interesting how someone who can’t back up his claims calls me ignorant even though I have facts and science on my side. If you want to believe in quackery, go for it, but by defending it with nothing at all to back up your claims, you are the one who looks foolish. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/79 "2011-07-22T19:33:49Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Hrrrmm. Maybe I could play up the “all new research is driven by the marketing department; they are just looking to extend their patents and aren’t interested in new discoveries” angle. That always goes over well, and has the distict advantage of being mostly truthful. That’s a good start, especially if you throw in that all modern diseases are actually just creations of the marketing department to sell drugs that nobody needs. > [@DrFidelius](#): > > (We would have had an erectile dysfunction drug out before Viagra, but our short-sighted Teutonic overseers only saw that as an embarassing side effect on an ineffective heart medicine. Go figure.) I’ll bet they’re embarrassed now. ---
**Author:** ![Lothario\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lothario\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lothario_1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899/80 "2011-07-22T19:47:58Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > Interesting how someone who can’t back up his claims calls me ignorant even though I have facts and science on my side. If you want to believe in quackery, go for it, but by defending it with nothing at all to back up your claims, you are the one who looks foolish. I’m not a doctor or someone from the medicine profession so I don’t have an obligation to show you research papers on homeopathy. You can probably google them on your own. There may be lots of them. I’m only an end user of these products and shared my experience on how they worked for my personal benefits. When is sharing one’s own experiences considered foolish? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathy-quackery-or-legit-medicine/589899.md?page=5)