Regulation of Homeopathic Treatments

Homeopathic remedies are prepared according to the guidelines of the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States (HPUS), which was written into law in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Homeopathic remedies are regulated in the same manner as nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. However, because homeopathic products contain little or no active ingredients, they do not have to undergo the same safety and efficacy testing as prescription and new OTC drugs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does require that homeopathic remedies meet certain legal standards for strength, purity, and packaging. The labels on the remedies must include at least one major indication (i.e., medical problem to be treated), a list of ingredients, the dilution, and safety instructions. In addition, if a homeopathic remedy claims to treat a serious disease such as cancer, it needs to be sold by prescription. Only products for self-limiting conditions (minor health problems like a cold or headache that go away on their own) can be sold without a prescription.

Source: Homeopathy: An Introduction (Download Full Report)
Published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Created July 2009, Updated August 2010

Side Effects and Risks

Although the side effects and risks of homeopathic treatments are not well researched outside of observational studies, some general points can be made about the safety of these treatments:

• A systematic review found that homeopathic remedies in high dilution, taken under the supervision of trained professionals, are generally considered safe and unlikely to cause severe adverse reactions.
• Liquid homeopathic remedies may contain alcohol. The FDA allows higher levels of alcohol in these remedies than it allows in conventional drugs. However, no adverse effects from alcohol levels have been reported to the FDA.
• Homeopaths expect some of their patients to experience homeopathic aggravation (a temporary worsening of existing symptoms after taking a homeopathic prescription).
• Researchers have not found much evidence of this reaction in clinical studies; however, research on homeopathic aggravations is scarce.
• Homeopathic remedies are not known to interfere with conventional drugs; however, if you are considering using homeopathic remedies, you should discuss this with your health care provider first.

Source: Homeopathy: An Introduction (Download Full Report)
Published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Created July 2009, Updated August 2010

If You Are Thinking About Using Homeopathy

• Do not use homeopathy as a replacement for proven conventional care or to postpone seeing a doctor about a medical problem.
• Look for published research studies on homeopathy for the health condition you are interested in.
• If you are considering using homeopathy and decide to seek treatment from a homeopath, ask about the training and experience of the practitioner you are considering.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing, or people who are thinking of using homeopathy to treat a child, should consult their health care provider.
• Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of all you do to manage your health. This will ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about CAM, see NCCAM's Time to Talk campaign at nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/.
• Homeopathic remedies are not known to interfere with conventional drugs; however, if you are considering using homeopathic remedies, you should discuss this with your health care provider first.

Source: Homeopathy: An Introduction (Download Full Report)
Published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Created July 2009, Updated August 2010

Evaluating Internet Health Information on the Internet:

Questions and Answers

We often receive questions regarding health information presented on our web pages. We recognize there are huge amounts of health and nutrition information available on the internet. Below we've provided some quick answers to questions on where we get our information and how we use it on the site.

Our guidelines on presenting information are taken from the FDA's website in compliance with our regulatory standards.* Our company feels it's important to carefully read this information and discuss your questions on this subject with your health care provider.

* http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/BuyingMedicinesOvertheInternet/ucm202863.htm and http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/How_To_Evaluate_Health_Information_on_the_Internet_Questions_and_Answers.aspx

1. Who runs the Web site?
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