Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

[Tony Schofield]

There is no robust evidence to show that homeopathic products (I shrink from calling them medicines) are better than placebo in influencing disease symptoms. As pharmacists are supposed to be experts in medicines, are they demonstrably misleading the public when they offer for sale and/or recommend homeopathic products?

If this has already been debated please give me a link to the debate.

[openmind]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

I never recommend them, if questioned I offer the Joke about the Contraceptive pill made from dilutions of Sperm!
I too would prefer If the Pharmacy regulators came clean on this subject.

[Tony Schofield]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

Yes diluting whisky with water doesn't increase it's potency!

I also have qualms about matching the product to the person. Mumbo jumbo if you ask me.

[Lazy Nite]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

I’ve never recommended homeopathic remedies either, but there are many customers out there who do ‘believe’ they are of benefit and claim they are ‘natural’ ‘no harm’….etc

They claim that when the drug is diluted so many times – is becomes more active….something becomes encrypted in the solvent

Many do believe this theory and homeopathic medicines are very popular in the eastern countries.

There are a few homeopathic hospitals in UK, do they offer training for pharmacists?

Are there any courses to go on? It would be really useful if there was, apart from just reading the ‘Herbal medicines’ handbook by the Pharmaceutical press.

[Tony Schofield]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

Belladonna, arsenic and ricin along with clostridium botulinum are "natural" and that dosn't make them safe.

Yes they are harmless. However if a patient doses himself with homeopathic rubbish and sinister symptoms are allowed to develop before he seeks specialist treatment, a pharmacist selling/recommending such products has contributed to the harm

I am aware that homeopathy is popular on the continent and there is a homeopathic hospital in London(patron Prince Charles) but there is no evidence to support homeopathy. Hence training is available, but from commercial vested interests not from providers who search the literature and give unbiased evidence based advice.

[pharmagirl]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

I was once discussing homeopathy and herbal medicines with a patient and she told me there is no way homeopathic medicines could interact with medication or cause side effects due to its low concentration. I explained that evidence in this area was sketchy and if she was going to argue that they had a therapeutic benefit then there was a chance they could have an adverse effect. She was having none of it thou.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

i look at it this way - if we have them in stock and someone wants to take them, then that's their decision - but i make sure that they aren't trying to treat a serious medical condition using sugar pills alone and i tell them that they're little more than sugar pills.

As long as they are making an informed choice then in my opinion it is their right to make the decision to use homeopathic products.

Yes, they are quackery - but as we all know the placebo effect can be huge.

[Lazy Nite]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

Totally agree – just because they are diluted to such an extent that there’s nothing left, does not mean they are safe.

Evidence definitely is lacking in this area…surely there must be some sort of practice guidance notes the RPSGB could produce on their website or offer to provide training session via CPPE ?

Lacking evidence, therefore pharmacist lacking knowledge – best not to recommend… What about those patients who have been taking them for a few years and seek your advice?

What about improving patient’s perceptions on ‘Homeopathic remedies’…..can we not have a ‘Homeopathic Awareness Week’…..it would be their own decision to take it up, as long as they are made aware of the issues

[Tony Schofield]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

An ex president of the RPSGB has a pharmacy in Scotland that specialises in fringe and exotic stuff. On her website she refers to her having once been president as a means to validate the quackery she peddles.

Should she remain on the register?

I think you can guess my opinion!

[Jeff]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

Tony,
Was she a practising quack when she was elected?

If so the profession has in a sense validated her quackery, and she should remain on the current register.

The real question is - should a new body that represents the profession support her?

Jeff

[frodi]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

Is stocking homoeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

No

Is recommending homoeopathic remedies bringing the profession into disrepute

Yes.

If asked do I recommend them I say that stock them because I have been asked to but that I don't believe that they work and won't recommend them. (I don't have a large sale of them anyway.) I love the quote about diluted sperm being a homoeopathic contraceptive. Lots of people pray to an invisible god that I don't believe in and I won't knock them either.

[aston]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

I seem to remember that there was an article in Scientific American or new Scientist ( cannot remember which) about an experiment where water somehow retained a "memory" of what went before. It was touted that this might validate the homeopathic remedies scenario. Can anyone remember the article? I do not remember having heard anything since- maybe the experiment could not be replicated. (no memory here then!)
I would have thought that the homeopathic lobby would have taken this up.

But to answer the original question I do not mind stocking the products but i will not recommend them or give advice.

[Lazy Nite]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

I've seen some articles on the website below:

Research

Maybe the one your after is there too....

[the old merlin]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

While it's obviously a good thing to be open-minded, you are also likely to find something useful on Bad science | Science | guardian.co.uk

[aston]

Re: Is stocking homeopathic remedies, "bringing the profession into disrepute"?

I have found he article about water memory in June 2003 of new Scientist. Although there was comment in various places it doesnot seemto have been taken up vigorously by the homepathic world.