TOI : Homeopathy Catches On : Oct 23,2007

HOMEOPATHY CATCHES ON
Homeopathy is winning many converts, and India now has the largest pool of doctors in the world. But watch out for quacks, and avoid self-medication
Atul Sethi | TNN



    The year was 1839. The Maharaja of Punjab, Ranjit Singh, was suffering from paralysis of the vocal cords along with oedema, a condition characterised by swelling. A homeopathic physician, Dr John Martin Hoenigberger, who was a direct disciple of Dr Samuel Hahnemann, considered the father of homeopathy, was called to treat him. The Maharaja, apparently, was so pleased with his treatment that he requested Hoenigberger to continue his practice in India. Since then, homeopathy has continued to flourish in India. So much so, that today, India has the largest pool of homeopathic doctors in the world.

    According to Dr S P Singh, advisor (homeopathy), ministry of health and family welfare, ‘‘There are over two lakh registered homeopaths in the country currently, with approximately 12,000 more being added every year. The size of the homeopathic drugs market is also expanding fast. Even though these medicines cost only a fraction of allopathic or even ayurvedic medicines, its market in India is already worth nearly Rs 400 crore.’’

    So, what is fuelling the growth of homeopathy? After all, it’s been around in India for over 150 years. Most of us would have childhood memories of swallowing those little sugar-coated pills, and even sneakily having them. A number of reasons have contributed to its increasingly popularity, says Singh.

    Primary, it is the regulation of standards of homeopathic education and registration of practitioners. Before Independence, homeopathy was practiced largely by individuals, which included missionaries, officers of civil and military services and even retired people.

    All this is changing now. In 1973, the government recognised homeopathy as one of the national systems of medicine and set up the Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH), to regulate its education and practice.

    Earlier, there was ambiguity as to who could practise homeopathy. Now, with educational regulations enforced by CCH, homeopathy can only be practiced after completion of a five-and-a-halfyear degree course, that includes one year of compulsory internship. This has led to better practitioners and more effective treatment, says Singh.

    Another reason for homeopathy’s popularity has been the growing disillusionment with conventional allopathic medicine, which has, for many years, been the first line of treatment for most patients. ‘‘Western medicine still does not have answers for many chronic diseases which can be treated effectively by homeopathy,’’ says Dr Isaac Mathai, who runs a chain of holistic homeopathic clinics in Bangalore. ‘‘Even in many conditions that have been termed acute, homeopathy has proved to be effective. Also, it’s a gentler form of medicine, without side-effects, leading many to turn towards it,’’ he adds.

    Also, with more educated people understanding homeopathy’s methodology, its credibility has increased. ‘‘Earlier, people used to be dismissive,’’ says Dr Anil Chandra Sarin, a practitioner whose family has been practising homeopathy for 70 years. ‘‘They used to think ‘yeh meethi goliyan kya theek karengi’? Now they know there is a principle behind it and that it’s a natural form of treatment which helps in stimulating the body’s own immune system to fight the disease.’’

    Many patients also feel that homeopathy is a more personalised treatment, with greater oneon-one interaction between the patient and the physician. Bineeta Modi, who swears by homeopathic medicines after she was cured of a severe case of eczema, says many patients already feel better after discussing their condition with a homeopath. ‘‘It’s a welcome change to have a doctor listen patiently to you and actually encourage you to speak about your minutest problem,’’ she adds. This is because homeopaths look at the overall symptoms exhibited by the body, as well as a person’s constitution, medical history, etc, to arrive at a diagnosis, says Delhi-based homeopath Dr Suchindra Sachdeva. ‘‘An individual is one whole entity and should be treated as such. Homeopathy follows this cardinal philosophy and is therefore effective not just in curing humans, but also animals and plants.’’

    Not surprisingly, many celebrities are ardent champions of homeopathy. Prince Charles as well as his mother, the Queen, never travel without their box of homeopathic medicines. Yesteryear actor Ashok Kumar was also a successful homeopath. Mahatma Gandhi termed it the safest, economical and most complete medical science, apt for India. And now, with more and more Indians re-discovering homeopathy, the magic of the little white globules is all set to spread.

Ashwin Ahmad | TNN

    Today’s obsession with natural healing has ensured that more and people are seeking out homeopathy for their ailments. But quacks, dubious medicines and selfmedication continue to give this thriving industry a bad name. Here are some much-asked questions about homeopathy.

WHEN SHOULD HOMEOPATHY BE USED?

Most people aren’t clear when to consult a homeopath. Delhi-based homeopath Dr Arvind Kishore, also a qualified allopathic doctor, says there are times when allopathic treatment is required and times when homeopathy is needed. ‘‘In situations of surgery or emergency, there’s no alternative to allopathy. After surgery, you can go to a homeopath. Medicines like Annica Montana speed up the healing process.’’

    In fact, doctors say, long-term ailments can be treated successfully with a combination of both allopathy and homeopathy. Dr Diwan Harish Chand, physician to the President of India till 1997 and one of India’s most reputed allopathicturned-homeopathic doctors, says, ‘‘Allopathy and homeopathy work especially well for epilepsy. A patient suffering from seizures must be given allopathic medicine for at least one to two years to stabilise him. After that, a homeopath can help him reduce the medication and eventually get rid of his seizures.’’

DO THE MEDICINES CONTAIN STEROIDS?

Kishore got the shock of his life when a patient came to him last July saying the drugs he had prescribed had tested positive for steroids. The lady had tested them in a local lab in Delhi. Such labs aren’t authorised to carry out tests on homeopathic medicines. In Delhi, only a government body, Sriram Institute of Industrial Research, is

authorised to test homeopathic medicines for steroids. They gave Kishore a clean slate.

    ‘‘I spent over a lakh getting all my medicines tested from here just to prove I was clean. Such fly-by night operators are doing great disservice to the homeopathic industry. I have written to the Central Council of Homeopathy and the Drug Controller of India, but so far, no action has been taken against this operator.’’

    But while Kishore was given a clean chit, there are many quacks who simply read books and practise. Says a senior government official in the health ministry, ‘‘There is almost negligible use of steroids in homeopathic medicines. But in the small towns, self-professed doctors often give gullible people wrong medicines, touting them as miracle cures. Hopefully, with increasing awareness, this practice will soon change.’’

IS HOMEOPATHY HARMFUL?

Can homeopathic medicines harm a patient if taken incorrectly? Dr Mukesh Batra, chairman and MD, Batra Positive Heath Clinics for Homeopathy, says yes, they can.

    ‘‘People think homeopathy has no side-effects. This is true to the extent that unlike allopathy, there are no drastic physical side-effects like heartattacks or kidney failures. But these medicines can affect the psyche. For instance, a drug called Pullsatilla, if wrongly administered, can make a sensitive person even more sensitive. It can bring about emotional changes.’’

    Self-medication is another danger. Doctors complain that patients having found a medicine which can cure their cold/cough, go back to it without first consulting them.

    Chand cites a recent case where a patient was prescribed Tuberculinum for bronchitis. ‘‘It worked well, so he continued using it without consultation. After one year, his symptoms got worse.’’ He adds, ‘‘That is why though patients complain, most doctors refuse to give out prescriptions.’’

HOW GOOD ARE THE NEW COLLEGES?

Increasing awareness about homeopathy has led to mushrooming of colleges and doctors in this field. Unfortunately, the rise in quantity has not been commensurate with quality. Batra says that despite the large number of homeopaths in India, many simply don’t know what they’re doing. ‘‘There are over 120 colleges for homeopathy in India. But we’re able to recruit from only 10 as the rest aren’t good enough.’’

    This problem is exacerbated by the fact that most qualified allopaths aren’t encouraged to join homeopathy. Says Chand, ‘‘Allopaths with MBBS or MD degree should be encouraged to take up homeopathy through short-term courses ranging from three months to a year. That’s how it is done in the West and the world over.’’ This way, better doctors will emerge, he says.

    Dr Arvind Taneja, head, paediatrics, Max Hospital, echoes Chand’s views that there should more interaction between the two streams of medicine.

    ‘‘I have witnessed amazing results through homeopathy. At a personal level, my wife’s repeated bouts of tonsillitis got cured through homeopathy. Professionally, I saw a child with renal failure and diarrhoea. We cured his renal failure, but his diarrhoea got cured only with homeopathy. I am convinced of homeopathy’s efficacy and encourage my patients to try it.’’

    But he acknowledges his views aren’t shared by everyone. There is still antagonism between allopaths and homeopaths. Whether that can be bridged remains to be seen.

Publication:Times Of India Mumbai; Date:Oct 23, 2007; Section:Times Nation; Page Number:15

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