Paper Example on Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a medical approach that emphasizes on the use of highly diluted substances which physicians claim that they allow the body to heal by itself. This method has been surrounded by many issues with practitioners as well as individuals having varying perceptions about this treatment method. Supporters of the practice have insisted that the government, as well as organizations, should campaign in favor of homeopathy because it is a natural way of treatment. On the other hand, the opponents argue that there lacks evidence to show the efficacy of homeopathy during treatment. Despite the claims given by the supporters, the government and national health organizations should not be encouraged to use homeopathy.

One of the claims provided by supporters of homeopathy is that it is a natural form of healing that disregards the use of antibiotics and other conventional drugs. Therefore, the body is at minimal risk of developing drug-related reactions because the remedies prepared are diluted to harmless levels (Dooley, 1995). Furthermore, the diluted solutions do not pose any side-effects that are common with the conventional medications. Therefore, homeopathy ensures that an individual heals naturally with minimal complications being expected. However, despite this claim by the supporters it is important to note that the approach takes time and may also not be effective. The above means that the patient may lose their life while because of the delayed treatment. More so, patients with chronic diseases will often pass away if they are subjected to homeopathy. Furthermore, preparing these solutions also take time which means the patient will have to wait for the preparation of the substances, which may also be risky especially for persons who need urgent medical attention (Sarker, Akther-uz-Zahan, & Ali, 2006). It is also hard on the part of the physician to ensure that each patient receives specific remedies suited for their health needs. In homeopathy, it is important for the practitioner to carefully assess the specific requirements of the patient so that they can prepare a suitable solution for them. This process is also time-consuming and may have negative impacts on the health status of the patient. Therefore, seeing that the practice may cause the loss of lives, it becomes essential to reject the promotion of homeopathy by the government and healthcare organizations.

Another claim given by supporters of homeopathy is that it is safe and easy to administer. For instance, children often have a problem taking tablets and other medicinal compounds. However, they can easily drink solutions such as those prepared for homeopathic purposes. Furthermore, adults who also have the same problems find homeopathy to be among the best alternatives. The preparation of these solutions is also done conscientiously to ensure that the proportions do not end up harming the patients (Ludtke & Rutten, 2008). Therefore, this ensures that the patients' welfare, regarding health, is assured. Nonetheless, preparation of the homeopathic solutions is faced with significant challenges that may result in the harm of the users. The World Health Organization (2009) suggested that the potential risks of homeopathy are presented in two folds that are, sourcing the correct materials, and during the actual procedures of preparing the solutions. The homeopathic medications are made from synthetic or natural sources that include specific plant materials, microorganisms, and animal materials. Sourcing some of these items may be tough and also establishing the right amounts for an individual may also present a challenge to the practitioners. Besides, the plant and animal materials may contain toxic levels of pathogenic agents that may be harmful to the patients upon consumption. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (2009) also reports that some of these substances may be restricted for use in the conventional medications. The preparation of these homeopathic solutions is guided by good manufacturing policies which in some cases are ignored by the manufacturers which pose a significant risk to the patients.

Homeopathy supporters also claim that the practice is inexpensive and can be afforded unlike the conventional medicines that are, in many instances, are costly. The homeopathic solutions cost the consumers a small amount of money to purchase because the substances used can be sourced easily. Therefore, the homeopathic solutions can be afforded by the disadvantaged in the society who may not manage to pay for the conventional medications (Jain, 2003). A significant proportion of the population has mostly benefited from the homeopathic medicine. The latter has ensured that innocent lives are not lost because they cannot afford medication. However, despite the cost being significantly lower than that of conventional medicines, its efficiency cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, the fact that this type of medication is inexpensive has resulted in many people opting to use it but end up suffering health-wise in the wake of the inefficacy of the practice. The diluted solutions have little impacts on chronic ailments, and therefore, the health conditions of the individual deteriorate despite the low-cost charged by the practitioners for the medication (Buzescu, 2011). Many people have continued to use homeopathy because of the perceived low-costs, but in the end, they fail to achieve the expected results. Eventually, the patients end up reverting to taking the conventional medication which, despite being expensive, have a higher potential to treat the diseases (Bornhoft, Wolf, Righetti, Maxion-Bergemann, Baumagartner, & Mathiessen, 2006). Therefore, the government and the national health organizations should be discouraged from promoting homeopathy because the low costs do not guarantee the wellness of the patients.

In conclusion, as can be seen from the discussion, homeopathy brings various negative issues and therefore, it should not be promoted by the government or the health organizations. Despite the practice being viewed as a natural way of healing, it takes a lot of time to be efficient, and therefore, the patients may lose their lives. Additionally, it has also been suggested that homeopathy is a safe and easy method that can be suitable for children and other individuals who have difficulties in taking tablets and compound medications. However, the preparation of the homeopathic solutions can be faced with various challenges that range from sourcing the substances to manufacturing problems. Furthermore, its supporters have also indicated that homeopathy is cheap and affordable to the financially disadvantaged persons. Nonetheless, despite the cost being significantly lower than that of conventional medicines, its efficiency cannot be guaranteed. The diluted solutions have little impacts on chronic ailments, and therefore, the health conditions of the individual deteriorate despite the low-cost charged by the practitioners for the medication. Therefore, this reports concludes that the government and the national health organizations must not be in support of the application of homeopathy.

References

Bornhoft, G., Wolf, U., von Ammon, K., Righetti, M., Maxion-Bergemann, S., Baumgartner,S., & Matthiessen, P. F. (2006). Effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness ofhomeopathy in general practicesummarized health technology assessment.Complementary Medicine Research, 13(2), 19-29.

Buzescu, M. (2011). Advantages and disadvantages of complementary medicine in otitismedia in children. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov, Seriels VI:Medical Sciences, 4(2).

Dooley, T. (1995). Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine. Timing Publications.

Jain, A. (2003). Does homeopathy reduce the cost of conventional drug prescribing?: A studyof comparative prescribing costs in General Practice. Homeopathy, 92(2), 71-76.

Ludtke, R., & Rutten, A. L. B. (2008). The conclusions on the effectiveness of homeopathyhighly depend on the set of analyzed trials. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 61(12),1197-1204.

Sarker, G, Akther-uz-Zahan, & Ali, A. (2006). Treatment guidelines for homeopathicmedicine.

World Health Organization. (2009). Safety issues in the preparation of homeopathicmedicines.