Michele Boiron, director, Boiron, a leading French homeopathy medicine manufacturers, feels that homeopathy can treat both common and chronic ailments. She talks to Gunjan Sharma about the strengths of homeopathy and the challenges in establishing homeopathy as an independent medicine system.
 
Can homeopathy be used to treat infectious diseases?

In France, we don't. We use antibiotics to treat infections.

But if you or your child has a sore throat, you should not take the antibiotic at once. A sore throat could be because of several reasons other than bacterial infections and homeopathy is effective in most cases. Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, which is a big concern across the world.

What are the strengths of homeopathy?

Homeopathy is safe for everyone: a child, a pregnant woman, a lactating mother, and an elderly person.

It is very effective in conditions such as allergies, inflammation, anxiety, sleep disorders. In infants, homeopathy effectively treats common conditions such as colitis, abdominal spasms. Homeopathy can help people recover sooner after a surgery. In some cases, antibiotics can be avoided after a surgery if the patient is taking homeopathy medicine.

All allopathic medicines undergo rigorous clinical trials before they are made available for patients. But homeopathic medicines don't undergo such a process. Why?

Homeopathic medicines are tried for their efficacy, but since the concept of homeopathy is so different from that of Allopathy, these need not undergo rigorous clinical trials.
Homeopathy medicines don't kill a bacteria. These are not toxic in nature and work by improving the health and immunity of a person.

There is a perception that homeopathy is a slow medicine.

It is not true. A lot of sportspersons use homeopathy to boost their immunity and endurance. It also helps them in early recovery from the wear and tear they suffer during the game.
Homeopathy can quickly relieve hiccups.

Another major concern is the use of steroids in homeopathy medicine?

We don't use steroids in the medicine. We use natural extracts from plants and animals apart from minerals.  Some dilutions used in the medicines are prepared in a laboratory.

Are you happy with the status homeopathy currently has in medicine system worldwide?

I believe that 50 percent of the health issues can be taken care of by homeopathy and one can avoid the side-effects of allopathy. Certainly, homeopathy cannot replace allopathy. It is about choosing the right medicine. For example, in seasonal fever, cough and cold,  homeopathy is quite effective. But if the fever is severe and there is a bacterial infection, one needs to switch to allopathy.

Many allopathy practitioners are opening up to the idea of using homeopathy in cases where allopathy fails. But yes, it is a long way to go for homeopathy.