Homeopathic drugs: Look-alike medicines

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Two over-the-counter products, Seasonal Allergy Relief and Intense Sinus Relief, both made by Zicam, promise to relieve hay-fever symptoms. Intense Sinus Relief contains oxymetazoline, a nasal decongestant the Food and Drug Administration has found to be safe and effective. The other Zicam product is homeopathic; it hasn't been reviewed by the FDA and its active ingredients, including sulphur, have been diluted almost to vanishing.

But despite this major difference between the two products, our 11 mystery shoppers, who visited 52 drugstores throughout the U.S., frequently found them alongside each other on drugstore shelves. So consumers might mistakenly buy a homeopathic remedy when they're really looking for conventional medicine. That wastes money and might lead to inadequate treatment.

Homeopathy is a centuries-old form of medicine in which a substance that could cause symptoms is diluted until it becomes virtually undetectable. For example, the "active" ingredients in the homeopathic flu remedy Oscillococcinum are wild duck heart and liver, apparently because those organs are said to contain tiny amounts of the flu virus. The ingredients are so diluted, there probably isn't one molecule of them per package. Yet homeopathy's supporters say that infinitesimal amount can improve health.

Unproven results

There's little evidence to back up this notion, according to a 2005 meta-analysis in the Lancet of 110 placebo-controlled homeopathy trials matched with 110 trials of conventional drugs. A subset of large, high-quality studies showed that any benefit from homeopathic remedies was "compatible with" the effect of a placebo. An accompanying editorial said the findings were less surprising than the fact that debate over homeopathy continues, "despite 150 years of unfavorable findings."

The FDA is officially required to regulate homeopathic drugs, but a spokeswoman said the agency doesn't review those products and so does not approve them as safe and effective. That's partly because the items are so diluted that they're thought to pose little direct risk, she said.


Confusion in the aisles

In addition to Zicam's hay-fever products, we found homeopathic yeast pills sold next to a similarly packaged, FDA-approved drug for urinary pain. Nature's Cure sells its homeopathic and conventional yeast-infection remedies as a "combination pack." Drugstore representatives we contacted said they display the remedies together because consumers shop for products based on symptoms. But Michael Cohen, president of the nonprofit Institute for Safe Medication Practices, says, "It's misleading and potentially harmful to merchandise homeopathic remedies alongside conventional drugs." Relying on a homeopathic yeast-infection remedy instead of an FDA-approved drug could allow the infection to get worse.
  • added September 06, 2008
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12 responses // Homeopathic drugs: Look-alike medicines

  •  

    That offends me.. Homeopathic is little more than snake-oil..

    recommended by huntre
    GraveLehr
    1 response to this
  •  

    wasn't there a recall on some of this stuff. I say stuff because after reading this I hesitate to call it medacine.

    bluestranger
  •  

    With everything i take for what ails me, i read over the box and check out what's inside. I can read the words homeopathic just like everyone else.

    I use both "conventional" and homeopathic remedies, and sometimes one side works better than the other.

    Head-On may have the most annoying commercials, but the stuff really does work well.

    Kynmore
  •  

    Wild duck heart and liver?
    Even diluted to damn near nothingness, it still sounds like "Boil. Bubble. Toil and trouble."

    huntre
  •  

    i have a hard time trusting any kind of medicine .

    Bren589
  •  

    For me, homeopathic remedies have worked in the past. But as conventional medicine, not everything is as effective. Everyone's body is different.

    Valentin0o
  •  

    This is pure propaganda hype. Homeopathy is real and does work and I would trust real quality homeopathic medicine over the toxic allopathic counterparts which treat symptoms, not causess of disease. Who wrote this story, the hype jocks of BIG PHarma no doubt. Don't buy it, Acupuncture, Herbs, Homeopathy are respected effective real systems of medicine that predate our allopathy. I would not be surprised at ANY SMEAR CAMPAIGN SECRETLY LAUNCHED TO ATTACK THE FORMS OF MEDICINE THAT DO NOT PROFIT BIG PHARMA AT OUR EXPENSE.

    ninja_tiger
    1 response to this
  •  

    ninja tiger.

    Let me be clear.

    I use Acupuncture, Herbs, supplements, diet exercise massage Omega 3 and know that they really work by my own experience and I can back it up if I want by looking online for PLACEBO CONTROLLED DOUBLE BLIND STUDIES.

    I have yet to see one link that I can verify that proves that HOMEOPATHY works...it is very confusing to me and other people.
    I tried using Homeopathic remedies over a decade and noticed they do not work for me.

    I don't mind if people who can afford to do so use it.
    I do resent the fact that they are so boldly marketed right next to other SCIENTIFICALLY PROVABLE provable methods. I cringe when I see young hurried mothers, sickly elderly with limited income, reach past effective herbs and supplements to carefully study the labels of these Homeopathic products. Placebo effect is very effect as we all know...it certainly has its place but I resent wasting my money there over the years. I have sent letters to Whole Foods Markets Marketing Department and think they should be ashamed of themselves to sell under their "Safe and Effective" promises. .

    It is one step better than the marketing of drugs...much safer in many ways with no side effects. It is unethical because people are naively using these remedies instead of comparable herbs and supplements...
    at least they are not suffering the agony of Pharmaceutical side effects.

    This is a touchy subject and I hope I am not hurting anyone by putting this out there..probably am in some ways but I know in my heart that it is helping more people to be informed...Our government is not protecting us. It is protecting the drug companies.

    CarolynGillis
  •  

    People's bodies are all different. You should buy what works for you.

    Homeopathy has been in existence longer than allopathic medicine. For me and my four children it has given us wonderful results. On the other hand drugs and chemicals have not helped me at all when I have tried them. This may be because I eat very healthy, organic food, no meat, little dairy and quality oils.

    If your system is clogged with pesticides, drugs, trans fats etc. I don't think homeopathy will work for you. It is subtle.

    The World Trade Organization is pushing Codex Alimentarius throughout the world. Germany has already accepted it and I think its in England now. When it comes to America and is passed by Congress we will no longer have a right to determine how to medicate ourselves and our children. Its my understanding herbs will be made illegal and probably also homeopathy. This ad looks like the advance propaganda so that our sheepish country will accept the codex as well as our other rights that have been taken away.

    AthenaWolf
  •  

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWE1tH93G9U

    Homeopathy is astonishingly daft.

    drownthem

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