Graphic by Molly Cooke
There are no FDA approved homeopathic medicine products. Zero. Nada. Why? Because homeopathy is considered a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine.
Avoiding Pseudo-Medicines: The importance of getting vaccinated
There are no FDA approved homeopathic medicine products. Zero. Nada. Why? Because homeopathy is considered a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine.
Practitioners of homeopathic medicine believe substances that causes symptoms of a disease, in a healthy person, can cure similar symptoms in the sick.
These substances are diluted to such minimal levels that sometimes even a single molecule of the offending substance cannot be found in what remains. Think about having a life-threatening allergy to bees, and, instead of being given epinephrine, after being stung working in the yard, someone offers to give you an extremely diluted dose of bee venom instead? Interested?
The Food and Drug Administration is empowered, under the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, to regulate availability and sale of drugs.
According to the FDA, well-designed studies have failed to show any evidence of homeopathic medications being effective, but their sales have continued, to the detriment of consumer pocketbooks, and with no benefit to health, beyond probable placebo effects.
As a public health physician, I believe it would be both scientifically unsound, and unethical, to recommend homeopathic “medicine” to a patient, or for population health programs.
Science has shown vaccines have been responsible for saving countless millions of lives. Thanks to vaccinations, younger, more recently trained health care practitioners may rarely see cases of chicken pox, and never cases of smallpox.
Within the military, including the Veteran’s Administration, the pharmaceutical and medical leadership assure rigorous evaluations of medications to assure that the formularies are stocked only with those that are FDA-approved.
I encourage community members to take proper precautions and remain vigilant through the proper application of FDA approved vaccines. Remember the Flu season is around the corner. Stay healthy and get vaccinated.
Please follow the Installation efforts promoted on facebook.com/winncares, to mitigate the treat of the FLU with upcoming events such as the Installation Drive Up Flu Drive, scheduled for Oct. 27 and 28 on Fort Stewart at the Winn ACH Overflow Parking Lot, next to Bennett Sports Complex on East 6th Street; and the Hunter Army Airfield “Say Boo to the Flu” event at Tuttle Army Health Clinic, 4-6 p.m. Oct. 27.