Homeopathic, defined

Homeopathic remedies are very low dose therapeutical preparations produced from different source materials/substances (e.g. extracts from plants or animal tissues, animal secretions, minerals or chemical substances). The source substances are processed and diluted with water under defined conditions. The diluted homeopathic remedy (also called preparation) is then applied to the animal orally either as a liquid or after application of the remedy onto... 

The Food, Drag, and Cosmetic Act (FD C Act) defines drug as (clause A) articles recognized in the official U.S. Pharmacopeia, official Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States, official National Formulary, or any supplement to any of them (clause B) articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals (clause C) articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals and (clause D) articles intended as a component of any articles specified in clauses A, B, or C. 

No single definition adequately captures the range of practices that fall under the CAM rubric. Those that define CAM as practices that are not part of mainstream medicine, or as practices used by patients to manage their own health care, or as therapies not widely taught in Western medical schools or available in most hospitals, fail to capture the complexity of this field. CAM includes health-care practices that range from the use of vitamins, herbal remedies, and massage therapies to the ancient traditions of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, along with chiropractic techniques, naturopathy homeopathic medicine, meditation, hypnosis, acupuncture, and a host of other less well-known approaches to health and health care. 

Homeopathic medicines are defined according to Law No. 94-43 of 18 Jcmu-ciry 1994. As with all other homeopathic products, substances or compositions, they are manufactured according to specific homeopathic methods described in the Pharmacopoeia of France, Europe or another Member State of the European Community. A homeopathic medicine may contain several active ingredients. 

It is a curious assumption, and illogical that a complementary therapy could have sufficient pharmacological activity to improve health (however imprecisely that may be defined), and yet these properties are automatically insufficient to cause harm. Part of the problem is that adverse reactions to natural therapies are not reported in the same way as for orthodox drugs (Barnes et al., 1998). Reporting bias also tends toward the association of adverse effects with the condition being treated rather than from the harmless over-the-counter or herbal remedy that has been administered. The only complementary therapies that are safe in overdose are those that are homeopathic, with even these carrying the clinical hazard of under-treatment. 

In some cases homeopathic use requires employment of the natural product in preference to the pure chemical product. The properties of these natural products must then be defined by special specifications. 

Pharmacy legislation defines the framework in which pharmacists can prepare medicines, however there are other legislative and quality frameworks that they must be aware of if other categories of products are requested, such as biocides, medical devices, or placebo s, or agents used for euthanasia Veterinary and homeopathic medicines are also dealt with, as are raw materials, especially hazardous materials and precursors. 

The use of these resources in nutrition is not included extensively. However, food additives that are the result of chemical modifications and/or sophisticated formulations are fully covered. Plant ingredients and their applications in medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic uses are limited to the most important due to the enormous number of special uses and the unclear borderline between scientifically proven effects and more homeopathic, not always clearly defined efficiencies. For similar reasons only the main fragrances, their sources and products isolated from them, are treated in this dictionary. 

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