There are many people who erroneously believe that homeopathy relies on placebo effect. They have never investigated it beyond discovering that it usually (but not necessarily) involves very extreme dilutions of the medicinal substance. A placebo is a treatment having no pharmacological effect but given merely to satisfy a patient who supposes it to be a medicine. To-date placebo studies have only shown mostly temporary results. Homeopathy has been around for over 220 years with well documented long-term cures of chronic & serious acute diseases. Anyone who believes unknowledgeable sources (e.g. Wikipedia, “Amazing” Randi, Quackwatch, etc.) that homeopathic remedies are placebo should consider the following:
| Homeopathic Remedy | Placebo |
| 1. They work on babies, animals, plants and people in a coma. Biodynamic farmers use homeopathic remedies to repel pests and treat plant diseases. Some organic ranchers rely on homeopathic remedies to treat their herds. | Some “placebo by proxy” effect has been shown for children but its doubtful that it could be shown for a herd of cattle or crops in a field. Farmers can’t rely on wishful thinking. |
| 2. The correct curative remedy will initially cause a worsening of the condition being cured if it is given in too strong a dose. | A placebo might only cause a temporary improvement of the condition being treated. |
| 3. One can do a “proving” of an unknown homeopathic remedy by taking it repeatedly over several days and it will temporarily cause symptoms that one has never experienced previously – symptoms it will cure in a sick person. This is a repeatable scientific experiment used to determine the scope of a new remedy. | A placebo will have no effect unless the individual taking it has been “prepared” by being told what they are taking. |
| 4. One can treat simple acute (self-limiting) conditions (e.g. minor burns, minor injuries, insect bites, etc.) and see unusually rapid cures. | A placebo might only cause a temporary improvement of the condition being treated. |
| 5. One can get treated for long term chronic (non self-limiting) conditions and see a deep lasting cure. | A placebo might only cause a temporary partial improvement of the condition being treated. |
| 6. There is over 200 years worth of extensive documentation from around the world, of the clinical successes of homeopathy for both acute and chronic conditions of all types. | Very little documentation. A few recent studies have been done showing the limited temporary benefits of placebos. |
| 7. Homeopathic remedies have been shown to have a very small electromagnetic signature and may contain some nano-particles. Some believe this explains their mechanism; I do not. The effects of remedies are too profound. | None |