{"id":1622,"date":"2019-03-18T21:43:52","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T04:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/communicatingscience2019w210\/?p=1622"},"modified":"2019-03-19T01:40:58","modified_gmt":"2019-03-19T08:40:58","slug":"homeopathic-magic-or-placebo-effect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/communicatingscience2019w210\/2019\/03\/18\/homeopathic-magic-or-placebo-effect\/","title":{"rendered":"Homeopathic Magic or Placebo Effect?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Curious Claims<\/h5>\n
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A mysterious concoction. Source: Flicker,<\/a> uploaded by Marcho Verch<\/p><\/div>\n

A recent investigation<\/a> by the CBC found that some B.C. homeopaths are advertising \u201can unapproved treatment called homeoprophylaxis\u201d as an alternative to vaccinations for smallpox, polio and other diseases. These homeopaths contend that through homeoprophylaxis, a treatment in which a solution is ingested that contains the \u201cenergetic memory\u201d<\/a> of some disease-causing germ, immunity for that disease can be developed.<\/p>\n

Regrettably, the claim has no scientific merit and as a whole, homeopathy is dismissed by the scientific community as quackery<\/a>. This is unsurprising, given that a basic tenant of homeopathy is that lowering the dose<\/a> of a substance increases its effectiveness for treating illness. This principle results in most homeopathic products being so dilute<\/a> that the only thing they can accurately be described as is water.<\/p>\n