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About homeopathy

What is it?

Homeopathy is based on the principle of 'like cures like' - in other words, a substance taken in small amounts will cure the same symptoms it causes if it was taken in large amounts.

Homeopathic medicines are manufactured by repeatedly diluting and succussing (shaking) a preparation of the original substance, mainly plants and minerals, in water and alcohol. After dilution the medicine is added to lactose tablets or pillules.

Over-the-counter homeopathic medicines tend to be in either the 6c or 30c potency. 6c means that the substance has undergone 6 steps in a series of dilutions, where each step involves diluting 1 part medicine to 99 parts alcohol/water. The more stages of dilution and succussion the preparation has gone through, the more potent the medicine is - so a 30c medicine is more potent than a 6c medicine.

The ultra-high dilutions used in homeopathy mean that the medicines are perfectly safe to use for babies, children and pregnant and breastfeeding women under the supervision of a medically-qualified practitioner.

What about the evidence?

Science still has a lot to explain but whatever the mechanism, there is a growing body of clinical evidence to show that homeopathy has a positive effect. There are a total of 138 peer-reviewed randomised controlled trials in homeopathy: 60 had positive findings; 68 were non-conclusive; only 10 were negative. These trials represent research in 69 separate medical complaints.

Download a two page evidence summary or for a more in-depth look at the evidence base, visit the research section. 

To see a full list of those conditions where there is published positive evidence for homeopathy visit the website of the British Homeopathic Association, a charity that promotes patient access to homeopathy.

Homeopathy alongside conventional medicine 

Homeopathy doesn't interfere with conventional medicine and should be seen as a complementary treatment, not as an alternative. In fact, homeopathic and conventional treatments can work very well alongside each other. This approach also gives patients more treatment choices.