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The Future of Homeopathy By the journalist Sonia Tarantola

Adapted from the book: Christian Boiron, The Future of Homeopathy (Albin Michel)

Choose one side of the other? Homeopathy or traditional medicine? According to Christian Boiron, the borders between these two worlds have opened up and complementarity has won out over the opposition.

Homeopathy is not just "another medicine": there is no one single medicine. These are the words of Christian Boiron, president and chief executive officer of the world's most important homeopathic laboratories. But, even more, Christian Boiron is a person who encourages the integration of homeopathy into the heart of medicine, in all of its dimensions, whether they be scientific, hospital-based, or academic. In his book "The Future of Homeopathy" Mr. Boiron describes his background, a melding of thoughts, hopes and doubts as to the current and future importance of homeopathy, which is viewed more and more as being a medicine capable of calling itself into question, capable of continual progression. The starting point is Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy who in 1796 drew up the historical foundations of homeopathy and sketched out its efficacious therapeutic principles. These principles, observed thousands of times, have become the pivot points: the law of similars and infinitesimal dilutions. Since that date, there has always been the same hurdle to overcome: finding a rational explanation for the efficacy of these homeopathic medicines. In the meantime, homeopathy has progressed through experimentation, observation and deduction. In clear and simple manner, this book covers several fundamental points allowing food for thought and explaining why homeopathy encounters so much reticence, even beginning with terminology.

Why is homeopathy described as being a parallel or non-conventional type of medicine?
"Medicine is a profession, a corporation, which ensures an expertise and an ethics to those patients who have recourse to it… There are countless therapeutic methods, from the most primary to the most sophisticated, from the most esoteric to the most scientific. There are also countless remedies… What we call homeopathy actually designates a certain category of medicines, denoted by certain specific characteristics. Homeopathy is one therapeutic method which is usually prescribed by doctors or other health professionals, and which corresponds to medication that is codified by international regulations."

Why do we speak of "complementary" medicine?
"Homeopathy is not a complementary medicine either" since there is "no major therapeutics, no minor therapeutics. It all depends on the diseases involved".

And why alternative medicine?
"Homeopathy is not an alternative to medicine. Homeopathic medicines are not intended to be an alternative to all the other types of treatment. Homeopathy has earned its place among different therapeutic methods, nothing more than its place."

According to Christian Boiron, doctors should be able to use all different types of therapeutics. In medicine there is no room for sectarianism, bias, exclusion. Only the patient, and the physician's experience and skills count. In reality, medicine is neither classical nor conventional. Medicine is characterized by a multiplicity of facets. Sometimes is it confronted with true contradictions, forced to take up numerous challenges. In concluding, Christian Boiron stated his position concerning an absolutely open outlook on scientific method and its different practices: "Yes, I do believe that there is truth in homeopathy just as there is truth in allopathy, herbal medicines, acupuncture, shiatsu, yoga… in osteopathy… but I do not believe in the absolute side of any of these systems. Likewise, I do believe that there is truth in antibiotics, surgery, vaccines… in morphine, in aspirin. But I do not always know if we "cure" a disease when we have eliminated pain or another symptom… I believe that the mechanisms of health are extremely complex and that they affect the deepest places of the psycho-physiological soul and body." Perhaps this is the future of medicine: to cultivate an open mind concerning these two directions.