Misleading title to defame Homoeopathy- A series of homeopathic remedies-related severe drug-induced liver injury

Recently a paper entitled “A series of homeopathic remedies-related severe drug-induced liver injury from South India” was published in PubMed by the Ex- Homoeopth Arif Hussain and critiques like Dr Abby Philip and others in Hepatology Communication Journal purposeful to defame Homoeopathy even though their work revealed that Allopathy drugs resulted in much liver damage in individuals – the title of the paper is misleading.

Only 9 ( 2% ) out of 456 patients were associated with homeopathic medicines and Liver failure.

98% were associated with other causes. Page 3 says “Of the remaining 204 patients, 53 were found to have DILI due to prescription drugs, including non–steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, lipid-lowering agents, anti-epileptics, ant microbial, hormonal analogs, and antipyretics”

This paper definitely says that 11.5% of cases were undoubtedly due to Modern medicine drugs. Masking all that, the headline of the research article (A series of homeopathic remedies related to severe drug-induced liver injury from south India) itself is misleading – Now Homoeopathy is not a placebo !!

This is a great example of ‘occam’s broom’ fallacy.

When we see the analysis of the 9 of the cases, the picture becomes more comical.

4 cases are attributed to Covid preventive Ars alb30

1 case had liver cancer but the cause of liver failure is the use of homeopathic medicine

The eighth case presented is the comical case that made a hype in oct 2021( 38 year male patient treated for renal stones with sarsaparilla and berberis having liver and bone marrow failure attributed to imaginary methyl alcohol and absent benzene.

The figure says it all !!

Total No of DILI cases-243
Caused by:
Traditional & Herbal drugs-129 (53%)
Allopathic drugs-53 (22%)
Multiple hepatotoxic drugs(unspecified)-39 (16 %)
Homeopathic medicines- 9 (4%)
Herbal & dietary supplements- 8 (3%)
Lack of proper documentation-5 (2%)

Anyway, the authors have innocently concluded the results of this study to 2 points
1. Highly diluted (potentized) homeopathic medicines (used by classical homeopaths) are nothing but a placebo.
2. Mother tinctures and low potencies are hepatotoxic.

As homeopathic practitioners, we know our high potencies have definite therapeutic effects. Mother tinctures and low potencies also are inevitable and beneficial in some cases and most of them don’t cause any adverse effects when properly administered.

Then why this 4%?
1. Of course the limitations mentioned by the authors in the study
2. Lack of drug standardization/ quality control ( when it’s practically possible for Mother tinctures and low potencies)
3. Lack of knowledge about the phytochemical properties of drugs and the mode of action of the drugs, at least for MTs and low potencies (Lack of fundamental research)
4. Lack of knowledge about possible adverse effects of drugs especially MTs and very low potencies.
5. Homoeopathy pharmaceuticals need to defend this paper – unfortunately they are not investing much in research like allopathy pharmaceuticals.

Link to Original article : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36757412/