Are There Clinical Studies Supporting the Use of Homeopathic Medicine in Modern Dermatology?

Robert J. Signore, DO

Dr. Signore is in private practice, Tinley Park, Illinois.

Dr. Signore reports no conflicts of interest in relation to this post.

Homeopathic medicine (HM) is one of the most widely used forms of complementary medicine in the world.¹ It is a low-cost nontoxic system of natural healing used by millions of people worldwide.² According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, US adults spent $2.9 billion out-of-pocket on the purchase of HMs in 2007.³ Homeopathic medicine differs from herbal medicine in that HM does not contain substantial pharmacologic amounts of active substances in commonly used dilutions. Hence HMs do not interact with conventional drugs.¹ Homeopathic medicines are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration as drugs per the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.⁴ The mechanism of action of HM is unknown.

But the world of medicine revolves around scientific research! Are there any clinical studies to support the use of HM in modern dermatology?