homeopathy
Let an agent explain what homeopathy claims, what the scientific evidence shows and how it is regulated, without recommending it as treatment.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Claims What homeopathy asserts.
Principles
Like cures like and potentisation.
Doctrine
The principles as stated by practitioners.
- Which principle does this remedy rely on? definition
- Who formulated it and when? provenance
Dilution
Scales and potencies.
Dilution level
Scale and steps: C is 1:100 per step, D or X is 1:10 per step.
- What dilution is stated on the product? measurement
- Is any original substance likely to remain? measurement
Evidence What research shows.
Systematic reviews
Reviews and their conclusions.
Review findings
Conclusions of named reviews, such as NHMRC 2015 and the Australian Natural Therapies Review 2024.
- What did the major systematic reviews conclude? provenance
- How strong was the evidence? measurement
Mechanism
Plausibility.
Plausibility
Physics and chemistry of dilution.
- Is the claimed mechanism consistent with chemistry and physics? boundary
- What has been proposed and tested? provenance
Regulation How it is regulated.
Product rules
Registration and labelling.
Registration
Rules for homeopathic products.
- How are homeopathic products registered here? provenance
- May labels claim efficacy? boundary
Health systems
Funding and practice rules.
Public funding
Whether health systems pay for it.
- Does the public health system fund it here? provenance
- Who may practise it? boundary
Safety Risks to people and animals.
Indirect harm
Delayed or refused treatment.
Missed treatment
Cases and warnings.
- Is effective treatment being delayed? boundary
- Which warnings have authorities issued? provenance
Product quality
Contamination and labelling.
Quality problems
Recalls and warnings.
- Have products been recalled for quality problems? provenance
- Which regulator issued the warning? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Information and virtual systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- INF
- Domain
- INF.KNW
- Other names and narrower kinds
- veterinary homeopathy, homeopathy in National Socialism, release activity, homeoprophylaxis
What it is Filled
A system of alternative medicine created by Samuel Hahnemann in the 1790s, based on the doctrine that like cures like and that remedies become stronger by repeated dilution and shaking; the 2015 assessment of Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council found no reliable evidence that it is effective for any health condition.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain what homeopathy claims, what the scientific evidence shows and how it is regulated, without recommending it as treatment.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Claims that highly diluted substances act as medicines; at common dilutions no molecule of the original substance is likely to remain.
- Not the same as herbal medicine, which uses measurable amounts of plant material.
- Regulators in several countries allow sale under special rules without proof of efficacy.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- recommend homeopathy as treatment for any condition
- advise replacing medical treatment or vaccination with it
- present it as scientifically proven
Only with a human decision
- any treatment decision, which belongs with a qualified health professional
May
- explain claims and the scientific evidence
- describe regulation
Moral aspects Filled
- informed choice based on honest evidence
- harm from delayed treatment
Who is affected
- patients and parents
- animals treated with veterinary homeopathy
Owners Filled
Steward
nobody; a practice, regulated where products are sold
Master systems
- medicines regulators' product registers
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q188504 - registry parent class
related
- alternative medicine - a practice outside evidence-based medicine
- herbal medicine - a different practice
- systematic review - evidence on efficacy
- medicines regulation - special registration rules
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.homeopathy
- Wikidata: Q81058 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q81058)
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
Not applicable
A practice: physical properties belong to individual products.
Recognition optional Filled
- Labels with dilution markings such as 6C, 30C or D12
- Sold as homeopathic remedies
- Products are usually small sugar pills, drops or creams labelled with a substance name and a dilution such as 30C.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain the principles homeopathy claims
- summarise the scientific evidence and its sources
- state how homeopathic products are regulated in a jurisdiction
- explain dilution scales such as C and D
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Delay or refusal of effective treatment
- Use instead of vaccination
- Low-dilution products that contain measurable active ingredients and can cause adverse effects or interactions
- Products contaminated or not as dilute as labelled
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- EU Directive 2001/83/EC, Article 14 simplified registration for qualifying homeopathic products without specific therapeutic indications
- US Food and Drug Administration: no homeopathic product is FDA-approved; its 2022 guidance sets enforcement priorities
- Health Canada rules on evidence for homeopathic medicines
Context of use required Filled
- Claimed by practitioners to treat illness; major evidence reviews found mostly little or no benefit beyond placebo, with low-certainty positive findings for a few outcomes in the 2024 Australian evaluation.
- individualised (classical) homeopathy
- non-individualised products, including combination remedies
- veterinary homeopathy
- homeoprophylaxis
Sources Filled
- Q81058 - identity of the registry item, labels and sitelinks
- Homeopathy - general description of the subject
- Homeopathy - principles, evidence and safety
- Natural Therapies Review 2024 - Homeopathy evidence evaluation - the 2024 evidence evaluation
- Directive 2001/83/EC - simplified registration in the EU
- Homeopathic Products - US status of homeopathic products
- Evidence for homeopathic medicines - Canadian evidence rules
Open questions
- The registry merges a historical topic (homeopathy in National Socialism) here; should it be separate?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q81058/spec.json