The word "homeopathy" means "similar suffering" a homeopathic medicine is given based on its ability to mimic the disease state, thereby stimulating the body to heal itself. Homeopaths consider the body's defense mechanism the optimal healing system. The adequately selected homeopathic medicine stimulates these defenses to work more effectively.

An impressive expansion marked homeopathy's development in the United States during the beginning of the 19th century with the arrival of the first homeopaths from Europe. Homeopathic medical schools, clinics, and pharmacies prospered, and homeopaths were respected and highly appreciated.

Starting the 20th century, when chemistry discovered the "wonder drugs," such as Aspirin, Penicillin, and Sulfas, many doctors and patients thought they had found the "absolute" cure to illnesses. However, many of these new drugs masked disease symptoms by mitigating pain. At that time, the dangerous side effects of those "fast-acting" drugs were not known, and bacterial resistance was not an issue. By 1950, only a few homeopaths were left, and all the homeopathic medical schools and clinics were closed.

Today, times are changing again, and in the last decade, there has been a strong revival of homeopathy in the United States due to the growing evidence of the toxic, harmful side effects of conventional drugs and antibiotic resistance caused by the overprescription of antibiotics. Prescription drugs are now the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer in the United States and Europe.

During the time homeopathy almost disappeared in the USA, it continued to be used in Europe, and scientific work continued to be developed. These resulted in new therapeutic strategies using homeopathic remedies.

New therapeutic approaches were introduced, such as the concept of drainage and individualized polypharmacy, developed by the French physician Dr. Leon Vannier, the anthroposophical concept developed by the Austrian scientist Rudolf Steiner, the concept of homotoxicology developed by the German physician Dr. Hans Reckeweg, among others.

Homeopathy has continued to expand with great success in Europe, where many countries cover it in their National Health Systems; in India, where there are more than 100 schools; and in Latin America, where it is widely known and practiced.

New developments can be expected in the near future since modern technology is used to investigate the whole domain of homeopathy, currently a field of research in quantum physics. Also, clinical research is being performed, and scientifically conducted clinical trials continue to demonstrate all the virtues of Hahnemann's science and art.

Homeopathic medicines are manufactured according to the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) and FDA 21 CFR parts 210 & 211 standards. Homeopathic medicines are considered drugs under United States Federal Law. The FDA regulates the manufacture, marketing, and sales of all homeopathic medicines in the United States.
Most homeopathic medicines come from botanical sources; others come from minerals and biological origins. Homeopathic medicines come in various pharmaceutical forms, such as globules, liquids, suppositories, ophthalmic, and topicals for local application.

Yes. Several good quality studies published in peer-reviewed journals such as the British Medical Journal, JAMA, and Lancet, among others, have shown homeopathy to be effective for various conditions. For updated and more detailed information about research in homeopathy, please visit the page of The American Institute of Homeopathy and Homeopathy Research Institute.

Because of the small doses used in homeopathy, the medicines are not toxic. There are no known side effects. There are no known or suspected contraindications or drug interactions between homeopathic and conventional medications.

"Similia Similibus Curentur”. This principle of similars can be divided into three aspects:

a) Any pharmacologically active substance causes a group of symptoms in a sensitive healthy individual that are characteristics of the substance.
b) Any sick individual displays a group of morbid symptoms, which are characteristics of the disease from which he is suffering. The morbid symptoms are characterized by the group of changes in the way of feeling and functioning caused by the disease.
c) The healing can be reached by administrating to the sick, infinitesimal dosages of substances capable of producing at much higher doses, over a healthy susceptible individual, symptoms similar to the ones displayed by the sick person.

The goal of homeopathy is the selection of the remedy which most closely resembles the symptomatology presented by the sick person.