Most people think, homeopathic medicines have no adverse effects. Right, but a good percentage of what is marketed as “homoeopathic medicines” in Pakistan is not even remotely related to homeopathy.

According to a modest estimate, 80 per cent of locally manufactured and 25% of imported medicines are not prepared in accordance with the principles of homoeopathic pharmacy as they contain several ingredients mixed in low strength while homoeopathy advocates use of just one SINGLE remedy (not multi-ingredient or patent medicines) at a time. 

Almost all homoeopathic manufacturing companies, local as well as foreign, manufacture some disease-specific medicines by mixing 4 to 10 single homoeopathic medicines in low strength. Such medicines are usually marketed under a Number Series such as M-Numbers, L-Numbers, R-Numbers, etc. Small book-lets giving short descriptions of diseases and their treatment by these so-called homoeopathic NUMBERS are freely available.

The problem with these numbers is that they contain homoeopathic ingredients but the method of their preparation is not that of homoeopathic pharmacy nor do they meet the standards for strength, quality and purity as set forth in any recognized Homoeopathic Pharmacopeia (British, German or Pakistani).  Further, there is no dependable scientific study to support the claims about the efficacy and safety of these Numbers. While evidence suggests, they are not totally ineffective, they have all the potential to complicate a case by suppressing or masking original symptoms of the patient. If not anything else, their use can waste time and delay proper homeopathic care.

Also see: Are Combination Numbers really effective?