Adherence to Prophylactic Use of Homeopathic Arsenicum album 30C during the COVID pandemic in India

The Indian government, in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, initiated campaigns to use complementary therapies for its prevention and control, such as large-scale distribution of the homeopathic medicine, Arsenicum album 30C, as potential prophylactic for COVID-19.  This study estimated the individual adherence to using this homeopathic prophylactic within the Indian urban population.

A multi-center, cross-sectional, study was conducted across 23 cities in 19 Indian states and union territories from September to November 2022. Participants aged 18 years and above, who had received Arsenicum album 30C within the past month, were included. Adherence was assessed through self-reports. Data were collected in a structured data collection form. Factors influencing adherence were analysed using logistic regression.

A total of 23,101 participants completed the survey. Among the participants, 79.89% (n = 18,457) completed the prescribed three-dose regimen, demonstrating high adherence. Older adults (≥61 years) exhibited the highest adherence (84.63%), whereas younger individuals had lower adherence rates. Employment status, gender and socio-economic class were significant predictors of adherence. Participants with a lower perceived risk of COVID-19 showed higher adherence (adjusted odds ratio = 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.73 to 1.99; p < 0.0001). Adverse events were reported by 0.1% (n = 22) of participants, with no serious effects observed.

The authors concluded that the high adherence to Arsenicum album 30C highlights the effectiveness of a structured government distribution program and the potential of homeopathy as a welcomed medication in aiming to enhance public health.

Let’s be clear: during the recent pandemic, the Indian governement initiated a campaign to persuade Indians to use a totally implausible and ineffective therapy for COVID prevention. Instead of then demonstrating that placebos cannot prevent COVID, some homeopathy fans and government employees subsequently applaud themselves that their campaign was effective in misleading a sizable proportion of the population to adhere to this ill-conceived advice.

This is not science, but arguably it’s a crime and certainly it amounts to a huge violation of medical ethics. Informed consent would have required amongst other things to tell the public that homeopathy is girstly implausible and secondly of un- or even disproven effectiveness. The absence of this information is a monumental breach of ethics.

Which planet do these weirdos come from?

Here are their affiliations:

• ¹Department of Epidemic Cell, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Janakpuri, New Delhi, India.
• ²Department of Clinical Research, Dr. D.P Rastogi Central Research Institute of Homoeopathy, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• ³Regional Research Institute of Homoeopathy, Vikrampuri, Habsiguda, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
• ⁴Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
• ⁵Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Puri, Odisha, India.
• ⁶Drug Proving Unit, Dr. A.C. Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital Unit-III, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
• ⁷Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
• ⁸Central Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• ⁹Homoeopathy Research Institute for Disabilities, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
• ¹⁰Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Siliguri, Chhota Pathuram Jote, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.
• ¹¹Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Gudivada, Dr GGH Medical College Campus, Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• ¹²Dr Anjali Chatterjee Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
• ¹³Clinical Research Unit (H), Puducherry, Puducherry, India.
• ¹⁴Central Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
• ¹⁵Clinical Research Unit (H), Tirupati, India.
• ¹⁶Clinical Research unit (H), Port Blair, India.
• ¹⁷Clinical Research Unit (H), Gangtok, Sikkim, India.
• ¹⁸Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Imphal East, Manipur, India.
• ¹⁹Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Agartala, Tripura, India.
• ²⁰National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
• ²¹Clinical verification unit (H) Patna, Shree Gurugovind Singh Hospital, Patna, Bihar, India.
• ²²Clinical Research Unit (H), Civil Hospital, Dawrpui Aizawl, Mizoram, India.
• ²³Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, New Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.

And which journal supports such unethical activity by publishing their triumphant account? Yes, you probably guessed it, it’s the journal ‘HOMEOPATHY’.

SAY NO MORE!