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Regulation of Homeopathic Treatments

Homeopathic remedies are prepared according to the guidelines of the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States (HPUS), which was written into law in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Homeopathic remedies are regulated in the same manner as nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. However, because homeopathic products contain little or no active ingredients, they do not have to undergo the same safety and efficacy testing as prescription and new OTC drugs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does require that homeopathic remedies meet certain legal standards for strength, purity, and packaging. The labels on the remedies must include at least one major indication (i.e., medical problem to be treated), a list of ingredients, the dilution, and safety instructions. In addition, if a homeopathic remedy claims to treat a serious disease such as cancer, it needs to be sold by prescription. Only products for self-limiting conditions (minor health problems like a cold or headache that go away on their own) can be sold without a prescription.

Source: Homeopathy: An Introduction (Download Full Report)
Published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Created July 2009, Updated August 2010

Side Effects and Risks

Although the side effects and risks of homeopathic treatments are not well researched outside of observational studies, some general points can be made about the safety of these treatments:

• A systematic review found that homeopathic remedies in high dilution, taken under the supervision of trained professionals, are generally considered safe and unlikely to cause severe adverse reactions.
• Liquid homeopathic remedies may contain alcohol. The FDA allows higher levels of alcohol in these remedies than it allows in conventional drugs. However, no adverse effects from alcohol levels have been reported to the FDA.
• Homeopaths expect some of their patients to experience homeopathic aggravation (a temporary worsening of existing symptoms after taking a homeopathic prescription).
• Researchers have not found much evidence of this reaction in clinical studies; however, research on homeopathic aggravations is scarce.
• Homeopathic remedies are not known to interfere with conventional drugs; however, if you are considering using homeopathic remedies, you should discuss this with your health care provider first.

Source: Homeopathy: An Introduction (Download Full Report)
Published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Created July 2009, Updated August 2010

If You Are Thinking About Using Homeopathy

• Do not use homeopathy as a replacement for proven conventional care or to postpone seeing a doctor about a medical problem.
• Look for published research studies on homeopathy for the health condition you are interested in.
• If you are considering using homeopathy and decide to seek treatment from a homeopath, ask about the training and experience of the practitioner you are considering.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing, or people who are thinking of using homeopathy to treat a child, should consult their health care provider.
• Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of all you do to manage your health. This will ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about CAM, see NCCAM's Time to Talk campaign at nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/.
• Homeopathic remedies are not known to interfere with conventional drugs; however, if you are considering using homeopathic remedies, you should discuss this with your health care provider first.

Source: Homeopathy: An Introduction (Download Full Report)
Published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Created July 2009, Updated August 2010

Evaluating Internet Health Information on the Internet:

Questions and Answers

We often receive questions regarding health information presented on our web pages. We recognize there are huge amounts of health and nutrition information available on the internet. Below we've provided some quick answers to questions on where we get our information and how we use it on the site.

Our guidelines on presenting information are taken from the FDA's website in compliance with our regulatory standards.* Our company feels it's important to carefully read this information and discuss your questions on this subject with your health care provider.

*http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/BuyingMedicinesOvertheInternet/ucm202863.htm and http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/How_To_Evaluate_Health_Information_on_the_Internet_Questions_and_Answers.aspx

• 1. Who runs the Web site?
  This website is operated by HelloLife®, LLC and we manage its content.
• 2. What is the purpose of the Web site?
  HelloLife believes information on nutrition and herbs helps consumers make better choices on what treatments are best suited to their needs. We cannot definitively say what will and will not work for any specific individual as everyone's system is unique. What we try to do, however, is present as much relevant information on subjects as possible. Users can then make choices on our products having the best potential to meet their health needs.
• 3. What is the original source of the information on the Web site?
  We collect, review and post information from a wide variety of electronic and traditional sources. The main supply of research we use however comes from these internet sites:
  • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
  • http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
  • http://ods.od.nih.gov
  • http://hnrim.nih.gov/
  Source material is cited on individual pages. Facts you see presented in our content have references and citations also noted on the specific page. If we have missed a citation, please let us know by sending an email with the link of the page copied in your communication.
• 4. How is the information on the Web site documented?
  The documentation on research and credentials of a particular citation has been taken from governmental websites or research sites. These sites regularly conduct peer reviews of submitted material by academic and research groups. Because we trust these websites have done their homework to ensure the accuracy of the information they post, we are confident the material we use from them is as accurate as possible and in compliance with regulatory standards.
• 5. How current is the information on the Web site?
  We regularly review and updated information on our web site. However, our information is only as current as the sources. In practice, we update content on a yearly basis or, as required by the release of new information.
• 6. How does the Web site choose links to other sites?
  HelloLife typically does not support dynamic links to other sites. We prefer to review each article for relevance and application to the content it supports. If the information meets our rules for quality and accuracy, it will be included in the content as it was written - in its entirety or as quoted selections.
• 7. What information about its visitors does the Web site collect and why?
  HelloLife does not choose to collect passive/pass-through information on visitors. We do, however, collect personal data as it pertains to ordering, newsletter distribution and surveys. For more specific information on this subject, please visit and read our privacy policy here.
• 8. How does a customer contact you with any problems, feedback or questions?
  HelloLife has multiple options for customers wishing to contact us. For general questions feel free to email us at: service@hellolife.net. You are also welcome to call us at 1.800.875.0850 (US callers) and 1.616.551.4246 (Local and international callers).
• 9. How can people verify the accuracy of emails they receive from HelloLife?
  HelloLife is very careful to send information only to customers requesting we send communications via email. If you believe you have received an e-mail from us in error, or, have concerns regarding an email from us you consider questionable, please contact us via phone or email as indicated above.