Regular medicine: can't live without, won't heal within. The case of the Dutch homeopathic physician

Abstract

In general, homeopathy knows, and has known, many critics. Its perceived absurdity lies with the high dilutions it deploys which, according to current scientific standards, simply cannot be effective. Many, therefore, refer to homeopaths as quacks and to homeopathy as pseudo-science. In 2017, the European Academies Science Advisory Council released a statement concerning the regulation of homeopathic products. To summarize, they concluded that homeopathy is not backed by science and its possible efficacy can be explained by appealing to the placebo effect. This statement is shared by many scientists, medical professionals or anyone that is scientifically schooled. There are, however, a number of medically schooled professionals whom have actually specialized in homeopathy as well. Such people exist, not only within the Netherlands but throughout the world, and throughout time. This gives rise to a pressing question: how is it possible that two such opposite approaches can co-exist within a single person? In theory, homeopathy should expel anyone with a medical background, while, on the other hand, might not be prone to accept regular medicine. How, then, can we explain the existence of a homeopathic physician, and, more importantly: how do they combine biomedicine and homeopathy in practice? In order to find out, fourteen Dutch homeopathic physician were interviewed about their day to day practice.