Etat des lieux de l'homéopathie en Belgique - KCE

12 Homeopathy KCE Reports 154
1.3.9.2 At rational level
At pharmacology’s rational level, in 1988, the INSERM’s immunologist J. Benveniste
claimed that IgE antibodies have an effect on certain cell type after being diluted by a
factor of 10 120 . Results of this experiment were published by Nature 14 . The
accompanying editorial of that time stated that “there [was] no objective explanation
for these observations” ((Nature editorial, p 787) 15 cited in (Picart, p 11) 16 ). “In addition,
Nature undertook a unique step. It dispatched an investigative team to verify
Benveniste's results. Even more unusual was the composition of the group” (Picart, p
11) 16 . So began what observers called later the “Ghostly Imprint“ Saga 16, 17 . As detailed
by (Picart, p 11) 16 , “the investigative team was composed of: 1. John Maddox, the editor
of Nature. 2. 'The Amazing' James Randi, a professional magician […] whose 'presence
was originally thought desirable in case the remarkable results reported had been
produced by trickery'.[(Maddox, p 287) 18 ] 3. Walter Stewart […] whose chief concern
in the past decade had been the detection of errors and inconsistencies in scientific
literature, and the exposure of misconduct in science. 19 4. A technician […]”.
After double blinding the experiment the effects could not be reproduced 18 .
Nevertheless the first paper was read with interest by numerous homeopaths who
interpreted Benveniste’s claim as evidence for homeopathy and Nature’s investigation as
a farce. Twenty years after the J. Benveniste’s “water memory” study, the European
Central Council of Homeopaths (ECCH) recently informed his members that the new
field of nanotechnology may provide the explanation as to what happens to the source
materials of homeopathic medicines when they are potentised to dilutions beyond
Avogadro’s number 20 . Indeed prof. L. Montagnier, virologist and 2008 Nobel Prize
winner for his pioneering research into HIV, intends to work in this field. For Prof. L.
Montagnier, Benveniste was a modern Galileo, pioneering a new scientific movement at
the crossroads of physics, biology and medicine. Now, Montagnier plans to work on
electromagnetic waves that, he says, emanate from the highly diluted DNA of various
pathogens and, as he argues, “[…]at 10 -18 dilution, you can calculate that there is not a
single molecule of DNA left. And yet we detect a signal. ” 21 . Once again, when
scientists describe these ideas as “radical” and “shocking” 21 , homeopaths look forward
to it with great hopes.
Key messages
• Homeopathy was developed by a physician at the end of the XVIII century
partly as a critique of the heroic medicine of that time.
• Homeopathy is built on three key principles : the law of similars, the law of
infinitesimals and a principle of globality.
• Homeopathy is practiced in Belgium by physicians from 1829 and more
recently by lay homeopaths.
• The fluctuant popularity of homeopathy may be explained by scientific
factors (the history of medicine) or by socio-economic factors (religion,
homeopathic pharmaceutical industry and ecology).
• The quest of an “evidence-based homeopathy” is challenged by the EBM at
both empirical and rational levels of the homeopathic pharmacology.