Homeopathy is a nontoxic form of medicine that was developed approximately 200 years ago by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. By 1820 homeopathy had spread through all of Europe. In 1900, about 20-25 percent of all doctors in the United States were homeopaths and Chicago was the world center of homeopathy. There were twenty-two homeopathic medical schools and over one hundred homeopathic hospitals. However, because of various political, economic, and social changes, homeopathy lost its stature in the United States, although it is still practiced widely in Brazil, Mexico, India, Germany, France, and Great Britain.

The word homeopathy is derived from two words: homoios meaning similars and pathos meaning suffering. Homeopathy is a form of medicine that uses highly diluted pathogens or other potentially toxic substances as remedies. These remedies provoke healing responses in a person's immune system, or provoke other body responses to treat the root causes of illnesses.
The law of similars dates back to the time of Hippocrates, but it also has present-day applications. For example, many vaccines involve giving a small dose of the microorganism that causes a specific disease. This stimulates an immune response against that microorganism thereby protecting the person from the disease.

Homeopathic remedies do not eliminate the cause of disease, nor do they cure disease. They do not provide immediate relief of symptoms. Rather, homeopathic remedies help establish balance in the body, and promote its ability to heal itself. In order to treat seriously ill people, the practitioner must effect a profound change at the deepest levels boosting the immune system. Homeopathy intervenes at the level of a person's reactive, self-curative powers, with or without the person's fully conscious cooperation. The goal is to bring about a change in the total functioning of the body.

According to federal law, homeopathic remedies are not considered drugs. To be considered an official homeopathic medicine, a product must meet the guidelines described in the Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) developed by the American Homeopathic Pharmacists Association and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A remedy must have known homeopathic provings and/or known effects that mimic the symptoms, syndromes, or conditions for which it is given. It must also meet the manufacturing specifications established by the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States (HPUS). HPUS is the official compendium of homeopathic medicines recognized by the FDA. The HPUS contains all of the official manufacturing procedures for homeopathic medicines. This includes procedures for dosing, labeling, and administration information for users. Currently, there are over 1,300 official HPUS substances. The HPUS initials on a product label identifies it as a homeopathic medicine, and insures that the legal standards for strength, quality, purity, and packaging have been met for that product.

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