Fueling the debate.

126 Homeopathic remedies are undergoing a resurgence of popularity because the patient can administer them without a prescription, and they are alleged to have no adverse side effects. They are readily available in most drug stores and pharmacies, despite the fact that the theory of homeopathy is contrary to the theoretical foundation of every pharmacist's training. In some countries, patients are demanding that homeopathy be paid for through their national health insurance. Europe and Asia have a homeopathy tradition. In India, homeopathy is used as a treatment for cancer. In many other countries, it is used as part of a supportive care program for cancer patients, despite the lack of any credibility for its effect at a molecular level and just a few clinical trials that endorse its efficacy. Today, courses in homeopathy are even being offered at some institutions of higher learning. Homeopathic remedies are prepared through a process called potentization. This involves a series of systematic dilutions and succussions (forceful shaking actions). Homeopathic practitioners allege that these actions eliminate chemical toxicity and enable the therapeutic effect. Homeopathic potencies are designated by a combination of a number and a letter (for example, 6X or 30C). The number refers to the number of dilutions that the tincture has undergone in series to prepare the remedy. The letter refers to the proportions used in each dilution of the series (the Roman numeral X means 10, and the Roman numeral C means 100) and the number of succussions that the vial of solution undergoes at each successive stage. The law of infinitesimals in homeopathy states that dilution increases the curative power of homeo-pathic medications. This means that a 1-part-per-million solution of a substance is more medicinally powerful than a 1-part-per-thousand solution, which in turn has more curative power than a 1-part-per-hundred solution. In contrast, many modern drugs are ineffective at low doses, with their efficacy increasing with increasing dosage. Many homeopathic remedies come in 30X or 200C dilutions. A substance diluted to 30X contains 1 part of the substance in 10 29 parts water. A very important concept in chemistry is the Avogadro number , which is determined by X-ray diffraction of crystals. It has a value of 6.0221367 × 10 23 as calculated by the International Council of Scientific Unions. Taking this constant into account, the limit imposed upon dilution—that is, the dilution that can be made without losing the original …