I had the honor of giving a talk on the subject of homeopathic prevention and treatment of epidemics and pandemics at the annual AANP (American Association of Naturopathic Physicians) in August of 2019. This blog is a non-technical and simplified version of my AANP talk. You can read the PowerPoint of my talk and/or watch its video presentation on this site. Due to the important nature of the subject matter, if you find this blog interesting or helpful, please do share it with people you know.

An epidemic disease is a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time. In contrast, a pandemic has prevalence over a whole country or the world. True epidemics are acute infectious diseases which are usually febrile and result in either rapid decline leading to death or recovery.

In this blog, I would like to address the following: First, how and why epidemics are on the rise. Second, how conventional medical approaches by themselves (including drugs and vaccination) are NOT going to be sufficient in meeting the needs of our species. Third, how we desperately need an alternative solution. And, fourth, how we need a solution (namely homeopathy) that has passed the test of time, a solid solution that we can count on with a high degree of reliability during the present and upcoming epidemics. I would like to share with the reader evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies for various past AND present epidemic diseases. I would also like to bring attention to the vast use and rising trend of homeopathy throughout many governments and nations across the planet. I will highlight the three main approaches to homeopathic prescribing during epidemics, for prevention AND treatment: 1: Genus epidemicus, 2: The “indicated” remedy based on clinical rubrics, and 3: Homeoprophylaxis/Nosode. I will discuss why it’s important for us as a civilized society to have a Pandemic Response Plan. Lastly, I will share various helpful homeopathic and non-homeopathic websites and other important resources related to epidemics.

Epidemic diseases are killing countless people every single day on our planet. For instance, in the 15 minutes you might need to read this blog, 30 children would die of malaria alone (one child dies of malaria every 30 seconds), not to mention many other epidemics presently afflicting the Earth. Nearly 1 million people die of malaria yearly. How large of a number is one million? One million deaths per year would equal nearly 3000 children per day. That’s approximately the population of the following cities in WA state: Seattle(725K), Bellevue(144K), Renton(101K), Kirkland(88K), & Redmond(64K). This is the equivalent of the population of children in 5 average sized U.S. public schools dying each and every day! This staggering statistic is only in regard to one disease, malaria. And, this trend only seems to be on the rise.

Epidemics are on the rise, and I predict they will be one of the leading threats to our survival as a species over the coming years. The biggest killers in history have been epidemic diseases. And, that is why we should prepare ourselves for them. The WHO (World Health Organization) has declared 4 global health emergencies in the last 10 years, including swine flu, polio, Ebola, and Zika. Some epidemics such as smallpox spread quickly, and some such as HIV/AIDS more slowly. We should be very concerned about the more volatile and fast-moving ones such as smallpox.

Unfortunately, conventional medical treatments (including drugs and vaccines) are proving less and less effective in preventing as well as treating epidemics. And, that is not an opinion. Let’s take malaria as an example. Malaria is estimated to have taken more lives than any other disease in humanity, including the plague, TB, the flu, HIV, cholera, etc. Malaria, the number one killer on Earth, is unfortunately on the rise, and now there is a highly resistant form of malaria spreading rapidly in Southeast Asia. What’s even more concerning is that ½ of the world’s population is exposed to malaria. The second biggest killer in the world is TB (tuberculosis). The WHO estimates that approximately 1/3 of the world’s population is infected with TB, with less than half of all TB cases ever diagnosed. We now have MDR (multiple drug-resistant) TB, and XDR (extreme drug-resistant) TB which doesn’t respond to anything at all (i.e. conventional treatments) and is extremely aggressive. According to WHO, the worldwide incidence of dengue has risen 30-fold in the past 30 years, and according to Mayo Clinic, “no specific treatment for dengue fever exists”. Before 1970, only 9 countries had experienced severe dengue epidemics. Today, the disease is endemic in more than 100 countries. Tick-borne diseases (such as Lyme disease) are on the rise. According to CDC (Center for Disease Control), over the past 2 decades, we have had 7 new tick-borne diseases in the U.S. And, if you have known anyone with Lyme disease, you know how challenging the treatment of these tick-borne diseases can be. On another note, if you pay attention to the news, you have probably heard of this secret fungal infection that is spreading throughout the world, and is leaving many dead with a morality rate of 50%. This fungus called Candida auris is often resistant to anti-fungal medications. According to the CDC, “Candida auris is an emerging fungus that presents a serious global health threat.” Last example here is Typhoid Fever which is caused by the Salmonella bacteria. Typhoid is now resistant to last resort antibiotic called Colistin.

According to WHO, “Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health today. A growing number of infections (such as pneumonia, TB, gonorrhea, and salmonellosis) are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used to treat them have become less effective.” Dr. Margaret Chan of the WHO has recently stated that Earth may be approaching a time “when things as common as strep throat or a child’s scratched knee could once again kill.” In an open letter from concerned physicians regarding antibiotic resistance found at (https://homeopathyusa.org/about-aih-2/position-statements-letters-2/letter-regarding-antibiotic-resistance.html), integrative medicine specialists, mostly MDs, have stated “Solutions to this looming crisis must be found and found quickly. As some of America’s leading integrative medicine specialists, we believe it is time to look anew at a modality called homeopathic medicine.”

Why are epidemics on the rise? Most people would think that a deadly germ is the force behind an epidemic/pandemic. There are many reasons behind the rise in epidemics, not just a bacteria or a virus. The organism behind epidemics by itself does not always explain why epidemics come and go since sometimes, as is the case with the plague, the organism does not leave the planet when the epidemic does! We still have the bacteria on Earth (even in various parts of the United States) that causes plague, but we are not presently experiencing any plague epidemics anywhere in the world. Why? No one truly knows the exact reason. Some of the other factors behind epidemics include: War, famine & pestilence (meaning disease) which usually go together. Some historians call these three entities “VISITATIONS”. Epidemics are cyclical and they tend to come every so often, say 100, 200, or 500 years. A google search would show you that the main causes for the rise in epidemics are thought to include: an increase in global travel and urbanization, overpopulation, a rise in zoonosis (diseases that can be passed from animals to humans), an unfortunate increase in resistance to pharmaceutical drugs, global warming, and war.

Why is global warming or climate change a concern in regard to epidemics? As the planet warms up, a lot of pathogens begin spreading to new areas. For instance, epidemics such as dengue fever that were never common in the Northern Hemisphere occur much more commonly in these areas due to what appears to be a northern spread of mosquitos which carry the virus that causes dengue fever. And, sadly, mosquitos can be the vector that can spread many deadly germs. According to WHO, “mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world. Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever are all transmitted to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Presently, more than 1/2 of the world’s population live in areas where this mosquito species is present.” Furthermore, climate change can result in extreme weather patterns including storms, floods, fires, tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Epidemics seem to always come in the wake of these natural disasters (especially if combined with war). An example would be the cholera outbreak after the earthquake in Haiti.

Another major reason behind the rise in epidemics is wars. Wars and epidemics always go together. This is well-documented throughout history. Examples include: 1) The epidemic of WW1 was the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918. 2) WHO experts say violence is preventing end of Ebola outbreak. 3) The war in Yemen over the last few years has resulted in poor sanitary conditions, causing a horrific cholera epidemic killing 1.1 million people in Yemen in just 2017 alone.

WHO had a recent report on global surveillance of epidemic-prone infectious diseases which included: Yellow fever, plague, cholera, meningococcal disease, dengue fever, influenza, African trypanosomiasis, HIV/AIDS, Leishmaniasis. Out of these 9 conditions, 4 are viral (yellow fever, dengue fever, influenza, and HIV), 3 are bacterial (plague, cholera, and meningococcal disease), and 2 are parasitic (African trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis). Now it is recognized that viral diseases form the bulk of epidemic diseases. Note that Malaria, TB, Ebola, Nipah virus, & Candida auris are not on this list, at least not yet! (Note: The top two biggest killers in history which are Malaria and TB are not in this list yet since they are not considered to be extremely volatile and out of control, at least not for now.)

Many epidemics involve broad common symptoms (such as fever, achiness, headache, and fatigue) which make them difficult to diagnose. There are difficulties with laboratory testing including the following. Cultures are slow to grow, antibody detection may not be a direct predictor of infection, detection of bacterial DNA in blood samples (by PCR) is not widely available, etc. Additionally, misdiagnosis is more likely to occur with overlapping diseases with similar clinical presentations. An example would be two concurrent diseases such as Dengue and Leptospirosis in the tropics. Clearly, misdiagnosis can lead to incorrect selection of medical treatment which can lead to high mortality rates. In conclusion, difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of an epidemic (with or without a coinfection) shows a dire need for effective alternative methods of prevention and treatment.

Although vaccines can be effective for management of epidemics, they have limitations: It’s impractical to vaccinate ourselves against hundreds or thousands of potentially pathogenic bugs, with their mutating new strains coming out all the time. What about if there are multiple epidemics going on at same time? Do we offer multiple vaccines at same time? This practice might increase possibility of vaccine-related adverse effects. There is also not enough funding for vaccines. According to a recent study by Duke university, there is no funding for vaccines for a few of our biggest killers presently, including TB, HIV or malaria. To make matters even worse, there are no vaccines available for some of the newly emerging diseases such as the Nipah virus. How about in emergency situations? In such situations, we cannot produce, distribute, and administer enough vaccines for large populations rapidly enough even if funds were available. Yet one more problem with vaccines during epidemics is that acquiring immunity with vaccines can take a few weeks, leaving target populations vulnerable. And, lastly, fear of injections and risk of use of infected needles, and immunization of infants and pregnant women can be a deterrent to some individuals.

Why should we consider homeopathy during epidemics? Here are some reasons: They are highly effective, and they work immediately. Basic prescribing is easy to learn. Giving instructions is easy. Correctly prescribed, they are very safe in all age categories. They are suitable for young and old alike. They are easy to administer. They have a long shelf-life. They are compact and light, and therefore easy to transport and distribute. They are inexpensive. They are legally transportable across international borders. Their nomenclature is standardized world-wide. You can take remedies even if on pharmaceutical medications without fear of interactions. Since remedies aim to boost the immune system, genetic mutation will not be a deterrent in finding a correct homeopathic solution. And, finally, in case of epidemics where the culprit deadly organism cannot be identified, homoeopathy can still offer preventive measures as it relies on the signs and symptoms characteristic of the disease, NOT on the identification of the organism.

Homeopathy has historically outshined other therapies during epidemics. In 1900, Thomas Lindsley Bradford, MD, wrote a book called “The Logic of Figures” in which he collected the statistics he could find that would compare the conventional therapeutics with homeopathic ones. Dr. Todd Hoover, MD, states “Homeopathic practice during massive epidemics throughout the world has been the gold standard for showing the efficacy of potentized remedies.” Dr. Andre Saine, ND, in his talk titled “Homeopathy in Times of Epidemics: A Brief Overview”, given in June of 2017 in Germany, based on an exhaustive search for over a decade, shares some interesting facts/observations and makes some noteworthy remarks some of which I would like to share as follows: “Results obtained by homeopathy during epidemics consistently reveal an extremely low mortality rate, regardless of the physician, the time, the place or the type of disease, including the ones with very high mortality rates. These reports deserve the close attention of academia, governments, and health authorities. In homeopathy, we have literature that overflows with all types of case studies, trials, and outcome reports. Due to the fact that homeopathic philosophy has NOT changed since its development, results obtained by homeopathy from the past have not lost their value. And, finally, there was no significant iatrogenesis (i.e. diseases caused by medications or doctors) ever reported under homeopathic treatment during epidemics.”

Let us look at few historical tidbits that demonstrate the superiority of homeopathy over conventional medicine when it came to the epidemics of the past: Spanish flu killed an estimated 30-50 million victims. Fatality rate under homeopathic care was 0.7% versus conventional medicine at 6%. For a pregnant woman with the flu and pneumonia, the numbers change to 1 out of 2 would die if under conventional care versus 1 out of 135 would die if under homeopathic care. In Australia epidemic of Cholera, the allopathic mortality rate was 66%, and the homeopathic mortality rate was 33%. Dr. Dublin Quarterly Journal reported “on an account of this extraordinary result, the law interdicting the practice of Homeopathy in Australia was repealed.” On a separate note, the Prussian government made the use of Belladonna during scarlet fever epidemics obligatory in 1838. Lastly here, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, MD, the originator of homeopathy, treated 183 cases of typhus, 182 out of 183 survived. This was one of the first epidemics where homeopathy proved itself. This was at a time when conventional treatments were having a mortality rate of over 30% among typhus patients.

Despite well-documented and official reports, the results obtained by homeopaths during epidemics have been almost completely ignored by medical historians. One might ask why? It could be that, “most would rather not see the ineffectiveness of the conventional therapeutics nor accept the efficacy of homeopathy.” (From the book “The Logic of Figures” by Thomas Bradford, MD)

How about present-day evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies, in general, and their effectiveness in regard to epidemics, in particular? In 2017, Dr. Iris Bell, M.D., Ph.D., and her colleagues catalogued over 6000 pieces of homeopathic research including many RCT’s (randomized, double blinded, controlled studies). Refer to link below: https://homeopathyusa.org/uploads/Homeopathy-Research-Evidence-Base-05-15-2019.pdf. National Center for Homeopathy’s website has a very useful one-page doc on the subject of “Is There Research to Support Homeopathy?” https://www.homeopathycenter.org/sites/default/files/final_is_there_homeopathic_research.pdf

PubMed is a free search engine which comprises more than 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. There are numerous articles on homeopathy on PubMed. Below you will find a few interesting PubMed studies on the effectiveness of homeopathy during epidemics: 1) Large-Scale Application of Highly-Diluted Bacteria for Leptospirosis Epidemic Control. Bracho et al, Homeopathy 2010, Jul, 99(3): 156-166. 2) Homeopathic Prevention and Management of Epidemic Diseases. Jacobs J, Homeopathy, 2018 Aug, 107(3): 157-160. 3) Antiplasmodial potential of homeopathic drugs Chelidoneum and nosode against Plasmodium berghei infection. J Complement Integr Med 2014, Sep. Conclusion of this study: The study establishes the effectiveness of the combination against P. berghei in vivo along with the safety of the drugs to the liver and kidney functions of the host. 4) Antimalarial potential of China 30 & Chelidoneum 30 in combination therapy against lethal rodent malaria parasite: Plasmodium berghei. J Complement Integr Med, 2013 May 7. Conclusion of this study: The combination had a significant preventive activity with 89.2% chemosuppression which was higher than the standard drug, pyrimethamine (83.8%). It also showed a moderate curative activity with complete clearance of parasite in 50% of surviving mice.

PubMed has many citations on the subject of HP (homeoprophylaxis). Another website, HomeopathyCenter.Org, offers a list of numerous records, studies and trials on HP: https://www.homeopathycenter.org/news/homeoprophylaxis-human-records-studies-and-trials. One such article is titled “Large Scale Homeoprophylaxis: Results of Brief and Long-Term Interventions”, by Dr. Isaac Golden, PhD, AJHM 112-1 Spring 2019. This article cites 26 homeopathic interventions in three countries, Brazil, Cuba and India. According to this article, over 90 million people on an annualized basis had been protected, with effectiveness between 75% and 95%. Most of the interventions were directed by government agencies and undertaken by medical doctors and scientists employed by the agencies. The conclusion of this study was the following: Homeoprophylaxis can provide governments a very economical practical option to combat infectious diseases in both short and long-term disease outbreaks.

Let’s discuss how the world views homeopathy. There are literally hundreds of thousands of physicians and over 500 million consumers using homeopathy across the globe. Homeopathy is widely available throughout most of South America and the Caribbean, with Cuba, Argentina, Columbia and Brazil leading the way. In Mexico, homeopathy is currently integrated into the national healthcare system. In Brazil, homeopathy has enjoyed government approval since the 19th century, and is integrated into its public health system, and continues to be very popular. The government of Cuba, a country of 10 million people, has undertaken many studies in homeopathy at a national level involving millions of people at a time. One such study was carried out in 2010, and it involved homeoprophylaxis for post-hurricane Leptospirosis epidemic control. The title of this article (which can be found on PubMed) is “Large-Scale Application of Highly-Diluted Bacteria for Leptospirosis Epidemic Control”, by Dr. Gustavo Bracho et al, Homeopathy 2010, 99 156-166. This was a government ordered study demonstrating homeopathic immunization for the prevention of Leptospirosis in Cuba. Note that “highly diluted bacteria” is a term that implies a homeopathic preparation of the bacteria (in other words a “nosode”) that is the causative agent of the disease, in this case namely the disease of Leptospirosis. The remedy was administered to 2.3 million people by about 5000 personnel of public health system of Cuba which included family doctors, nurses, paramedics, and social workers. The conclusion of this study carried out by the government was the following: “A great study demonstrating how HP interventions might help control epidemics by using highly-diluted pathogens to induce protection in a short time scale.” Another remarkable study from Cuba: 90% of Cuba (9.8 million) receives homeoprophylaxis for flu with remarkable outcomes. “Reports in epidemiologic surveillance studies conducted by the Finlay Institute, a vaccine producer in Cuba: Between Dec of 2009 and Jan of 2010, about 9 million people, nearly 90% of Cuban population received homeoprophylaxis for respiratory disease, influenza (including AH1N1) with remarkable outcomes and a great reduction rate in mortality.” (From the article “Lives saved by homeopathy in epidemics and pandemics”, by Nancy Malik and Iman Navab)

With 100 million people depending solely on homeopathy for their medical care, there are more homeopaths in India than in any other country. There are over 200,000 registered homeopathic doctors in India currently, with approximately 12,000 more being added every year. Homeopathy is also growing in popularity in Pakistan, Korea, Japan and China. There are numerous other studies coming out of India, all ordered by the government. Another study involves the homeopathic treatment of Japanese Encephalitis using homeopathic remedies. A study published in 2010 by researchers in Kolkata’s School of Tropical Medicine and the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy showed that the homeopathic medicine Belladonna prevented infection in chick embryos injected with the Japanese Encephalitis virus. The study showed significant decrease in the viral load when treated with the homeopathic medicine Belladonna in different potencies, in comparison to placebo, states principal investigator Dr. Bhaswati Bandopadhyay, assistant professor of virology.

Several approaches using homeopathy for epidemic diseases can be found with good experimental evidence in homeopathic literature. 1) The individualization approach: This method is considered to be the gold standard by some homeopaths, but it is impractical to use on a widespread basis. In this approach, you treat what needs to be fixed in each person based on the signs and symptoms of the individual. You find a remedy that is tailored for the patient. 2) Combination remedies can be effective but must be based on the symptoms of a given epidemic in a specific location. 3) The GE (Genus Epidemicus) method: GE is a word coined by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, MD, which denotes the homeopathic remedy that is similar to the totality of symptoms found in the majority of patients suffering in an epidemic disease and which, if given to the patients before the onset of the disease, prevents the epidemic disease or when given during the disease can cure the patient. Classical homeopaths would argue that the GE is not only the BEST TREATMENT but also the BEST PREVENTATIVE tool for epidemics (if logistics are not an issue). 4) Isopathy (using nosodes) which is one form of HP (homeoprophylaxis) shows promise and might be more readily accepted by mainstream medicine due to its similarity to vaccination. Homeoprophylaxis involves the use of highly diluted and succussed (potentized) substances given prior to exposure to disease for prevention. While HP does not individualize for the person (i.e. is not tailored for each patient), when attempting to address a LARGE population of people in a SHORT amount of time, this is the most effective method to prevent the epidemic as well as to treat it. There are two methods for HP: First, remedies which are made using matter found in the natural world (plant, mineral, or animal extracts). Second, nosodes which are prepared from cultured pathogens and/or human discharges (usually fluids, such as saliva, pus, urine, blood, or other diseased tissue) produced in response to those pathogens. Nosodes are attenuated (or weakened) pathogens (or a disease-causing germs), a similar concept to vaccines; and they can be used for prevention as well as for treatment of an epidemic disease. The use of a nosode against its disease is called ISOPATHY. This is not true homeopathy, but it has its place. An auto-nosode is a remedy derived from the patient’s OWN pathogenic excretion, and is more specific to the person. It can be used to treat the patient him- or her-self. You can also use an auto-nosode to help others during an epidemic. You can use it for prevention as well as at the first sign of illness in others. Auto-nosodes are our top choice for “vaccinating” people (for prevention) in an active epidemic. (A word of caution in regard to nosodes: Avoid lower potencies and frequent dosing. You can take 1-2 doses of a 30c or 200c of the nosode as a preventative. Ideally, you should avoid the frequent use of nosodes in potencies that are closer to material doses, say 6c or less potent.)

How does GE (Genus Epidemicus) compare and contrast with HP (Homeoprophylaxis), the two most popular methods of preventing as well as treating epidemics using homeopathic remedies? Depending upon how you go about finding the GE (an advanced subject by itself in homeopathy), to come up with the GE (the one blessed remedy that is curing most people in the epidemic), you MIGHT have to watch and wait during an active epidemic. Clearly watching and waiting while people are dying is not a great idea, so this method may not always be the best method to start out with when it comes to managing epidemics. However, if you utilize the HP method during an epidemic, you do not need to watch and wait to find the Genus Epidemicus remedy- can start with the nosode remedy. In other words, we can use the appropriate Homeoprophylaxis remedy (i.e. a nosode) UNTIL we find the Genus Epidemicus remedy which can take time to arrive at. Other differences between GE and HP include the following: Since the GE is a purely homeopathic concept versus an allopathic (conventional Western medical) one, it is not similar to vaccines at all. However, the concept of HP is indeed very similar to vaccines. As far as applicability on a large scale, GE is not as likely as the HP model to be applicable on a large scale. To see how well the HP is applicable on a large scale, refer to all large-scale studies in Cuba, Brazil and India. In SUMMARY, based on my research over many years, in general, the best approach to homeopathic management of epidemics, for BOTH PREVENTION AS WELL AS TREATMENT, is the GE (Genus Epidemicus) approach. The other approaches in descending order include: Second best method is individualization, third best method is HP (homeoprophylaxis) using nosodes, and fourth is combination remedies.

What about the dosing of homeopathic remedies? A good rule of thumb on frequency of dosing using homeopathic remedies for treatment of any disease, in particular epidemics, is the following: Whatever potency you use, use a dose AS NEEDED, meaning take a dose only if the effects of the previous dose appear to be wearing off. What about for preventative use of homeopathic remedies (regardless of whether you use a remedy or a nosode)? A good rule for the preventative dosing of remedies would be to use a remedy in the, say, 30c potency once a week if the disease is mild, or more often (say daily or twice a day) if the disease is severe.

As a side note, most epidemics start out with flu-like symptoms. We should treat what we see in ill patients during an epidemic ASAP. We do not need to wait until we have a definitive diagnosis for the disease at hand. For the purposes of finding an effective remedy, we do not have to identify the causative agent (bacteria, virus, etc.) in order to be able to help the patient. We can prescribe solely on the present signs and symptoms the patient is experiencing.

How does homeopathy compare with vaccines? Both homeopathy and vaccines are effective during epidemics. Homeopathic remedies are immediately effective. In the case of vaccines, our immune system needs time to “take” (i.e. for “antibodies” to be formed). (Note that antibodies in our blood are considered by immunologists to be needed to combat the disease in question.) As a rule, homeopathic remedies can be decided upon and distributed rapidly throughout the society. Whereas, vaccines can take weeks to months to be made and distributed throughout the society, and thus are not readily available in emergency situations. Since homeopathic remedies are completely energetic (and do not contain the actual pathogen or the disease-causing agent or any biochemical ingredients, for that matter, except for sugar), they are considered to be totally safe by nearly everyone who knows anything about homeopathy (except for individuals who speak from a place of ignorance and/or fanatic bias). Vaccines contain pathogenic substances (i.e. disease-causing agents such as bacteria or virus, albeit often attenuated or weakened) which can sometimes cause the person to catch the actual disease, the very disease we are trying to immunize ourselves against. For example, most cases of Polio in the world at this time are caused by the vaccines, not the wild virus. Since vaccines are delivered using needles, there are also risk of contagiousness associated with the use of infected needles. Additionally, vaccinating infants and pregnant women are a particularly sensitive subject, a concern that is a non-issue with homeopathic remedies. Last but not least, the cost of homeopathic remedies is extremely low. They are literally the least expensive medicines on Earth. In regard to the low cost, one can’t help wondering if that is a critical piece of the puzzle as to why homeopathy has always had such steadfast enemies- A highly effective system of medicine that costs next to nothing is not an attractive business idea to big corporations. On the contrary, vaccines are costly, and as a result, shortage of vaccines is a definite reality. In fact, according to a recent Duke University study, there is no funding in sight for the two top killer diseases on Earth, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Can we offer BOTH homeopathic remedies as well as vaccines for prevention AND treatment of epidemics? Absolutely YES! Any form of homeopathic approach (be it the Genus Epidemicus or Homeoprophylaxis) can be a bridging device until effective vaccines are available for the disease in question.

In my actual presentation given at the AANP (American Association of Naturopathic Physicians) in August of 2019, I discussed common epidemic diseases and their homeopathic treatment in alphabetical order. You can find the presentation on this website, www.DrSharif.com. The epidemic conditions covered include: HIV/AIDS, chickenpox, chikungunya, cholera, dengue fever/break bone fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, diarrheas (epidemic diarrheas), Ebola virus, flu (influenza), hepatitis, leishmaniasis and leishmania/HIV co-infection, Lyme disease, MALARIA, measles, meningococcal disease, mumps, plague, pneumonia, polio, rubella, scarlet fever, shock/fear/anticipation during epidemics, smallpox, TB (tuberculosis), typhoid fever, typhus, vaccine-related injury prevention, yellow fever, and Zika virus.

How about treating ailments from vaccines during epidemics? If a person is experiencing side effects to vaccines hours to years afterwards, you may be able to clear the reactions using homeopathy. In such cases, the initial symptoms after vaccination can be critical in case-taking. Therefore, if you or your loved ones do experience any side effects to vaccines, please take note of the exact symptoms and share them with your homeopathic practitioner even if much time has passed since the vaccine was administered.

I am working with some of my colleagues to form an international network of homeopathic practitioners in order to come up with a National or Pandemic Response Plan in case there is a deadly disease breakout in North America or in the world. My hope is that with orchestrating a plan to train a sufficient number of people within the society we will be more prepared in facing such an outbreak. Theoretically, a well-trained person, even a non-health care practitioner, can teach many others how to take a homeopathic remedy and how to distribute it throughout their neighborhood/city, assuming they have the remedy. I would welcome any ideas you might have in regard to developing such a Response Plan. Please feel free to email me with your suggestions.

With homeopathic remedies, you can “graft” them or dilute them in water, and they will surprisingly still have a powerful impact on the human body. Therefore, shortage of remedies is NOT a concern with homeopathic remedies. Theoretically, as amazing as it sounds, one bottle of a remedy could cure an entire city during an epidemic!

I advise all my patients to own a homeopathic first aid kit that contains at least the top 50-100 remedies in the 30c potency. I also advise them to purchase Oscillococcinum (the famous over-the-counter homeopathic supplement for treatment of the flu) as well as a bottle of the homeopathic remedy Crotalus horridus separately since it does not come in most kits. The remedy Crotalus horridus is considered to be one of the many remedies that can be effective for certain feared epidemic diseases such as the plague or Ebola. For more information on this remedy, you can refer to my PowerPoint presentation on epidemics on this site.

You can also sign up to receive a free daily newsletter on disease outbreaks in the world from http://www.cidrap.umn.edu (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy) if you’d like to be up on the latest news on present epidemics or epidemic threats. Such information is not for the light-hearted since it can be emotionally disturbing to be informed of such alarming news in our country or in the world regularly.

You should sign up to receive blogs/newsletters from my website. In case of an epidemic, I will be sending out information on what homeopathic remedies I myself (as well as other nationally as well as internationally known homeopaths) are recommending to potentially help prevent or treat the disease.

The study titled “Epidemics: Hate and Compassion from the Plague of Athens to AIDS” by Samuel Kline Cohn Jr. traces epidemics’ socio-psychological consequences across time and discovers a radical conclusion that epidemic diseases have more often unified societies across class, race, ethnicity, and religion, spurring self-sacrifice and compassion; a conclusion that surely brings some glimmer of hope to the midst of a feared pandemic around the corner.

I would like to end on a definite positive note here: Homeopathy will always be ready to help, no matter what kind of deadly disease we are dealing with in our world. “Throughout recorded history, the survival of human societies has been threatened by epidemics, and regardless of the advances in medicine, prevention or biotechnology, there will always be epidemics, and homeopathy will always be ready to rapidly intervene.” (From Dr. Andre Saine’s talk on epidemics in 2017)

After an extensive research on the subject of epidemics for a few years now, my conclusion is that many (if not all) of these epidemic diseases can be prevented by clean water, clean food, a clean-living environment, AND by peaceful living with one another and with nature. Contributing to the above causes should be our goal as human beings inhabiting this beautiful planet. According to Dr. James T. Kent, MD, an American physician who is looked upon as one of the best teachers and exponents of the homeopathic school of America, “Things will grow brighter as minds are brought together and men think harmoniously. The more we keep together the better, and the more we think as one, the better.”