Z Arztl Fortbild Qualitatssich. 1997 Nov; 91(7): 681-5.

[Special therapeutic processes from the viewpoint of clinical pharmacology]

FrÃƒÂ¶lich JC.

Institut für Klinische Pharmakologie, Hannover.

Special therapies comprise homeopathic drugs, anthroposophic medicine and phytotherapy a heterogenous mixture, which consists partly on authorities (Hahnemann, Steiner) and partly describes the origin of the drug (herbal drugs). The field, therefore, is open to new additions (Chinese traditional medicine, American Indian drug therapy etc.). These drugs do not meet the requirements for safety and efficacy required for modern drugs and this is not required, because according to German lawyers this would be inadequate. We demonstrate examples where the health of patients has been severely damaged by this kind of medical therapies and point out that these problems continue. Reasons are presented, why the public has the right to demand proof of efficacy and safety of all drugs.