Hello Prof, whatever treatment is readily available, whether it is allopathy, homeopathy, or naturopathy, is FINE.  For myself, I prefer herbal cures, and I avoid taking medications like paracetamol to alleviate headaches that may be due to the great heat caused by climate change.  Drinking herbal teas, and water is the way I take, but each one has a right to choose their best remedy.  It's still a good productive day despite the heat!  Thanks.

As long as we can avoid, we must avoid Allopathy. If it has become essential for life and only treatment is available in allopathy, the we must use allopathy.

In my opinion naturopathy is the best and next to it is homoeopathy which is based on the principle of like treats like. However, allopathy which is much prevalent in India and other western countries has several side effects and is very expensive as well. For example increased use of antibiotics in allopathy has led to development of resistance in the pathogens and several of the antibiotics now have lost their importance. Tamiflu is an antiviral drug used in treatment of swine flu has now become ineffective on the pathogen.

Please follow the attachment for climate change in causing diseases.

I think they are compelmentary therapies.

These are different approaches and therefore can not be compared. For some, one of them is the only solution and for others the other method is nothing but a waste of time. It depends on the patient needs. So, we should not discard any of them, just to understand what they are for and for whom.

From My opinion, Treatment associated with natural medicine, either it is naturopathy, or homeopathy or in more sencible form Asthang Ayurveda is the preventive therupies.So one should not ignore them.As we know eight limbs of Ayurveda teaches us how to live,how to think and how to get cure from diseases.Allopathy should be the second option because it always cure us but simulteniously it also gives us new troubles in the form of side effect.

Naturopathy is good as a preventive and proactive system; but allopathy is scientific, and immense research on which it has been built on. It has contributed to the longevity of human life--by  preventing as well as curing diseases. 

Dear Prof. Abhijit Mitra Sir,

Please follow the following link to know about the effect of climate change on human health

http://www.scientificworld.in/2014/11/climate-change-effects-in-hindi.html

Regards,

Dr. Arvind Singh

Homeopathy is a specific training in which the underlying principle is that "like treats like".  The practice utilizes dilutions of herbs and minerals singly or in combination to treat anything form illnesses to mood disorders.  It is profound yet subtle treatment.  Homeopathy was the leading discpline in medicine in this country a hundred years ago and is still widely practiced in Europe where there are entire hospitals that use only Homeopathic medicines.  Hahneman Medical School in Philadelphia was originally a school of homeopathy.  (It has since been bought by a big hospital chain and had its name changed.)  You can buy certain homeopathic remedies in your local health food store, but there are practitioners who specialize in this area and can create individually designed remedies for a specific patient.  To promote oneself as a "Homeopath" requires no specific training, certification or licensure.  Caveat emptor.

Naturopathy is a field of medical care which utilizes foods and supplements as medicine.  The degree of ND is conferred in a school of naturopathy of which there are several in this country, mostly in Washington and Oregon.

www.capecodtoday.com/blogs/Doctor/2011/06/07/18599-Allopathy-Osteopathy-Homeopathy-Naturopathy-et-al

The best medicine is which treats you..................as per your requirement and not physicians requirement, whether it is allopathy, homeopathy, naturopathy, unani, herbal, tribal, traditional, yoga, sidhha, meditation.

When you want to treat your health problems, at least drugs should be availalable for treatment what type of drug it doesnt matter, when your physicians appointment is more than 60 days, then urgency is the only need.

So..The best medicine is which treats you..................

Naturopathy is best if you are proactively engaged in taking care of your health...if you don't care for your healthy habits and well being, you have no choice and you have to go for Allopathy. Though, now we are living in the age of multi-disciplinary, and all these branch must collaborate. In many cases, allopathy is a money-minting approach and always kept some distance from other schools of cure. High time, to go for multidisciplinary research, though happening at many places but still in the nascent stage. But why Ayurvedic and Unani systems are not included, they have still deeper roots in Indian society.

Good question. Thanks for sharing. I trust in the scientific advances obtained in medicine. However, really the best is the prevention of the diseases, as much as we can, particularly with healthy patterns of life.

Naturopathy is the best because it works towards the cure of diseases without using medicines but it  vary person to person and depends disease also. 

All therapies are having there own importance.In acute conditions Allopathy is the best therapy available in medical scenario where as for chronic conditions Homeopathy or natureopathy are the choice of therapy because of lesser chances of adverse events or side effects and contraindications. 

Dear Abhijit Mitra,

When we look at the past twenty years, we will see that homeopathy as a treatment has attracted the attention of society. Undoubtedly, homeopathy can move forward with the help of professional standards and training more available to interested health professionals.

Homeopathy - a therapeutic treatment method developed by the great German physician and scientist Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). The basis of homeopathy is the principle of similarity.

Regards, Shafagat

Each  medicine is good in respect of their importance and use and most importantly by patient and disease point of view. 

And medicine that cure you in convinient way devoid of major adr is good. I think if you think about persobalised based mwdicine. Ayurveda is good.

We carry out traditional medicine research because we are interested in drug discovery to cure different diseases. I know that natural resources offer us sources of diseases but at the same time offer medicines that we can use to keep our bodies healthy.  In this case we are looking at Naturopathy as a possible source of solutions to human diseases. All we have to do is to look at the natural resources as solutions to our problems.

I agree with a majority of what people have said thus far. In honesty, the "magic bullet/cure all," doesn't exist. Our genetic make up, environment, and personal energies as we may call it are so unique that not one could possibly be better than for another.

What I do in this case is then do a hierarchy of types based on the situation. If I am living healthy and smart, I am well set. Accidents happen and sickness ensues, then I take extra preventative measures. If I am not getting better then I move to something stronger. I often refer to a trusted specialist if I am debating the seriousness of my condition. But either way, I need to be aware of what is happening and try not to self diagnose. Our bodies have a tendency to try and tell us something is wrong before it gets serious and that takes a lot of time and practice. I am often deterred by the daunting task of what I should probably already know.

If I am in a serious accident or there is major work that needs to be done immediately despite my efforts to do what I can, then I go to a doctor. Herbs can't do my dental work or fix a broken bone. I don't doubt that other forms can aid in a situation, but some emergencies need science based medicine. 

The logical principles of allopathy and the use of natural substances for combat and forecast diseases and disorders is something grounded. Natural substances could in principle have less unknown side effects that allopathic drugs that cause, but it is true that the scope of natural medicine is in many ways only limited land and allopathic medicine can treat some diseases. In the case of homeopathy, its logical principles have not been supported by empirical evidence to consider this practice as science itself.

There is a new thinking among young practitioners of medicine that the advantages of different medicine systems should be judiciously used for the benefit of the patient and this practice is called holistic medicine.

Every pathy has it's own strength and drawbacks, so every pathy is good in one sense and weak in other sense. It is better to integrate the all beneficial and good therapeutic aspects to form an integrated medicine, which will be more beneficial for ailing humanity. I fully support Dr. B.R.R. Rao's view.

Integrative Medicine http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02054/Andrew-Weil-Integrative-Medicine.html

The question whether homeopathy, allopathy or naturopathy qhich one best is,all relative inthe context of geographical location of the patient concerned, his diet and daily routine. As far as India is comcerned, i think naturopathy is best except in casesof allergic, skin diseases where homeopathy has shown remarkable results though in the long run, which is understood nonetheless beauty is homeopathy has eradicated such diseases by root, and there is no recurrence as well. Thanks

Integrative medicine at graduate level is more suitable to produce suitable family physician, if any problem is unable to solve by them they may refer to respective specialist of that particular medical science.  

Very informative and interesting responses. I enjoyed reading the opinions of all the RG friends. We are all fortunate to have this forum for healthy exchange of ideas.

Matter of long-term research. It can not be said so easily; though it can be presumed that either homeo- or natureopathy will be the cure.

Each one is best in its own niche, depends which one is more result oriented for which malady.

MK Trivedi,

Interesting findings on cancer markers and changes with biofield treatment. Could you please explain what exactly is biofield and how you generate it and assess its dosimetry?

Mahendra,

Thanks. It means it is a kind of spiritual energy and not necessarily electric, magnetic or electromagnetic field.

Medicines prepared by Natural molecules or purified fractions and those used in Allopathy may provide better and quick results with very least side effect in comparison of modern medicine. HENCE ALLOPATHY IS THE BEST

Subhash,

Currently allopathy is the most popular system of medicine, with maximum investment and profits. Yet, it has several limitations. That is why other systems of medicine have a role to play, because curing of patients/maladies is more important than system of medicine being used.

Allopathic medicines are synthetic -chemicals hence more active, any thing more active means more reactive; along with beneficial effects side effects are also of more concerned. Treating one symptom or disease and creating another is not ideal medicine but in emergency and in acute conditions it is suitable. In chronic, life style related and metabolic syndrome the role of chemical medicine is very much limited or no role, here Ayurveda, CAM, Herbals are more comprehensive, holistic, nature friendly useful curative therapies. Best is integration of all beneficial fractions of all health care sciences at family physician practices level.

I appreciate Dr. Lavekar's comments. All these medical systems have their roles for our well beings in modern society. Each life and its health involve physiological, energetic, informational (spiritual), social and ecological aspects, and allopathic medicine is the right answer for acute conditions, especially those at physiological levels. We need to be cautious of not raising allopathic medicine to the altar of "scientism" , but instead, to increase each individuals' active initiatives to maximize life-style improvement and the other dimensions of his well being as mentioned above.

Why on earth is homeopathy and other pseudosciences still a topic on ResearchGate? 

They have no redeeming qualities except for allowing quacks with no medical or scientific training to peddle faith healing, auras, magnets, crystals and worthless solutions and pills.

For those who say that all this is "alternative medicine". There is a term for "alternative medicine" that has been shown to consistently work in the clinic.

It is called "MEDICINE".

Homeopathy has been around for ~200 years and has shown nothing of clinical value. It will remain "alternative medicine" forever.

For patients, anything that treats it correctly, promptly on time, less costly is best for him.

For scientists, Allopathy is best for publications and patents.

For Physicians it is based on which stream he or she came from.

This is like total truth is beyond any one's imagination. Every truth is limited to himself or herself.

Countries, where only allopathy is available, other pathies are useless and non scientific.

Take for examples Ayurveda, its in India and one of the mainstream medicine stream, and now recent government making new payscales same as allopathy...

Homeopathy is also common in India. Same it true with herbal, unani, naturopathy, and who can forget yoga.....

One thing about allopathy which I like is, it explains how drug targets  works at  molecular level which were tested with modern scientific method. For all other medicines, e.g. Ayurveda and Yoga, which are not originated from western world, can not be explained by western modern sciences of last 200 years. That science is different. So, nobody can compare all these different medicine streams at the same level of modern molecular lever and drug targets.

So, whichever is the drug, if it cure and give comfort to patients, that medicine is the best................!!!

Hey, Devendra.

How about this. You do a double-blind study that shows that homeopathy, allopathy and whatever -pathy works and I will not harass any infinite dilution people on RG ever again.

Deal?

I agree with you Dr. Stefansson,

Allopathy is the best medicine stream because we can clearly see what drug target is and that's how we work for drug discoveries based on true science in allopathy and also that is the need of the world' population because FDA also approve drug once it is tested by WHO and NIH guidelines which are all based on modern science of allopathy. 

Except some medicines such as chloroquine. what is the drug target for malaria ?

Or 

Even hydroxyurea, for sickle cell. This is not originally discovered for treatment of SCD, but anyhow it induces fetal hemoglobin due to stress F cells in the bone marrow and patients get more fetal Hb, and indirectly helps patients. Even though there is no direct inhibition of sickle cell Hb due to hydroxyurea, FDA approved it in 1998 for all SCD patients. So, patients and clinicians doesnt care how this drug work at molecular level but both enjoy the benefit and FDA always ask for newer drug on this disease whether the newer drug is comparable to HU therapy. 

For the same disease, to avoid toxicity due to HU, scientists are now working on herbal medicines, which can induce fetal Hb. 

However, for a patient's angle whatever is comfortable, easy to get, cheaper, urgent, without hassles from insurance company etc. etc. that pathy is good for that patient.

Rather than isolating medicine streams, it is the need hour to get comprehensive combination therapy e.g. physiotherapy neurologist and neurosurgeons suggests  after surgery or in absence to proper treatment. Same is with Yoga.

Remember " Science is universal, technology is culture specific, need specific". Medicine is a product of technology coming out of medical science. And science behind each pathy is different and cannot be tested on only one principle.

This is like mixing apple and oranges together. Comfort of patient is based on local technology and not based on universal science of medicine.

Ok, so there are no double-blind clinical studies that show that allopathy, homeopathy and whatever-pathy show beneficial outcomes for patients.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Its difficult to prove this as same diseases at the same time nobody has studied in the form of clinical trial. Till everything proved at molecular medicines, allopathy should be main stream line of medicine, at least for the physicians and scientists. Regarding patients its there choice.....

Yes correct.

But the problem of scientist is that they don't want to understand comprehensive remedies and ultimate goal of curing patient. As FDA approval and clinical trials are based on modern medicine or western medicines i.e. allopathy. We can't really standardize or optimize same biomarker of one disease and test Ayurveda and allopathy on same patient....

No it is possible, relief or cure or failure may be measured in any scientific parameters; in some cases we may have to design the integrated clinical or research protocol. The CCRAS-AYUSH Govt. of India has developed such protocols. Bio-markers can be interpreted in Ayurveda terms, most important is willingness to adopt comprehensive approach in treatment and research; this will be a team work of related doctors / scientists. It is a need of time to frame and execute such strategy in view of mass benefits.

Dear Prof.

Ithink that all are good ,  and its depwnd on the case  treatment.

I hope all are in good health.

Regards

Raid

to single out any single mode of treatment would not be wise.Integration and interdisciplinary approach for treatment is necessary.while evaluating any specific modality fact finding and not fault finding should be the approach

In my opinion, Ayurveda is best for preventative care and chronic problems.

Following answers.