Is it important to tell the name of the remedy to the patient?

Of course every patient has the right to know what he or she has to take. But as people like to read about them selves, their character they will look for informations about this remedy on internet and everywhere else. There they will find a lot of informations wich are not "nice", even terrifying. Perhaps they will also get afraid reading what is actually their remedy...the sickness itself, a excretion from a tuberculos sick person and similar,,,,In general, they will get too occupied with the informations about the remedy and too less with the healing process and looking what is happenning in them....
What are your experiences?

Tags: homeopathy-community, homeopathy-heals, homeopathy-works, homeopathy-world-community, remedy-name

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Permalink Reply by Joy Lucas on June 10, 2009 at 4:39pm: I always agree to tell the client what their remedy is at the end of treatment - if that discretion is ever required. Joy; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gina Tyler DHOM on June 15, 2009 at 3:48pm: Hi Tihana,good subject for discussion!
I feel its unethical of any homeopath to NOT TELL THEIR patients what remedies they are taking.
If a patient ASKS-of course I tell them them what the remedy is.

IF a patient does not ask,no need to discuss it.

Most often they dont do further homework,you wont see most patients digging around a homeopathic Materia Medica for more info.Perhaps only half of 1% of the consumers do this.

I find the same attitude with patients taking allopathics-most often than not "They just dont care what they are swallowing",they dont look up the adverse reactions on their prescription meds.
I always ask out of curiosity "do you know the adverse reactions of the drugs your taking?"- (99% say NO).
This lack of interest in what consumer swallow for medicine also applies in homeopathics.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Debby Bruck on July 2, 2009 at 5:07pm: It really depends upon the kind of patient you attract or that walks in the door. A good percentage of clients are investigative, have been searching for alternatives, have already dabbled in homeopathy and "just have a need to know."

With most clients like that I tell them to get started with the remedy and after a week or two when the remedy begins to act I will be happy to let them know the name of the remedy. I explain that 'scientifically speaking' as a single-blind study, we may not want to have effects from the book knowledge and emotional input of this kind of research.

If they are fearful or adamant about knowing, then of course I tell them right away.

In other cases, I actually discuss the remedy with the client, explaining how we chose a plant, mineral or animal that matches their energy pattern. I feel that I am as much an educator, personal coach, as a homeopath.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dr.Prema on June 16, 2009 at 7:37pm: yes, every patient has his/her right to know what they take. So, if a patient asks for the remedy name and sometimes, what is homeopathy,how it will work, - I tell them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Heidi Stevenson on July 2, 2009 at 6:14am: This is a subject that I've pondered many times. The bottom line, for me, is that there's no correct answer. As with everything else about each patient - and homeopath - what's appropriate is bound to be different in each case.

It seems to me that, if the homeopath is upfront about not saying what the remedy is, then the patient can decide whether or not to take it. There's certainly no dishonesty there.

Joy's solution - to always tell people at the end of treatment - seems honest, too.

I've had a patient who was told the remedy given - one that I felt sure was correct - and refused to take it. There's no doubt in my mind that it was because of its name (Petroleum). Had I not given the name, I'm fairly sure that patient would have taken the remedy and would have gotten better.

As it happens, I usually do tell patients what I'm giving them. I think it's simpler that way. However, it seems to me that there are instances in which it's better not to say - and possibly even cases in which giving placebo is appropriate.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tihana buterin on July 2, 2009 at 6:43am: I´ve heard about the similar case with arsenicum, the person didn´t want to take and it would be the best remedy. Second solution was a "more herbal" and cheerfull remedy name... there was no problem to take it - but it didn´t really help....; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gina Tyler DHOM on July 2, 2009 at 12:19pm: Hello Heidi
Perhaps just write down the "abbreviation" on paper (post it note)
Most often they wont know the full word or are too lazy to look this info up on their own.
I find that when a patient pays good money for a practicioners appt. They are spending hard earned money out of pocket and will take the remedy.
Think about allopathic meds-so expensive/costly for one pill-side effects are life threatening often causing death,Yet these patients swallow it up like its candy!(Do they look up the side effects/drug name of these allopathic prescriptions?-NO-)
Their visit with a allopathic specialist are most likely extremely costly,of course they will take the prescriptions.
"If its expensive it must be good!"

If you give consultations for free (no charge) then you have all sorts of problems like these.They missuse the time you as a practicioner spend on doing their case,no money spend,no loss for them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Debby Bruck on July 2, 2009 at 5:09pm: Great Gina! I do this too. I will put SLM2 - which stands for first initial of remedy, plus potency. They assume this is the formulation. No questions asked.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Katerina Harapesova on October 13, 2009 at 5:49am: Thank you for this advice!
I actually deal with this problem all the time because people are a little bit distrustful of homeopathy and they want to "check" on the internet, and also curious. Because my practice is that a patient buys a remedy himself i really have to say what it is. I struggle with myself very often to not forbid to look it up. Most of all when the Arsenicum is prescribed. We know how they are! :-)); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by david hartley on July 6, 2009 at 9:36am: Joy Lucas always has great comments :-)

I do believe the person has "a right to know."
However.
With some people, knowing can almost be a barrier to cure.
Which is the higher ethical calling ??
I will choose NOT telling them vs. their right to know, if I deem it useful .. and I have also made the promise of disclosure as treatment progresses.

A similar debate goes on about placebo .. I follow Hahnemann's example of not mentioning it; as clearly in a great majority this would obviate the usefulness (although I do remember one story .. probably one of Julian Winston's anectdotes .. about someone insisting to their homeopath that they should be given "a dose" when the homeopath was clear "not" .. after some banter, the homeopath said that he could only in good conscience give placebo .. the client readily accepted ;-)

warm wishes,
david hartley; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Myra Nissen on July 19, 2009 at 9:18pm: I generally obtain remedies from the pharmacies and have them drop shipped to the client so I am not able to keep the remedy a secret. I also sometimes am faced with dosage directions or symptom indications on the label. And from one pharmacy an exhausted list of possible antidotes. In my instructions I state up front to toss/recycle the antidote list and/or ignore any instructions and dosage directions stating they are FDA requirements and may or may not have to do with their case. If it seems like the person may read about it, I explain why it is to their disadvantage to do so. I have also faced someone not wanting to take their remedy based on the gross substance it was made from. This requires educating the client about the process of making homeopathic remedies and an explanation of Avogrado's No....

I am very much for the professional face of our profession and do not think it is advise to give loose pellets in coin envelopes and hand filled vials. I understand that it is illegal to dispense in that manner unless it is done in an approved facility by someone licensed to do so. That would be good to finally clarify, though. I have heard so many differing opinions.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kay Louise Fairclough on July 28, 2009 at 11:12am: I agree with Heidi here, whatever is called for by the individual scenario. I would never refuse to tell a patient what remedy they will be taking, but in my experience so far no patient has asked. I would consider it quite important to give the information of remedy/ treatment detail to a patient who is also being treated by another practitioner, so they can share this information with them too.

All said and done, as with Homeopathy, less is more, and at the end of the day how much do they need to know? If we arm patients with information that they can take away and potnetially take out of context, might we doing more harm than good?; ▶ Reply to This