Leading homoeopathy practitioners, teachers and students on Tuesday pooh-poohed the contention of eminent scientist and former Director of CCMB, Dr P M Bhargava, that homoeopathy was unscientific and challenged him for an open debate on the efficacy of the internationally popular medical system. Dr Bhargava, at a press conference on Sunday, had stated that homoeopathy was 'conceptually absurd and scientifically untested' and called for its derecognition as a medical system.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh Homoeopathic Association and the Hyderabad Chapter of Homoeopathic Medical Graduates Association (HMGA) condemned Dr Bhargava's remarks. Several representatives various associations and hundreds of homoeopathy graduates and students were present at the press conference to refute Dr Bhargava's observations. They also burnt an effigy of the scientist as a mark of their protest.

Dr A Yadagiri Reddy, president, HMGA, said Dr Bhargava's remarks were illogical and baseless. He said homoeopaths were ready to prove the medical substance and biological influence of homoeopathy drugs and invited Dr Bhargava to come on to a platform and prove his criticism.

Several other speakers at the press conference pointed out that millions of people had benefited from homoeopathic treatment over two centuries and all their experience could not be put down to the 'placebo effect' as stated by Dr Bhargava.

Dr K Gopalakrishna, general secretary, HMGA, said, "Homoeopathy has stood the test of time and is backed by overwhelmingly persuasive observational evidence." He said this system was very different from allopathy. Double blind drug trials were not part of this system, but homoeopathy had its own system of 'proving' and had proven its effectiveness over continents and centuries.

Dr Gopalakrishna said as science was based on observational evidence, a scientist could not ignore such a huge mass of the society for nearly two centuries (after homoeopathy was started) only because it was not consistent with contemporary scientific thought. There was no equipment invented so far to measure the energy of homoeopathy and one (equipment) might come up in the near future. He said science could not be studied easily as it was beyond energy and dynamism. Homoeopathy was not unscientific; rather, at present the scientists themselves were conceptually inadequate to negotiate with the homoeopathic phenomenon. Homoeopathic principles and observations were the facts of reality and the existing scientific theories and concepts were inadequate which must be revised and expanded to account for them, Dr Gopalakrishna said.

He said the system was introduced in India through an Act of Parliament after strict scrutiny. Its practitioners were today offering their services in 307 hospitals, 7,155 clinics, besides imparting the course in 150 colleges.

Dr N Srinivas Rao, vice-president, AP Homoeopathic Association, threw the gauntlet at Dr Bhargava, saying homoeopathy experts were ready to prove the efficacy of the medicine if he approached them. He said homoeopathy was being increasingly recognized as an important part of medical strategies worldwide by the World Health Organisation. "In the UK, the government runs the Royal College of Homoeopathy and the National Health Scheme has registered homoeopaths on its rolls. He informed that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles regularly used homoeopathic drugs. A Dutch study had found 63 % of patients were 'conclusively cured' by homoeopathy," Dr Rao said.

He wondered whether the growing acceptance of homoeopathy was making MNC drug conglomerates uneasy, leading to such attacks on this system of medicine.

Dr G Hanumantha Rao, secretary, HMGA, said that large-scale research was going on in the field of clinical and fundamental applications in the homoeo system. He said scientific data on microdosages and patients had been collected and action of the homoeo medicines was being measured with Beta Analysers and Nuclear Magnetic Machine (NMR).

Besides HMGA and AP Homoeopathic Association, the press conference was addressed by the Indian Institute of Homoeopathic Physicians, the AP Homoeopathic Medical Officers Association, the Homoeopathic Chemists Association, and the Homoeopathic Students Unions of Hyderabad, Cuddapa, Rajamundry and Gudivada.

In other reactions, the AM Charitable Trust, which provides palliative care to cancer patients, claimed that homoeo medicines have proved effective in countering the debilitating effects of cancer and even led to regression in a few cases.

In a press release, the Trust said most cancer patients who came to them were at an advanced stage and had practically been given the 'death certificate' by doctors. But with homoeopathy, Ayurveda and yoga, these patients had been able to control their symptoms, reduce pain without the use of morphine and improve their general quality of life. The press release said, " people believe persons of the eminence of Dr Bhargava" and added that this should not lead cancer patients to despair.

Dr Venugopal Gouri, well-known homoeopathic physician, questioned the competence of Dr Bhargava to speak on a system of which he knew nothing. In a statement, Dr Gouri agreed that it was still a challenge to science how homoeopathy worked and called on senior and experienced scientists to research on this, rather than make 'irresponsible and harmful' statements.