The Kerala branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has questioned the claims of homoeopaths in the state on the efficacy of homoeo medicines as a preventive measure against viral epidemics like dengue, malaria and leptospirosis fever, following a state health department move to mass administer homoeopathy medicines during the current monsoon season.

IMA sources said the efficacy of homoeo medicines to treat viral fever was neither clinically proven through animal and human trials nor been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"We have been observing in the last two-three years that the homeopaths come forward with claims of preventive medicine for various viral fever only when the epidemic peaks during the monsoon. If they have genuine interest in the health of the people and preventive medicines for viral diseases for six months as they claim, these drugs should have been administered earlier, instead of doing it in the middle of the monsoon season. Whatever be the truth in their claims, a study conducted by us is testimony to prove their claims are wrong. IMA had conducted a study among about 6000 children affected with viral fever during the last monsoon season in Thiruvatanthapuram, and had found 60 per cent of those children had taken homoeo drugs for prevention. If the medicines were good enough, they should not have contracted the disease," Dr.Alex Franklin, president of IMA, Thiruvananthapuram, told Pharmabiz.

He further said the homeopaths' claims of administering the preventive medicine to 60 lakh people in the state during the last monsoon season was questionable while considering the penetration of homeopaths and the market for homoeo drugs in the state. "Homeopathy is a system of medicine which does not believe in prevention, according to my knowledge. Then how do they claim of effective preventive medicine, which is not being practiced anywhere else, " asked Dr Alex Franklin.

He said if the government goes ahead with its decision to distribute homoeo medicines through the state-run hospitals including PHCs along with homeopathy outlets, the allopathic doctors would refrain from prescribing drugs of another stream of medicine on ethical and professional grounds.

However, the government sources indicated the health department was yet to work out details of administering homoeo medicines as a preventive measure, though there was a proposal.

Meanwhile, the Kerala wing of Institution of Homeopaths deplored the proposed government move to distribute homoeo drugs through the PHCs and other government hospitals. Kerala has more than 600 government-run homeopathy institutions, and the drugs should be distributed only through this network. The members of the association was ready to co-operate with the government agencies to ensure the drug reaches every panchayath in the state, according to Sinduram Velayuthan, president of the association.

According to the Indian Homeopathic Medical Association (IHMA), Kerala branch, the opinion of IMA on the efficacy of homoeo drugs to prevent dengue, malaria and viral fever was deplorable. The homeopathic system has medicines to prevent such diseases. It was proven that the fatal hemorrhage induced dengue fever was considerably prevented in the state during the last monsoon season, thanks to the preventive homoeo medicines administered to people, said the association.