​I came across an article last week titled, Beware the “Integrative” Pharmacy. One quote started me thinking;

“Imagine a retail pharmacy where some of the medicines on the shelves have been replaced with similar-looking packages that contain no active ingredients at all. There is no easy way to distinguish between the real and the fake.”

The reference is to homeopathy and the observation that within that arena the weaker a product the stronger it is. With that thinking absolutely nothing would be the most potent treatment. On one hand I agree with the conclusion, especially in a world fixated on instant healing and wonder drugs. However, that isn’t the crux of the article.

The author is calling attention to a possible conflict in pharmacies.

On one set of shelves the modern pharmacy offers the most potent medicines and drugs known. In another section, the customer may select treatment approaches that include homeopathy, an arguable approach to health.

I’ve read the stories about how effective homeopathy is and that it must be a true health method because it “even works on animals”, who can’t possibly understand that the treatment is little more than a placebo. I am not arguing that position, but I am calling attention to the fact that some people are questioning just what a modern pharmacy is offering to the consumer

The article also comments on products sold as,

” …remedies with fantastic claims, such as ‘boosting’ the immune system, ‘detoxifying’ the body, or ‘cleansing’ you of microscopic Candida. They look sciencey, unless you realize that they treat imaginary medical conditions.”

The author draws attention to the pharmacist – at the back of the store – where there’s, “A sign on the counter