Since the beginning of the vaccination campaign against Covid-19, some vaccinated patients have reported mild but uncomfortable side effects: fatigue, fever, pain at the injection site, flu-like syndrome. In response to these discomforts, some turn to homeopathy or isotherapy in an attempt to alleviate them. These practices, which fall under complementary medicine, are generating increasing interest, but also legitimate questions about their scientific basis and their place in the care pathway.
Post-vaccination isotherapy: a principle distinct from classical homeopathy
Isotherapy is based on a principle that many confuse with traditional homeopathy. The difference lies in the source of the preparation. In classical homeopathy, the remedy is made from a substance chosen according to the law of similitude (a compound that, in a healthy person, would provoke symptoms similar to those being treated).
In isotherapy, the preparation is made from the causal agent itself, here the vaccine or one of its components, diluted and dynamized according to the homeopathic process. The idea is to present the immune system with an ultra-diluted information of the substance to which the body has reacted.
Specialized pharmacies in homeopathy offer isotherapeutic dilutions based on the Covid vaccine. These preparations are made by prescription, most often in increasing dilutions (9 CH, 15 CH, 30 CH). An article detailing homeopathy and isotherapy before the Covid vaccine on Else Revue describes the protocols used in routine practice by some prescribers.
This approach has not been the subject of randomized clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals specifically on Covid vaccination. Field reports diverge on this point: some practitioners report a subjective decrease in post-vaccination effects in their patients, while health authorities do not recognize this effectiveness.
Homeopathic protocols proposed around the Covid vaccine
Several protocols are circulating in the Francophone homeopathic sphere. The CEDH (Center for Teaching and Development of Homeopathy) has published recommendations for trained healthcare professionals. These protocols generally distinguish three phases: before the injection, on the same day, and the following days.
Frequently cited remedies in the protocols
- Thuja occidentalis, traditionally used in homeopathy to accompany vaccination follow-ups, regardless of the nature of the vaccine
- Silicea, prescribed in cases where post-vaccination fatigue persists beyond a few days
- Arnica montana, suggested for local pain at the injection site and generalized aches
- Gelsemium, considered when flu-like syndrome (chills, heaviness, headaches) predominates
These remedies are available in pharmacies without a prescription, in granules or doses. The dilution and dosage vary according to sources, making any rigorous comparison between protocols difficult.
None of these remedies have marketing authorization for the indication “side effects of the Covid vaccine.” Their use in this context is based on extrapolation from general vaccination homeopathy, practiced long before the pandemic.
Adverse effects of the Covid vaccine: what French pharmacovigilance says
To situate the discussion, it is important to recall what pharmacovigilance records as common post-vaccination effects. The ANSM (National Agency for the Safety of Medicines) has published regular reports during the vaccination campaign. The most frequently reported effects were mild and transient.
- Pain and redness at the injection site, occurring within hours of administration
- Moderate fever and fatigue, usually resolving within one to three days
- Headaches and myalgias, sometimes accompanied by chills
The standard medical recommendation for these symptoms remains paracetamol. Health authorities have not included any complementary approach in their official post-vaccination recommendations.
French pharmacovigilance also requires the reporting of any suspected adverse effect, including by the patients themselves, via an online portal accessible since 2017. This reporting also concerns situations where a patient simultaneously uses a homeopathic treatment and experiences (or does not experience) an improvement, as potential interactions remain poorly documented.
Lack of evidence and scientific limits of vaccination homeopathy
The fundamental question is that of evidence. The available data do not allow for a conclusion regarding the specific effectiveness of homeopathy or isotherapy on the side effects of the Covid vaccine. Several reference organizations have ruled on this subject in a broader context.
The HAS, the Australian NHMRC, and other agencies converge on the absence of demonstrated clinical efficacy of homeopathy beyond the placebo effect. This position has indeed led to the delisting of homeopathic medicines in France, effective since January 2021.
Proponents of homeopathy argue that classical methodologies (double-blind randomized trials) are not suitable for a discipline that individualizes treatment. This is an old epistemological debate that goes beyond the scope of Covid vaccination alone.
On the other hand, the placebo effect itself is not negligible. Patients who take a homeopathic treatment believing in its effectiveness may experience real subjective relief. This phenomenon, well documented in medicine, raises a practical question: should we discourage a harmless practice that provides perceived comfort, even without an identified pharmacological mechanism?
Homeopathy and Covid vaccination: precautions for patients
Whether or not one chooses to resort to homeopathy after a Covid vaccine, certain points deserve attention. Homeopathy should not replace medical follow-up in the case of serious or persistent adverse effects. Warning signs (breathing difficulties, chest pain, severe allergic reaction) require immediate medical attention.
Prescription-based isotherapy requires a prior consultation with a trained healthcare professional. The dilutions are prepared in specialized pharmacies and are not available over the counter. This step serves as a filter, but it does not guarantee the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment.
Dietary supplements and natural products presented as protective against Covid or its vaccines also lack sufficient evidence to be recommended. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) concluded that the data were insufficient to recommend most of these products.
Prudence remains advisable for anyone wishing to combine homeopathy and vaccination. Informing one’s primary care physician of all treatments taken, including homeopathic ones, ensures coherent management and avoids any confusion in the event of a pharmacovigilance report.