Frequently Asked Questions

Homeopathy is a therapeutic method that uses diluted substances to relieve acute and chronic symptoms. Homeopathy derives from the Greek words homeo, meaning ‘‘similar’’, and pathos, meaning ‘‘suffering’’ (such as the pathology of a disease).

It operates on a ‘‘like cures like’’ principle. This means that a patient suffering from symptoms can be treated by micro-doses of a substance capable of producing similar symptoms in a healthy person.

The active ingredients in homeopathic medicines are derived from botanical (or vegetal), animal, mineral or chemical substances. Homeopathic medicines can be classified in two large families:

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines associated with precise indications to relieve most common symptoms. OTC medicines usually contain several medicinal ingredients and target a set of symptoms.
• Boiron tubes with no mention of a therapeutic indication.

Homeopathic OTC medicines are available in various dosage forms including tablets, unit-doses, gels, creams, pellets, liquids, ointments, suppositories, and syrups.

Boiron’s homeopathic medicines are regulated as medicines by Health Canada.

A homeopathic medicine is obtained from a precise and controlled process of successive homeopathic dilutions. With each homeopathic dilution, the medicine is deconcentrated and

then vigorously shaken (also called “succussion”). This dilution is used to manufacture the final homeopathic medicine.

There are more than 3,000 base substances used in the preparation of homeopathic treatments. Each substance is classified by its international scientific name, which is expressed in Latin (Arnica montana for example) so that health care practitioners around the world can identify it quickly and accurately.

You can take more than one homeopathic medicine at one time. However, we recommend taking them a few minutes apart.

There are generally no contraindications between allopathic and homeopathic medicines when taken simultaneously. Although homeopathy is effective on its own in treating a variety of conditions, your health care practitioner may also prescribe other non-homeopathic products that act in a complementary manner. If you are unsure about a specific combination, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Homeopathic medicines can be purchased through pharmacies and health food stores. Some retailers also sell our homeopathic medicines online.

For more information, please visit : boiron.ca/where-to-buy

Boiron homeopathic medicines can be given to a child. However, label directions may differ based on age. Please check with your health care practitioner and always read and follow the label before use.

As with any medicine, pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult a health care practitioner before use, including Boiron homeopathic medicines. Please check with your health care practitioner and always read and follow the label before use.

Homeopathic vaccinations do not exist. There is no such thing as a “homeopathic vaccination,” and no homeopathic medicine can be substituted as a vaccine. None of Boiron’s homeopathic medicines are labeled or promoted as homeopathic vaccines. Both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada continue to promote and actively support vaccination of Canadians to protect themselves from vaccine‐preventable illnesses.

Health Canada has not authorized any nosode as a vaccine alternative. Authorizing homeopathic medicines, including nosodes, for traditional homeopathic care is very different from authorizing them as alternatives to vaccines. Like the other Boiron tubes available in Canada, nosodes do not list indications on their labels.

On July 31st 2015, Health Canada announced label changes for nosode products by January 1st 2016 and has updated the related nosodes monograph (http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/atReq.do?atid=nosodes&lang=eng). For Boiron, 11 remedies are potentially concerned : candida albicans, colibacillinum, influenzinum, luesinum, medorrhinum, pertussinum, proteus vulgaris, psorinum, staphylococcinum, streptococcinum, tuberculinum. However, it is important to note that these 11 remedies have obtained their licence for market authorization according to the “homeopathy” monograph and not the “nosodes” monograph. Then, the new labeling requirements for nosodes do not apply to these homeopathic medicines.
Our homeopathic medicines are fully compliant with the Canadian regulation for homeopathic medicines and are labeled according to the “homeopathy” monograph. None of our homeopathic medicines are labeled or promoted as “homeopathic vaccines”; as with all our other Boiron tubes, none of our nosodes are labeled with an indication.

Yes. When used for acute, occasional illnesses, homeopathic medicines can take effect quickly, especially if administered as soon as symptoms appear. For chronic conditions such as asthma, migraines, allergies and rheumatism, longer treatments are needed to see sustained relief.

Boiron recommends taking the sublingual pellets in a clean mouth (taken apart from meals).

Boiron oral medicines should be dissolved in the mouth as they will be absorbed through the mucous membrane on the inside of the mouth. The mucous membrane is thinnest under the tongue, so absorption will be quickest when dissolved under the tongue. When chewed or swallowed, the pellets pass through the digestive system and thus take longer to act.

“CH” is the abbreviation for the Hahnemannian centesimal scale. It indicates that a medicine has been prepared using the serial dilution process invented by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. The number that appears before the “CH” indicates the medicine’s potency, or the number of times the main substance has been diluted.

“K” refers to the Korsakovian dilution method. It indicates that a medicine has been prepared using the process developed by Semyon Korsakov.