Oscillococcinum made from duck heart and liver

December 16, 2005

Hi All, I don't know if this has been discussed yet on the group, but in case not, I wanted to send out this caution. Oscillococcinum is the new homeopathic for cold/flu being sold aggressively at Whole Foods and other health food stores. I've actually taken it, which completely grosses me out. It's a product of France, and there is not disclosure on the box. Read more below. Best, Andrea Oscillococcinum: Typically, the influenza virus runs its course in one or two weeks. However, one study suggests that the homeopathic remedy Oscillococcinum -- formulated from heart and liver extracts of a species of duck -- may effectively reduce flu symptoms and duration in as little as 48 hours. This study, published in 1998 in theBritish Homeopathic Journal, sought to determine if this remedy could

eliminate symptoms faster or improve overall conditions to a greater degree than placebo. At the study's 48-hour mark, it was shown that 19.2% of those taking Oscillococcinum (as 1 dose of 200 globules taken sublingually three times daily for three days) displayed no flu symptoms, with 43.7% showing clear improvements. At 7-10 days, it was found that 80.1% displayed no flu symptoms. For optimal effects, it is recommended that adults and children 2 years and over dissolve the entire contents of one tube in the mouth every 6 hours, up to 3 times a day.

December 17, 2005

Oscillococcinum also contains lactose, so it is doubly unsuitable for vegans. Most homeopathic remedies, at least the remedies that I have seen on the market, contain lactose as well.On Dec 16, 2005, at 10:45 AM, andrea wrote: Hi All, I don't know if this has been discussed yet on the group, but in case not, I wanted to send out this caution. Oscillococcinum is the new homeopathic for cold/flu being sold aggressively at Whole Foods and other health food stores. I've actually taken it, which completely grosses me out. It's a product of France, and there is not disclosure on the box. Read more below. Best, Andrea Oscillococcinum: Typically, the influenza virus runs its course in one or two weeks. However, one study suggests that the homeopathic remedy Oscillococcinum -- formulated from heart and liver extracts of a species of duck -- may effectively reduce flu symptoms and duration in as little as 48 hours. This study, published in 1998 in theBritish Homeopathic Journal, sought to determine if this remedy could eliminate symptoms faster or improve overall conditions to a greater degree than placebo. At the study's 48-hour mark, it was shown that 19.2% of those taking Oscillococcinum (as 1 dose of 200 globules taken sublingually three times daily for three days) displayed no flu symptoms, with 43.7% showing clear improvements. At 7-10 days, it was found that 80.1% displayed no flu symptoms. For optimal effects, it is recommended that adults and children 2 years and over dissolve the entire contents of one tube in the mouth every 6 hours, up to 3 times a day. ____ BAY AREA VEGETARIANS (BAV) is a non-profit 501 ©(3) community organization for veggies to network, find support and promote veg*nism. Events Calendar - http://bayareaveg.org/events Newsletter - http://bayareaveg.org/news Veg Mentor Program - http://bayareaveg.org/mentor Ultimate Guide - http://bayareaveg.org/ug Veg Food Finder - http://bayareaveg.org/finder Charter & Post Guidelines - http://bayareaveg.org/charter Compassionate Living Program - http://bayareaveg.org/cl Map It Veg - http://www.frappr.com/baveg ____

December 23, 2005

Steve Simitzis <steve wrote "Oscillococcinum also contains lactose, so it is doubly unsuitable for vegans. Most homeopathic remedies, at least the remedies that I have seen on the market, contain lactose as well." ------------- You can get vegan homeopathics without the lactose. I special order the liquid/alcohol form of the common homeopathic medicines you see at stores that contain lactose. The liquid form I order does not contain any lactose or animal-derived ingredients (according to Boiron). I have seen homeopathics from Similisan, Boiron and Bach on Vegan Essentials and Pangea. Both of these companies only sell vegan products. Many homeopathics are

derived from plant or mineral, though some are derived from animal. You can get the little booklet from Boiron called "The Smart Guide to Homeopathy" that explains the sources of the homeopathic remedies. From what I've seen, a lot are from plant or mineral. I have read that Boiron, Similisan and Bach do not test on animals and in Boiron's little booklet it states: "All research in homeopathy is being carried out in-vitro or on human beings, not on animals." I have not looked into other companies to verify if they are tested on animals or not. So, you can find out the source of the remedy to see if it is plant or mineral-derived and order it in liquid form. Peace, Melissa