Allopathic medicine

Allopathic medicine and allopathy (from Greek "ἄλλος", "állos", other, different + "πάϑος", "páthos", suffering) are terms coined by Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. Originally intended as a characterization of standard medicine in the early 19th century, these terms were rejected by mainstream physicians and quickly acquired negative overtones. In the United States the term "allopathic" has been used in contexts not related to homeopathy, [cite journal| title=When did I become an "allopath"? (Commentary)| journal=Archives of Internal Medicine| date=1998| first=Katherine E.| last=Gundling| volume=158| pages=2185–6| pmid=9818797| accessdate=2008-04-28 | quote = Just when did I become an allopath? I am hearing and reading this term more and more lately. … Nevertheless, there is a clear trend of increased use of the term among mainstream physicians.| doi=10.1001/archinte.158.20.2185] but it has never been accepted by the medical establishment, and is not a label that such individuals apply to themselves. [cite journal| title=When did I become an "allopath"? (Commentary)| journal=Archives of Internal Medicine| date=1998| first=Katherine E.| last=Gundling| volume=158| pages=2185–6| pmid=9818797| accessdate=2008-04-28 | quote = Allopathy artificially delimits the practice of medicine […] . It embodies an unnatural, inflexible philosophy of care and implies that our system of care is merely one of many from which a discerning health care consumer may choose. […] The practice of medicine deserves so much more than the parsimonious title allopathy.| doi=10.1001/archinte.158.20.2185] [cite journal|title=In the Name of Medicine|journal=Annals of Internal Medicine|date=1998|first=Alan D.|last=Berkenwald|coauthors=|volume=128|pages=246–50|id= |url=http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/128/3/246|format=|accessdate=2008-04-28 | quote = Frequently used terms such as scientific, regular, mainstream, conventional, organized, allopathic, or conservative fail to describe adequately what licensed physicians do in our society.]

In the United States, allopathic medicine can sometimes refer to the medical training that leads to the degree Doctor of Medicine rather than the degree Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. See comparison of MD and DO in the United States. [cite web| url=http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos074.htm| title=Physicians and Surgeons| accessdate=2008-04-28| date=2007-12-18| work=Occupational Outlook Handbook| publisher=U.S. Department of Labor | quote = "There are two types of physicians: MD — Doctor of Medicine — and DO — Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. MDs also are known as allopathic physicians."] [" [http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/research/articles/decide/allopathic.asp "Allopathic" Medicine] " - The Princeton Review (a college admissions testing preparation company unaffiliated with Princeton University)]

Generally, allopathic medicine refers to "the broad category of medical practice that is sometimes called Western medicine, biomedicine, scientific medicine, ormodern medicine,"cite web |url=http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2001/WHO_EDM_TRM_2001.2.pdf |title=Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review |accessdate=2007-09-12 |date=2001 |format=PDF |work=World Health Organization |publisher=World Health Organization ] with varying degrees of acceptance by medical professionals in different locales. See medicine.

Allopathic medicine or allopathy may also refer to:
* The opposite of homeopathy, see homeopathy and allopathy.
* The opposite of complementary and alternative medicine.
* The opposite of traditional medicine, especially of Ayurveda. [Gogtay NJ, Bhatt HA, Dalvi SS, Kshirsagar NA. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=PubMed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=12408732&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum "The use and safety of non-allopathic Indian medicines."] Drug Saf. 2002;25(14):1005-19. PMID 12408732.] [ Verma U, Sharma R, Gupta P, Gupta S, Kapoor B. [http://www.ijp-online.com/text.asp?2007/39/1/52/30765"Allopathic vs. ayurvedic practices in tertiary care institutes of urban North India."] Indian J Pharmacol. 39:52-54. accessed 1 Oct 2007.] ["Ayurveda and Allopathy." Gosai.com. [http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/vedic-upanisads/ayurveda.html#Ayurveda] accessed 1 Oct 2007.]

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