Survey: Many women shoppers avoid OTC drugs, seek natural alternatives

Sunday, April 24, 2011 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: OTC drugs, women, health news

(NaturalNews) A recent study conducted by The Hartman Group on behalf of Boiron, a global manufacturer of homeopathic medicines, has found that 82 percent of women shoppers ages 25-70 try to avoid buying traditional over-the-counter (OTC) medications that treat conditions like headaches and influenza. According to the survey, such women simply do not think such drugs are good for them or their families, and many would rather try natural, healthy alternatives like homeopathy.

More than 1,400 women participated in the online survey, which found that 42 percent of women consider the purity and healthfulness of medicines highly important. Thirty-one percent of the women also said they pay close attention to both chemical and "irritant" content when choosing OTC medicines.

Interestingly, only 15 percent of respondents indicated that they had actually ever used a homeopathic remedy. Fourteen percent said they had given homeopathic remedies to their children within the year prior to the survey, but he vast majority of participants said they simply did not know enough about homeopathy and had thus never considered it. But at least 33 percent, after being given a quick summary of the safety and effectiveness of homeopathy, said they would be interested in trying it.

Though the survey was prompted by a company that sells homeopathic remedies, it offers an important insight into the purveyance of knowledge in the U.S. concerning illness treatments. Drug companies freely promote and market OTC medicines as if they are the only option available to address illness symptoms, also falsely purporting that such medicines are perfectly safe.

Homeopathy, though virtually untouched by the mainstream media as being a safe and effective alternative to relieving various pain symptoms, is effective at treating a host of illnesses including ear infections, morning sickness, diarrhea, nausea, insomnia, insect stings, snake bites, allergies, influenza, colds, and many other conditions (https://www.naturalnews.com/homeopathic_remed...).

Sources for this story include:

http://www.multivu.com/players/English/45775...