People with conditions such as HIV, TB and malaria¹ should not rely on homeopathic treatments, the World Health Organization has warned.

世界卫生组织警告道，患有艾滋病、肺结核和疟疾的人不应该依靠顺势疗法。

Homeopathic remedies often contain few or no active ingredients

It was responding to calls from young researchers who fear the promotion² of homeopathy（顺势疗法） in the developing world could put people's lives at risk.

The group Voice of Young Science Network has written to health ministers to set out the WHO view.

WHO TB experts said homeopathy had "no place" in treatment of the disease.

In a letter to the WHO in June, the medics from the UK and Africa said: "We are calling on the WHO to condemn³ the promotion of homeopathy for treating TB, infant diarrhoea（腹泻）, influenza⁴, malaria（疟疾） and HIV.

"Homeopathy does not protect people from, or treat, these diseases.

"Those of us working with the most rural and impoverished⁵（贫困的，赤贫的） people of the world already struggle to deliver the medical help that is needed.

"When homeopathy stands in place of effective treatment, lives are lost."

Dr Robert Hagan is a researcher in biomolecular science at the University of St Andrews and a member of Voice of Young Science Network, which is part of the charity Sense About Science campaigning for "evidence-based" care.

He said: "We need governments around the world to recognise the dangers of promoting homeopathy for life-threatening illnesses.

"We hope that by raising awareness⁶ of the WHO's position on homeopathy we will be supporting those people who are taking a stand against these potentially disastrous⁷ practices."

'No evidence'

Dr Mario Raviglione, director of the Stop TB department at the WHO, said: "Our evidence-based WHO TB treatment/management guidelines, as well as the International Standards of Tuberculosis⁸ Care do not recommend use of homeopathy."

The doctors had also complained that homeopathy was being promoted as a treatment for diarrhoea in children.

But a spokesman for the WHO department of child and adolescent health and development said: "We have found no evidence to date that homeopathy would bring any benefit.

"Homeopathy does not focus on the treatment and prevention of dehydration⁹（脱水） - in total contradiction with the scientific basis and our recommendations for the management of diarrhoea."

Dr Nick Beeching, a specialist in infectious diseases at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said: "Infections such as malaria, HIV and tuberculosis（肺结核） all have a high mortality rate but can usually be controlled or cured by a variety of proven treatments, for which there is ample experience and scientific trial data.

"There is no objective evidence that homeopathy has any effect on these infections, and I think it is irresponsible for a healthcare worker to promote the use of homeopathy in place of proven treatment for any life-threatening illness."