Altruism and Unscientific Medical Behavior: An Economic View on Homeopathic Dilutions

Brendon Andrews

No 2025-7, Working Papers from University of Alberta, Department of Economics

Abstract: The homeopathic practice of diluting medications by factors of 100 raised to the power of 12, 30, or even higher is unscientific. Why might a healthcare provider choose to follow such a doctrine? This short article uses an economic model of provider behavior including altruism for patients to argue that both cost-reduction and well-meaning concern can explain the practice’s adoption in the early nineteenth century. Altruistic behavior consistent with high dilutions is predicted when undiluted treatment benefits are negative, even when homeopaths are overconfident and believe otherwise, and can reduce patient harm. Homeopathic practice choice is most attractive in this context to altruistic, steadily overconfident low-quality healthcare providers. Related modern treatment settings can be constructed which imply policy-relevant research directions.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine; Altruism; Healthcare; Homeopathy; Provider Behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I11 J44 N31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 21
Date: 2025-09
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:albaec:021640

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