Allopathic medicine and allopathy (from Greek ?????, állos, other, different + ?????, 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,^[1] but it has never been accepted by the medical establishment, and is not a label that such individuals apply to themselves.^[2][3]

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.^[4][5]

Generally, allopathic medicine refers to "the broad category of medical practice that is sometimes called Western medicine, biomedicine, scientific medicine, or modern medicine,"^[6] 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.^[7][8][9]

References

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