Sergei Kolesnikov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, who will soon become deputy chairman of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Commission for Combating Pseudoscience, has not changed his position on homeopathy, which he has previously expressed support for.
“Homeopathy has existed for more than 200 years, proof of therapeutic effect exists. There is virtually no evidence to say it is so-called pseudoscience. Therefore, the discussion will continue,” the RAS academician told RBC. In his opinion, homeopathy represents a popular modern “personalized approach,” so the assertions of evidence-based medicine specialists that a drug should work on 70-90% of patients do not apply here.
According to Kolesnikov, opponents of homeopathy cannot provide evidence refuting data on the efficacy of such remedies, which are currently approved for use. “Let the opponents of homeopathy present experimental evidence refuting the data on therapeutic effect, no one will object. But they do not provide it; they are guided by the fact that these remedies contain no molecules of the active substance. Yes, but perhaps other mechanisms are at work there. Let’s figure it out,” he believes.
Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine in which patients are prescribed ultra-small doses of substances that, in large concentrations, cause signs of a specific illness in a healthy person—according to the principle of “like cures like.”
In May of last year, the RAS Commission for Combating Pseudoscience issued a statement opposing the inclusion of homeopathic drugs in clinical guidelines for treating ARVI, irritable bowel syndrome, and acute sinusitis. It referred to the drugs “Ergoferon,” “Kolofort,” and a “homeopathic drug with proven modulating action on inflammatory mediators without suppressing COX-2.” The commission noted that these medicines use “such high dilutions of active substances that the final product contains not a single molecule of them” and called for their exclusion from clinical guidelines. However, in August, the Ministry of Health approved new treatment recommendations for ARVI, which still include Ergoferon.
The RAS Presidium approved the regulations and composition of the Commission for Combating Pseudoscience on February 3, though the decree itself has not yet been published. Since November 2025, it has been headed by Academician Alexander Gliko. The commission includes scientists from practically all branches of the Academy, with a predominance of physicists. The commission is engaged in analyzing instances of pseudoscience propaganda, examining projects and publications for scientific reliability, developing recommendations to counter pseudoscientific ideas, and organizing educational events.
