Sociological studies of complementary and alternative therapies have l
argely focused on the activities and experiences of lay practitioners
and users, In contrast, this paper explores some of the ways that a gr
oup of medically qualified general practitioners employ homeopathic tr
eatments in their everyday work within the NHS. We explore the ways in
which homeopathic medicine accords with an expansive view of the cons
ultation in general practice, and offers doctors a means of avoiding t
he iatrogenic effects of modern drug treatments, We also point to the
ways that this involves practitioners in engaging with contests about
the utility of treatments that are rejected by contemporary bioscience
.