The Banerji Protocols

Last week I wrote about the Narayani remedies, primarily because I had just used TapRoots* fabulous kit again and I wanted to sing its praises. (See below for their Banerji Protocol kits.)

My first homeopathic combination love, though, needs a little attention: the Banerji Protocols.

I have told this story before, but the amazingly wonderful and powerful Banerji Protocols are what convinced me to become a homeopath. Two weeks after beginning a bunch of combination remedies, in addition to a couple of individual homeopathic remedies all taken according to the schedule provided by my homeopath at the time, Joette Calabrese, — (I didn’t do this on my own!), I felt better than I had in many years. Just two weeks and the relief I felt was nothing short of miraculous. It was truly, truly life-changing stuff. So life changing that I immediately began taking classes in the Banerji Protocols offered by Joette Calabrese** and after a few months when I had finished all there was on offer that way, I enrolled in homeopathy school. (It’s funny. When I first spoke with Joette she mentioned her classes and asked if I would be interested. I responded that I didn’t have any time, as interesting as they sounded. Little did I know how much time I would want for studying all this new-to-me stuff called homeopathy! There simply aren’t enough hours in the day, even all these years later! I literally abandoned all my other interests at that point and dove straight in -- never even coming up for air!)

I think it’s fair to say that not all classically trained homeopaths are overly fond of practical, or, what is also referred to as clinical homeopathy. Some can be rather snooty about it, actually. (I have clients who have been "fired" by their classical homeopath because the individual took additional homeopathic remedies on their own accord.)

In particular, classical homeopaths seem to take umbrage with the Banerji Protocols. Why they do this, I can’t be certain, but I have my suspicions.

The Banerji Protocols were developed by the Drs Banerji (father and son) in Calcutta, India. This is a 4th generation family of homeopaths and for all that time, their clinic has been keeping records of which remedies helped which conditions. They have 10 doctors/homeopaths in their clinic who each see 100 patients a day. That’s 1,000 patients a day (!) upon which to base their information. They have some marvelous success rates and those results are replicated over and over again. It is truly impressive.

How do the Banerji Protocols differ from the Narayani remedies?

The Banerji Protocols are elegant combinations of homeopathic remedies. The Narayani remedies are still wondrous creations, but they are much larger combinations of homeopathic remedies — often mixing not just individual homeopathic remedies but also adding homeopathic nosodes, sarcodes and even Bach flower essences into the mix, too.

The Banerji Protocols use some combination remedies (generally combinations of only 2 remedies at a time) but mostly using individual remedies, but taking them as part of the same protocol (see below for an example). Remember, at it's core, classical homeopathy involves using one single remedy and then waiting and seeing what comes from that. The Banerji Protocols repeat remedies … sometimes weekly; sometimes daily; sometimes multiple times a day.

Because it has been in the news lately, let’s look at the Banerji’s first line (more on this later) protocol for the Measles***:

• Bryonia alba, twice daily

If there is a high temperature, add in:

• Belladonna, every 30 minutes until the temp is stable

If there is an accompanying cold or cough, add in:

• Ipecac, every hour, as needed.

So, as you see, this is not classical in that the protocol is using 3 different remedies to treat one specific condition.

If it works so well, why do classical homeopaths balk at that and not embrace it?

Even though these protocols have been used for decades in India, they’re fairly new to us in other corners of the world.

More importantly, as a classically trained homeopath, I can tell you that we are taught that every remedy we suggest to a client needs to be based on meticulous case-taking and that (single) remedy needs to be tailored to the specific symptoms that person is expressing — the Similimum. This is the really impressive aspect of homeopathy that differentiates it from every other form of medicine out there. Classical homeopathy doesn’t treat a disease, it treats the individual. And, what a beautiful thing it is!

I agree… in principle.

However, in today’s day and age where we have excellent diagnoses available to us through imaging and testing, finding the similimum is not always necessary. This is where the Banerji Protocols can step right up and take their very valuable spot. (See also: The Importance of a Proper Diagnosis.)

The Banerjis, with all their many thousands of case histories to rely upon, have learned what works for commonly diagnosed conditions. To name but a few:

• Warts

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Sinusitis

• Parkinson's Disease

• Infertility

Common conditions which often respond beautifully to homeopathic protocols.

The Banerji Protocols: A New Method of Treatment with Homeopathic Medicines is, in my never-to-be-humble opinion, an indispensable book. My copy is well loved and beginning to fall apart as I have read through and studied the approximately 200 conditions over the years.

For each condition addressed, they (generally speaking) list 3 “lines”:

• First Line medicines, which they claim offer relief, in 80% of the cases.

• Second Line medicines can help the remaining approximately 20% of the cases.

• If the first and second line “do not give proper response, in a reasonable time frame,” the third line is standing by and waiting.

And, if these “lines” don’t do the trick, the next step is to fall back on classical homeopathy.

We’re also taught in classical homeopathy schools that remedies should never be combined with other remedies. The logic here is sound: homeopathic remedies are tested or “proved” (using the homeopathic terminology) one at a time. To my knowledge, there has not been any official testing or provings of combined homeopathic remedies (just long, positive track records, like the records the Banerjis keep).

Having said that, to my understanding, there have not been any problems with using said combined remedies. There are certainly plenty of them out there*: Boiron, Hylands, Heel, UNDA, Narayani, Dr. Reckeweg — (there are more but this list should suffice to get anyone who has an interest in such things started).

How else do the Banerji Protocols differ from classical homeopathy?

• Classical homeopathy does not repeat remedies often (sometimes no repetition at all). The Banerjis often repeat their suggested remedies daily or even multiple times a day.

• Classical homeopathy puts a large emphasis on mental and emotional states and symptoms. Banerji Protocols, not so much.

• Classical homeopathy involves (generally speaking) long, in-depth case taking. Banerji Protocols cut to the chase, similar to how western medicine would prescribe certain medicines for certain conditions.

• Classical homeopaths would spend a great deal of time repertorizing (looking up symptoms in a repertory -- a book of symptoms expressed in the form of rubrics). The Banerjis have removed that step by stating exactly what to take and when and how often.

Now, let’s turn to Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy.

The other most important aspect of homeopathy is found in aphorism #1 in Hahnemann’s Organon of Medicine: “The physician’s highest and only calling is to make the sick healthy, to cure, as it is called.”

This beautiful ideal is from 1842, written in the 6th edition of Dr. Hahnemann's magnum opus, 32 years after his first edition. During these years, his methods changed and grew and who knows where his experimentation would have ended up if he had been able to get to the 10th or 20th editions of The Organon? I happen to believe that Dr. Hahnemann would have eventually come around to the idea of combination remedies, but that’s just my opinion.

What does it matter if one remedy at a time is used or if multiple remedies are combined… as long as the person experiences relief?

I know of successful classical homeopaths who say they use a particular remedy in their practice weekly. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that is not necessarily truly classical homeopathy. This, to me, does not really sound like they are getting the single best remedy that is “homeopathic to the case.” It can’t possibly be. If these homeopaths were going about their homeopathy in a completely classical fashion, the chances of them using the same remedy as the similimum for multiple clients in the same same week or month (outside of an epidemic/pandemic) are quite low.

Or, they say, “I use this remedy for this condition.” Again, this is essentially using a protocol — they are just their own protocols. After all, protocols are procedures based on previous experience to deliver an expected outcome.

I am certainly not knocking these homeopaths for doing this. On the contrary! This is exactly the point of practical or clinical homeopathy. Lots of people need similar or even the same remedies to help treat the conditions from which they suffer.

For this reason, I incorporate many ways of finding remedies for my clients. I suggest remedies based on how my clients want to work: if they want a single remedy, great! I’m on it. If they want a schedule of combination remedies, I can do that, too. If they want a mix of everything - done! I am happy to work with people in whichever way makes them comfortable.

My goal as a homeopath is to help people feel better.

Julia Coyte, CHom

Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

---

* I have no affiliation with these companies or people — just a big fan!

** Joette Calabrese is THE person from whom to learn the Banerji Protocols. Her many great webinars (and Facebook Live videos) are personable, interesting, entertaining and absolutely chock-a-block full of information. The hows and whys, the stories, her time spent with the Drs Banerji… definitely well worth the investment of time and money if you have any interest in learning about the Banerji Protocols.

*** I have intentionally left out the potencies. The Banerji Protocol book is a marvelous resource to have on your shelf and it will fill in the rest of the protocol information for you. Note: Some of their protocols call for remedies prepared in a liquid. Additionally, occasionally, they list potencies which we do not use in the west (in fact, sometimes these potencies are not even available in the west). Please be sure to take this into consideration if you purchase this terrific book and use caution when you encounter potencies which seem “unusual” to you.

---

TapRoots* also offers not one, but two (!) Banerji Protocol kits. The first one, The Banerji Protocols Combination set is $199 ($269.99 with a booklet). This is a little 50-remedy kit full of their handy-dandy combinations, like:

• Bryonia + Aconite (See: here, here, and here for previous articles talking about this must-have combination.)

• Lycopodium + Arsenicum album for gas and bloating (see here)

• Sanguinaria + Belladonna for sinus issues (see here)

TapRoots also offers a double kit of the remedies most frequently used in the Banerji Protocols. These are not combination remedies, they are individual homeopathic remedies in various potencies. This kit sells for $649. (A big chunk of change, but one would be set for pretty much anything that would come their way if they had these delicious little boxes of 200 remedies in potencies ranging from 3x to 1M in their arsenal.)

---

Reference list

Banerji, Dr. P., n.d. The Diaries of a Stubborn Homeopath.

Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji Protocols : a New Method of Treatment with Homeopathic Medicines. India: Pratip Banerji.

Boiron, 2020. Boiron USA - World Leader in Homeopathic Medicines [online]. BoironUSA.

Calabrese, J., 2024. JoetteCalabrese.com - Homeopathy works with us...not on us. [online]. JoetteCalabrese.com.

Dr. Reckeweg, 2022. Home [online]. Dr. Reckeweg.

Hahnemann, S. and Wenda Brewster O'reilly, 1996. Organon of the Medical Art. Palo Alto, Ca: Birdcage Books.

Homeopathy School international, 2025. Home - HOMEOPATHY SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL [online]. HOMEOPATHY SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL.

Hylands, 2025. Hyland’s [online]. Hyland’s.

MediNatura, 2021. MediNatura [online]. MediNatura.

Narayani Remedies, n.d. NARAYANI REMEDIES [online]. narayaniremedies.com.

SHASTRI, D. and LEE, M., 2025. What to know about measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico [online]. AP News.

TapRoots, 2025. Homeopathic Kits [online]. TapRoots.

---