Suppression or Palliation of disease is the removal of external symptoms of disease by external means like mechanical, chemical or topical treatment, or by means of giving massive doses of powerful drugs internally. These methods have a direct physiological or toxic effect but no true therapeutic or curative action.

Disease primarily is a morbid disturbance of the vital force, which is represented by the totality of the symptoms. This force which harmoniously governs our body functions, when dynamically disturbed expresses itself externally in the form of external abnormal growths, skin lesions, discharges, there by relieving the organism and protecting its vital organs. As believed by the modern system of medicine, the tissue changes are not essential part of the disease, but only the products of the disease, or results of the disease. During such condition when the external symptoms like skin lesions, discharges, growths are suppressed or removed surgically, the disease affects the vital organs leading to grave condition. The curable condition is gradually transformed into an incurable condition. The removal of abnormal macro or microscopic changes should not form the main objective of treatment. The focus should remain in rectifying the deranged vital force. The secondary structural changes ultimately vanish, or their progress is halted when the affected vital force is set right by treating the totality of symptoms.

There are various modes of suppression of disease commonly followed. Most frequently seen is the suppression of skin manifestations with external application of drug preparations like ointments and lotions. This does not cure the disease, but cause more harm to patient as the expressing miasm is forced to express itself in the vital organs like heart, lungs, kidneys etc. Suppression of abnormal discharges or natural secretions, like perspiration prevents elimination of the toxic waste substance from the body. Now a day the surgical removal of the affected part or organ of suffering patient is commonly practiced, like removal of tonsils, polyps, haemorrhoids etc. Here the vital force, which expressed itself in a particular part or organ of body, is prevented from expressing itself externally.

Palliation is permissible in some circumstance, as it remains the only means to relieve the suffering of the patient. These are the circumstances where the diseases of the patients are incurable, and the patients are suffering from severe attacks of disturbing episodes like pain. Employing properly selected homoeopathic remedy can bring about perfect palliation. In such cases only the right way of palliation (Homoeopathically) is permissible. There are other harmful methods of palliation, which increase suffering and produce severe complications, which are not permissible homoeopathically.