Homeopathic research : An update
Robert Medhurst | BNat ND DHom
In the increasingly evidence-based sphere of healthcare , it ' s thought by some that the practice of homeopathy has yet to be objectively validated . This isn ' t true . There is a significant body of evidence to justify its use and what follows are summaries of some of the more notable findings from the pages of scientific journals .
Human Research
1 . Saha S , et al . Documentation of Prescriptions and Clinical Outcomes in a Homeopathic Hospital Setting in West Bengal , India . Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine , 2015 , 20 , 3 , 180-5 . In this work , six homeopathic physicians participated in a methodical data collection over a 3-month period in outpatient departments of the Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital , West Bengal , India . A specifically designed Microsoft Excel spreadsheet enabled the recording of consecutive appointments - date , patient identity , medical condition / complaint , whether chronic / acute , new / follow-up case , patient-assessed outcome ( 7-point Likert-type scale : -3 to + 3 ), prescribed homeopathic medication , and whether other medication / s were being taken for the condition . Spreadsheets were submitted monthly for data synthesis and analysis . A total of 1972 patients ’ follow-up generated data of 2905 appointments , of which 2272 ( 78.2 %) were positive , 183 ( 6.3 %) negative , and 450 ( 15.5 %) showed no change . Strongly positive outcomes ( scores of + 2 /+ 3 ) were recorded in osteoarthritis , haemorrhoids , cough , dysfunctional uterine bleeding , chronic suppurative otitis media , and conjunctivitis .
2 . Taylor JA , Jacobs J . Homeopathic Ear Drops As An Adjunct To Standard Therapy In Children With Acute Otitis Media . Homeopathy , 2011 , 100 , 109- 115 . A total of 94 children diagnosed with acute otitis media were randomly assigned to receive either standard medical care or homeopathic ear drops . The treatment was given for 5 days and the symptoms were monitored by the children ’ s parents using a rating scale for five symptoms of the disease . The results showed a statistically significant superiority of response to the homeopathic ear drops compared to standard medical treatment and the rate of symptom improvement occurred more rapidly in those children who were given homeopathics .
3 . Leone L , et al . Measuring the Effectiveness of Homeopathic Care Through Objective and Shared Indicators . Homeopathy , 2011 , 100 , 212-219 . This Italian study looked at the effects of homeopathic treatment as measured by the level of patient ’ s pharmaceutical drug use as well as standard medical hospitalisation indicators . The study was carried out using data from two homeopathic centres in the Local Health Authority in Pisa and compared users of homeopathic medicine with the general population in the same area . It was shown from this that the patients using homeopathic medicines were able to reduce their intake of pharmaceutical drugs significantly and frequently showed improvements in hospitalisation indicators when compared with the general population .
4 . Ghosh S , et al . Dental Practice Scenario in a Government Homeopathic Hospital in West Bengal , India . Journal of Evidence- Based Complementary & Alternative
26 | vol28 | no1 | JATMS