The Research Evidence Base for Homeopathy

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The Research Evidence Base for Homeopathy
Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of homeopathy
•
Two major reviews of RCTs of
individualised homeopathy
have reached broadly positive
conclusions.
6,7
•
Four of ­ve major comprehensive reviews of RCTs in homeopathy have reached broadly
positive conclusions.
1-4
Based on a smaller selection of trials, a ­fth review came to a negative
conclusion about homeopathy.
5
•
Positive conclusions have been reported in 9 of 35 reviews of RCTs in speci­c categories
of medical condition (the other 26 are largely inconclusive):
•allergies and upper respiratory tract infections
8,9
•childhood diarrhoea
10
•post-operative ileus
11
•rheumatic diseases
12
•seasonal allergic rhinitis
13-15
•vertigo
16
Placebo-controlled RCTs of homeopathy - the original data
•
Up to the end of 2014, the peer-reviewed literature included 153 papers reporting
placebo-controlled RCTs, of which 104 have data eligible for our analysis: 43 positive;
5 negative; 56 not statistically conclusive. In addition to the medical conditions above,
there is a positive balance of evidence in the following, for example:
•in‑uenza
17,18
•insomnia
19-21
•sinusitis
22,23
•
There is evidence from singleton placebo-controlled RCTs in favour of homeopathy for
a number of other conditions including: bronchitis,
24
chronic fatigue syndrome,
25
­bromyalgia,
26
premenstrual syndrome.
27
Cost e­ectiveness of homeopathy
•
70.7% of 6,554 follow-up patients, treated at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital for a wide
range of chronic medical complaints, reported positive health changes.
31
•
Many patients who attended the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital were able to reduce or
stop conventional medication following homeopathic treatment.
32
Basic Science
•
Laboratory research has obtained evidence that water may retain information about
homeopathically-prepared solutes.
33-35
•
Additional laboratory studies have shown that homeopathic dilutions can exert biological
eects
e.g. 36-38
•
Integration of homeopathy with conventional treatment is associated with better clinical
outcomes for similar or lower costs.
28-30
Clinical observational studies
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1. Kleijnen J, Knipschild P, ter Riet G. Clinical trials of homeopathy. Br Med J
1991; 302: 316–23.
2. Linde K, Clausius N, Ramirez G, et al. Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy
placebo effects? A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials.
Lancet 1997; 350: 834–43.
3. Linde K, Scholz M, Ramirez G, et al. Impact of study quality on outcome in
placebo controlled trials of homeopathy. J Clin Epidemiol 1999; 52: 631–6.
4. Cucherat M, Haugh MC, Gooch M, Boissel JP. Evidence of clinical efficacy of
homeopathy – A meta-analysis of clinical trials. Eur J Clin Pharmacol
2000; 56: 27–33.
5. Shang A, Huwiler-Muntener K, Nartey L, et al. Are the clinical effects of
homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of
homoeopathy and allopathy. Lancet 2005; 366: 726–32.
6. Linde K, Melchart D. Randomized controlled trials of individualized
homeopathy: a state-of-the-art review. J Altern Complement Med 1998,
4: 371–388.
7. Mathie RT, Lloyd SM, Legg LA, et al. Randomised placebo-controlled trials of
individualised homeopathic treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Syst Rev 2014, 3: 142.
8. Bornhöft G, Wolf U, Ammon K, et al. Effectiveness, safety and
cost-effectiveness of homeopathy in general practice –summarized health
technology assessment. Forsch Komplementärmed 2006; 13 Suppl 2: 19–29.
9. Bellavite P, Ortolani R, Pontarollo F, et al. Immunology and homeopathy. 4.
Clinical studies – Part 1. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative
Medicine;eCAM, 2006; 3:293-301
10. Jacobs J, Jonas WB, Jimenez-Perez M, Crothers D. Homeopathy for
childhood diarrhea: combined results and metaanalysis from three randomized,
controlled clinical trials. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2003; 22: 229–34.
11. Barnes J, Resch K-L, Ernst E. Homeopathy for postoperative ileus?
A meta-analysis. J Clin Gastroenterol 1997; 25: 628–33.
12. Jonas WB, Linde K, Ramirez G. Homeopathy and rheumatic disease –
Complementary and alternative therapies for rheumatic diseases II.
Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2000; 26: 117–23.
13. Wiesenauer M, Lüdtke R. A meta-analysis of the homeopathic treatment of
pollinosis with Galphimia glauca. Forsch Komplementärmed Klass Naturheilkd
1996; 3: 230–6.
14. Taylor MA, Reilly D, Llewellyn-Jones RH, et al. Randomised controlled trials
of homoeopathy versus placebo in perennial allergic rhinitis with overview of
four trial series. Br Med J 2000; 321: 471–6.
15. Bellavite P, Ortolani R, Pontarollo F, et al. Immunology and homeopathy.
4. Clinical studies – Part 2. eCAM 2006; 3:397–409.
16. Schneider B, Klein P, Weiser M. Treatment of vertigo with a homeopathic
complex remedy compared with usual treatments: a meta-analysis of clinical
trials. Arzneimittelforschung 2005;55: 23–9.
17. Ferley JP, Zmirou D, D’Adhemar D, Balducci F. A controlled evaluation of
a homoeopathic preparation in the treatment of influenza like syndromes.
Br J Clin Pharmacol 1989; 27: 329–335.
18. Papp R, Schuback G, Beck E, et al. Oscillococcinum® in patients with
influenza-like syndromes: a placebo-controlled double-blind evaluation.
Br Homoeopath J 1998; 87: 69–76
19. Kolia-Adam N, Solomon E, Bond J, Deroukakis M. The efficacy of Coffea
cruda on insomnia: a double blind trial. Simillimum 2008; 21: 91–99.
20. Naudé DF, Couchman IMS, Maharaj A Chronic primary insomnia: efficacy
of homeopathic simillimum. Homeopathy 2010; 99: 63–68.
21. Harrison CC, Solomon EM, Pellow J. The effect of a homeopathic complex on
psychophysiological onset insomnia in males: a randomized pilot study. Altern
Ther Health Med 2013;19: 38-43.
22. Friese K-H, Zabalotnyi DI. Homeopathy in acute rhinosinusitis. A double-blind,
placebo controlled study shows the effectiveness and tolerability of a homeopathic
combination remedy. HNO 2007; 55: 271–7.
23. Zabolotnyi DI, Kneis KC, Richardson A, et al. Efficacy of a complex homeopathic
medication (Sinfrontal) in patients with acute maxillary sinusitis: a prospective,
randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial. Explore (NY)
2007; 3: 98–109.
24. Diefenbach M, Schilken J, Steiner G, Becker HJ. Homeopathic therapy in
respiratory tract diseases. Evaluation of a clinical study in 258 patients.
Z Allgemeinmed 1997; 73: 308–14.
25. Weatherley-Jones E, Nicholl JP, Thomas KJ, et al. A randomized, controlled,
triple-blind trial of the efficacy of homeopathic treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.
J Psychosom Res 2004; 56: 189–97.
26. Bell I, Lewis D, Brooks A, et al. Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients
treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo.
Rheumatology 2004; 43: 577–582.
27. Yakir M, Kreitler S, Brzezinski A, et al. Effects of homeopathic treatment in women
with premenstrual syndrome: a pilot study. Br Homeopath J 2001; 90: 148–53.
28. Witt C, Keil T, Selim D, et al. Outcome and costs of homeopathic and conventional
treatment strategies: a comparative cohort study in patients with chronic disorders.
Complement Ther Med 2005; 13: 79–86.
29. Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Baur R, Willich SN. Homeopathic medical practice: long-term
results of a cohort study with 3,981 patients. BMC Public Health 2005; 5: 115.
30. Trichard M, Chaufferin G Nicoloyannis N. Pharmacoeconomic comparison between
homeopathic and antibiotic treatment strategies in recurrent acute rhinopharyngitis in
children. Homeopathy 2005; 94: 3–9.
31. Spence D, Thompson E, Barron S. Homeopathic treatment for chronic disease:
a 6-year university hospital based outpatient observational study. J Altern Complement
Med 2005; 5: 793–8.
32. Sharples F, van Haselen R, Fisher P. NHS patients’ perspective on complementary
medicine. Complement Ther Med 2003; 11: 243–8.
33. Rey L. Thermoluminescence of ultra-high dilutions of lithium chloride and sodium
chloride, Physica (A) 2003; 323: 67–74.
34. Bell IR, Lewis DA, Brooks AJ, et al. Gas discharge visualisation evaluation of
ultramolecular doses of homeopathic medicines under blinded, controlled conditions.
J Altern Complement Med 2003; 9: 25–38.
35. Elia V, Niccoli M. Thermodynamics of extremely diluted aqueous solutions.
Ann N Y Acad Sci 1999; 879: 241–8.
36. Linde K, Jonas WB, Melchart D, et al. Critical review and meta-analysis of serial
agitated dilutions in experimental toxicology. Hum Exp Toxicol 1994; 13: 481–92.
37. Belon P, Cumps J, Ennis M, et al. Histamine dilutions modulate basophil activation.
Inflamm Res 2004; 53: 181–8.
38. Witt CM, Bluth M, Albrecht H, et al. The in vitro evidence for an effect of high
homeopathic potencies – A systematic review of the literature.
Complement Ther Med 2007; 15: 128–38.
REFERENCES