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Schwabe News Volume 2 | Issue 3 | June 2011

Research news

A review of clinical research

This paper reviews the clinical research carried out over the past three decades to evaluate the effectiveness of homoeopathy for the treatment of respiratory allergies, common upper respiratory tract infections, otorhinolaryngologic complaints, and rheumatic diseases. The researchers included in the analysis both randomised and non-randomised trials, assigning them different weightings in the final balance of evidence, on the basis of semiquantitative criteria. Overall, the literature concerning a total of 83 original studies suggests that homoeopathy may have significant effects in some conditions, e.g. Galphimia glauca (low homoeopathic dilutions/dynamizations) in allergic oculorhinitis, Anas barbariae (high homoeopathic dilution/dynamization) in influenza-like syndromes, classical individualised homoeopathy in otitis, in allergic complaints and in fibromyalgia, and a few low-potency homoeopathic complexes in sinusitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, arthritis. The evidence for individualised homoeopathic therapy in the field of upper respiratory tract infections and for homoeopathic immunotherapy in respiratory allergies is more conflicting. Pragmatic equivalence trials suggest that, in primary care, homoeopathic treatment is not inferior to conventional treatment. A larger number of observational studies and of clinical trials — conducted in a methodologically correct manner without altering the treatment setting– are needed before sure conclusions concerning the application of homoeopathy for specific diseases can be drawn.

Reference:

• Paolo Bellavite, Marta Marzotto, Salvatore Chirumbolo, Anita Conforti, Advances in homeopathy and immunology: a review of clinical research, Frontiers in Bioscience S3, 1363-1389, June 1, 2011.

Clinical Verification of Homoeopathy

This article is about the efforts put forth by the organizations European Commission for Homoeopathy (ECH) and Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis (LMHI). ECH-LMHI have been giving first priority to produce a yearly report on the scientific framework of homoeopathy. In the 2010 version a new chapter about epidemic diseases has been added including the Leptospirosis survey on the Cuban population. A second priority has been to review the definition of the homoeopathic medicines respecting the new framework generated by the official registration procedure and the WHO report (there is no specific mention of which report they are referring to). They are working now on a documented (Materia Medica and provings) list of homoeopathic remedies to facilitate the registration of our remedies. The new challenges faced by them are: more good research proposals and as such more funding (possible through ISCHI + Blackie Foundation as examples); international acceptance of new guidelines for proving and clinical verification of homoeopathic symptoms (Proposals are ready for discussion); total reconsideration of the homoeopathic repertories including results of the clinical verification of the symptoms. The world is changing, we are part of the world and changes are needed also for homoeopathy!

Reference:

• Michel Van Wassenhoven, Clinical Verification of Homeopathy, International Journal of High Dilution Research, Vol 10, No 35 (2011)

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