Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
Arthur C Clarke
A Useful Publication on the Scientific Basis for Homeopathy
ECCH is pleased to bring to your attention a useful publication on the scientific basis of homeopathy published by an Italian homeopathic pharmaceutical company called Guna. Despite the impression they are not particularly 'classical' in their approach to homeopathy as a company, the contents of the document would appear nonetheless to be useful. It can be downloaded as a pdf from the following address:
http://www.guna.it/eng/ricerca/Homeopathy%20the%20scientific%20proofs%20of%20efficacy.pdf
Research is important to the advancement of homeopathy and the improvement of each homeopath's daily practice.
Basic Research
Recent advances in fundamental research are pointing to the day when the mechanism of action of the diluted and succussed medicines used by homeopaths will be identified. The 'memory of water' theory which was so fiercely attacked by the orthodox scientific and medical establishmet when it was first put forward by Jacques Benveniste at the end of the 1980s has once again been raised as an explanation for the action of potentised medicines by recent experiments in the field of inflammation research.
Clinical Research
Many hundreds of clinical trials have been carried out into homeopathic treatment. The results of these trials vary from the positive to the negative. Some high quality Random Controlled Trials (RCTs) have produced significant positive results showing homeopathic treatment having an effect that is not explicable by mere placebo effect. Other trials have proved negative in their results. Across the board the methodological quality of the trials has varied from high to poor with the overall average quality being poor.
ECCH has produced a document that gives an overview of the positive trials and surveys that have been published. For a copy click here:
positive homeopathy research and surveys march 2007.pdf
Appropriate Methodology
One of the things that has hindered progress in clinical trials of homeopathy has been the application of the conventional 'one medicine to one disease' approach to what is in effect an individualised approach to patient treatment. At long last the message is getting through and this year a positive trial has been published in the journal Rheumatology using an individualised approach to the treatment of fybromyalgia.
The objective of the trial was To assess the efficacy of individualized classical homeopathy in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Following the trial the paper contained the follwoing conclusion Using a broad selection of remedies and the flexible LM dose (1/50 000 dilution factor) series, the present study demonstrated that individualized homeopathy is significantly better than placebo in lessening tender point pain and improving the quality of life and global health of persons with fibromyalgia.
Reference: Rheumatology 2004; 43: 577-582
Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo I. R. Bell1,2,3,4,6,8, D. A. Lewis, II9, A. J. Brooks3, G. E. Schwartz3,5,6, S. E. Lewis9, B. T. Walsh4 and C. M. Baldwin3,4,7,8
For a full abstract and access to the full paper of this trial please follow the following link to the journal web-site:
http://rheumatology.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/43/5/577
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