Evidence base for Homeopathy

From time to time, studies are done to measure the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment.

However, many of these studies try to fit homeopathy into the same research model that is used to test conventional medicine ie Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs).

Given that homeopathy is a ‘bespoke’ service, with remedies being tailored to the individual, it is impossible to give a control group the same remedy for a particular condition and expect meaningful results. In fact some of these particular trials show that homeopathy fares even worse than placebo.

Increasingly, qualitative studies using the MYMOP system (measure your medical outcome) www.hsrc.ac.uk/mymop/main.htm   are being used. This is a validated research tool and involves patients filling in a detailed questionnaire about presenting symptoms and wellbeing, and giving them a score at each appointment.

Two recent studies show homeopathy to be very effective.

The first is a 6 year study by the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital involving several thousand patients, where 70% of patients showed improvement.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4454856.stm

The second study took place in a Nottinghamshire primary care trust, and involved patients referred by their GPs for acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy.70% showed symptom amelioration, and patients gave glowing accounts of their treatment. For more information go to: www.impact-imp.co.uk

See also The Society of Homeopaths www.homeopathy-soh.com  for an update on research in progress.