Pamela Stevens has no doubts

Homeopathic medicine can easily be demonstrated to have an effect over and above placebo (on the assumption that patients who are babies or animals are not susceptible to the notion of placebo); and its biological effects have been measured in laboratories across the world.

A series of studies conducted on farm animals has demonstrated that homeopathy is effective in the treatment of mastitis in dairy cows.(1)

A recent meta-analysis ostensibly comparing homeopathy with conventional medicine, published in the Lancet in August(2), used an inappropriate measure with which to assess the efficacy of homeopathy. The study makes a basic scientific assumption that cannot be applied either to homeopathic research or to homeopathy in practice: it has been established beyond doubt that the placebo-controlled trial is not a fitting research tool with which to test homeopathy.

Support for homeopathy

However, many previous meta-analyses looking at both randomised controlled trials and individualized research methods have demonstrated that homeopathy has an effect over and above placebo.(3)

Current pragmatic research in the NHS, into the homeopathic treatment of patients with severe menopausal problems, demonstrates an 81 per cent clinically significant improvement across a range of symptoms.4 The service has been running for eight years.  Other NHS-provided homeopathy services reported a 95 per cent improvement in the patient’s main symptom.(5)

In her research on this subject, Dr. Elaine Weatherley-Jones (University of Sheffield
SCHARR) states, ‘it is time to halt the misguided task of conducting placebo-controlled random controlled trials to test the efficacy of individualised treatments’.  What is urgently needed, however, is pragmatic research  that reflects what actually happens in homeopathic practice. Such research would provide useful evidence for clinicians on which to base their decisions and referrals.

Therapeutic effect

Homeopaths acknowledge the powerful therapeutic effect of homeopathy, which is removed under placebo controlled trial conditions.  Whilst it is probably true that patients experience well-being and a sense of being listened to, in the exhaustive and lengthy consultation process involved, we nevertheless assert there is a medicinal effect from homeopathic medicine which can be measured, given the correct trial design.

It was recently reported that depressed patients on Seroxat are up to seven times more likely to kill themselves than if they took a placebo. Pragmatic research into the homeopathic treatment of mild depression would be a good place to start!

References:

1. C Day (1986). Clinical trials in bovine mastitis using nosodes for prevention. Br Homeopathic J, 75 p.11
2. A Shang et al. (2005); see reference 4 above. For the full critique of this study by Kate Chatfield and Clare Relton, see www.homeopathy-soh.org
3. K Linde, N Clausius, G Ramirez, et al. (1997). Are the clinical effects of homeopathy placebo effects? A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. The Lancet, 350 pp. 834-43.
4. C Relton, E Weatherley-Jones ( May 2005). Homeopathy service in a National Health Service community menopause clinic: audit of clinical outcomes.  Journal of the British Menopause Society
5.  IMPACT Integrated Medicine Project (2005). Nottingham, Annual Report

Pamela Stevens is Marketing & Communication Coordinator at the Society of Homeopaths