I am frequently asked, mainly by professional colleagues, whether there is any research into homeopathy. I answer, "Yes!", but rarely do we get to the stage where I spill the beans. So, this is an opportunity, once and for all, to get things straight. Here are some quality papers on the use of homeopathy.

The Research Evidence Base for Homeopathy

From information from the

Faculty of Homeopathy

www.trusthomeoapthy.org

Systematic reviews of randomised controlled (RCTs) of homeopathy:

Four of five comprehensive reviews of RCTs in homeopathy have reached positive conclusions.1,2,3,4. Based on a smaller selection of trials, a fifth review came to a negative conclusion.5

Positive conclusions have been reported in six of 14 reviews of RCTs in specific medical conditions (the other eight are largely inconclusive):

• childhood diarrhoea6
• influenza treatment 7
• post-operative ileus8
• rheumatic diseases9
• seasonal allergic rhinitis.10,11

RCTs of homeopathy – the original peer-reviewed research literature up to the end of 2005, 119 RCTs have been published: 57 positive; 6 negative; 56 not
statistically conclusive.

In addition to the above five conditions, there is positive evidence from
two or more RCTs in each of the following five:

• fibromyalgia12,13
• migraine14,15
• osteoarthritis16,17
• otitis media in children18,19
• vertigo.20,21

There is evidence from single RCTs (not refuted by others) in favour of homeopathy for a number of other conditions: allergic asthma,22 ankle sprain,23 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,24 bronchitis,25 chronic fatigue syndrome,26 premenstrual syndrome.27

Cost effectiveness of homeopathy in Human Medicine

Integration of homeopathy with conventional treatment is associated with better clinical outcomes for similar or lower costs.28,29,30

Clinical observational studies

• 70.7% of 6,544 follow-up patients, treated at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital for a wide range of chronic medical complaints, reported positive health changes.31
• Many patients attending the Royal London Homoeopathic 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.33,34,35

• Further laboratory studies have shown that homeopathic dilutions can exert biological effects.36,37,38

References:

1 Kleijnen J, Knipschild P, ter Riet G (1991). Clinical trials of
homeopathy. British Medical Journal, 302: 316–23.

2 Linde K, Clausius N, Ramirez G, et al (1997). Are the clinical
effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? A meta-analysis of
placebo-controlled trials. Lancet, 350: 834–43.

3 Linde K, Scholz M, Ramirez G, et al (1999). Impact of study
quality on outcome in placebo controlled trials of homeopathy.
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 52: 631–6.

4 Cucherat M, Haugh MC, Gooch M, Boissel JP (2000). Evidence
of clinical efficacy of homeopathy – A meta-analysis of clinical
trials. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 56: 27–33.

5 Shang A, Huwiler-Muntener K, Nartey L, et al (2005). Are the
clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative
study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy.
Lancet, 366: 726–32.

6 Jacobs J, Jonas WB, Jimenez-Perez M, Crothers D (2003).
Homeopathy for childhood diarrhea: combined results and
metaanalysis from three randomized, controlled clinical trials.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 22: 229–34.

7 Vickers A, Smith C (2004). Homoeopathic Oscillococcinum for
preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like syndromes
(Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library. Chichester, UK:
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. CD001957.

8 Barnes J, Resch K-L, Ernst E (1997). Homeopathy for
postoperative ileus? A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical
Gastroenterology, 25: 628–33.

9 Jonas WB, Linde K, Ramirez G (2000). Homeopathy and
rheumatic disease – Complementary and Alternative Therapies
for Rheumatic Diseases II. Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North
America, 26: 117–23.

10 Wiesenauer M, Lüdtke R (1996). A meta-analysis of the
homeopathic treatment of pollinosis with Galphimia glauca.
Forschende Komplementärmedizin und Klassische
Naturheilkunde, 3: 230–6.

11 Taylor MA, Reilly D, Llewellyn-Jones RH, et al (2000).
Randomised controlled trials of homoeopathy versus placebo
in perennial allergic rhinitis with overview of four trial series.
British Medical Journal, 321: 471–6.

12 Fisher P (1986). An experimental double-blind clinical trial
method in homoeopathy. Use of a limited range of remedies to
treat fibrositis. British Homeopathic Journal, 75: 142–7.

13 Bell I, Lewis D, Brooks A, et al (2004). Improved clinical status
in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic
remedies versus placebo. Rheumatology, 43: 577–82.

14 Brigo B, Serpelloni G (1991). Homoeopathic treatment of
migraines: a randomized double-blind study of sixty cases
(homoeopathic remedy versus placebo). Berlin Journal on
Research in Homeopathy, 1: 98–106.

15 Straumsheim P, Borchgrevink C, Mowinckel P, et al (2000).
Homeopathic treatment of migraine: a double blind, placebo
controlled trial of 68 patients. British Homeopathic Journal,
89: 4–7.

16 Shealy CN, Thomlinson RP, Cox RH, Borgmeyer RN (1998).
Osteoarthritic pain: a comparison of homeopathy and
acetaminophen. American Journal of Pain Management,
8: 89–91.

17 van Haselen RA, Fisher PAG (2000). A randomized controlled
trial comparing topical piroxicam gel with a homeopathic gel in
osteoarthritis of the knee. Rheumatology, 39: 714–9.

18 Harrison H, Fixsen A, Vickers A (1999). A randomized
comparison of homoeopathic and standard care for the
treatment of glue ear in children. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 7: 132–5.

19 Jacobs J, Springer D, Crothers D (2001). Homeopathic treatment
of acute otitis media in children: a preliminary randomized
placebo-controlled trial. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 20: 177–83.

20 Weiser M, Strösser W, Klein P (1998). Homeopathic vs.
conventional treatment of vertigo: a randomized double-blind
controlled clinical study. Archives of Otolaryngology –
Head and Neck Surgery, 124: 879–85.

21 Issing W, Klein P, Weiser M (2005). The homeopathic preparation
Vertigoheel versus Ginkgo biloba in the treatment of vertigo in
an elderly population: a double-blinded, randomized, controlled
clinical trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine,
11: 155–160.

22 Reilly D, Taylor MA, Beattie NGM, et al (1994). Is evidence for
homeopathy reproducible? Lancet, 344: 1601–6.

23 Zell J, Connert WD, Mau J, Feuerstake G (1988). Treatment of
acute sprains of the ankle. Controlled double-blind trial to test
the effectiveness of a homeopathic ointment. Fortschritte der
Medizin, 106: 96–100.

24 Frei H, Everts R, von Ammon K, et al (2005). Homeopathic
treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:
a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial.
European Journal of Pediatrics, 164: 758–67.

25 Diefenbach M, Schilken J, Steiner G, Becker HJ (1997).
Homeopathic therapy in respiratory tract diseases. Evaluation of
a clinical study in 258 patients. Zeitschrift für Allgemeinmedizin,
73: 308–14.

26 Weatherley-Jones E, Nicholl JP, Thomas KJ, et al (2004).
A randomized, controlled, triple-blind trial of the efficacy of
homeopathic treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 56: 189–97.

27 Yakir M, Kreitler S, Brzezinski A, et al (2001). Effects of
homeopathic treatment in women with premenstrual syndrome:
a pilot study. British Homeopathic Journal, 90: 148–53.

28 Witt C, Keil T, Selim D, et al (2005). Outcome and costs of
homeopathic and conventional treatment strategies: a
comparative cohort study in patients with chronic disorders.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 13: 79–86.

29 Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Baur R, Willich SN (2005). Homeopathic
medical practice: long-term results of a cohort study with
3,981 patients. BMC Public Health, 5: 115.

30 Trichard M, Chaufferin G Nicoloyannis N (2005).
Pharmacoeconomic comparison between homeopathic and
antibiotic treatment strategies in recurrent acute rhinopharyngitis
in children. Homeopathy, 94: 3–9.

31 Spence D, Thompson E, Barron S (2005). Homeopathic
treatment for chronic disease: a 6-year university hospital based
outpatient observational study. Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine, 5: 793–8.

32 Sharples F, van Haselen R, Fisher P (2003). NHS patients’
perspective on complementary medicine. Complementary
Therapies in Medicine, 11: 243–8.

33 Rey L (2003). Thermoluminescence of ultra-high dilutions
of lithium chloride and sodium chloride, Physica (A),
323: 67–74.

34 Bell IR, Lewis DA, Brooks AJ, et al (2003). Gas discharge
visualisation evaluation of ultramolecular doses of homeopathic
medicines under blinded, controlled conditions. Journal of
Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 9: 25–38.

35 Elia V, Niccoli M (1999). Thermodynamics of extremely diluted
aqueous solutions. Annals of the New York Academy of
Sciences, 879: 241–8.

36 Linde K, Jonas WB, Melchart D, et al (1994). Critical review and
meta-analysis of serial agitated dilutions in experimental toxicology.
Human & Experimental Toxicology, 13: 481–92.

37 Belon P, Cumps J, Ennis M, et al (2004). Histamine dilutions
modulate basophil activation. Inflammation Research, 53: 181–8.

38 Zausner C, Lassnig H, Endler PC, et al (2002). Influence of a
homoeopathically prepared thyroxine dilution on the
metamorphosis of highland frogs – results of a multicenter
controlled trial. Perfusion (Nürnberg), 17: 268–76.

Further papers:

Studies on Use of Homeopathy in Animals, Susan G. Wynn, JAVMA, Vo212, No5, March 1, 1998

A dispassionate review of the majority of the current studies on veterinary homeopathy. Many with negative as well as positive results. This is an intelligent article showing both sides of the argument and concluding that we don't really know, using current trial methods, the true effects of using homeopathy in animals. This paper has 48 references for further reading.

Is homeopathy a placebo response? Controlled trial of homeopathic potency, with pollen in hay fever as a model.

Reilly DT et al., Lancet 1986, Oct18;2(8512):881-6

David Taylor Reilly's groundbreaking paper describing his double blind randomized crossover trial demonstrating the physiological effect of potentised pollen on human hay fever sufferers. This is a solid and extremely well constructed trial showing the effect of remedies on the body. The mechanisms are still unclear, but the effect is very shown here to be very real.

Is evidence for homeopathy reproducible?

Reilly D, Lancet 1994 Dec 10;334(8937):1601-6

A second paper from the Glasgow Royal Infirmary team demonstrating the reproducibility of trials similar to the hay fever trial above. As the abstract profoundly (and disconcertingly) remarks; is the reproducibility or evidence in favour of homeopathy proof of its activity or proof of the clinical trial's capacity to produce false-positive results?

Effect of homeopathic treatment on fibrositis (primary fibromyalgia).

Peter Fisher et al. BMJ, Vol 299, 5 August 1989.

A small, but nonetheless impressive small double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial on the use of Rhus tox 6c on a cohort of patients demonstrating symptom modalities typical of the remedy. Good to read if you want to impressed quickly!

Control of stillbirths in pigs using homeopathy.

CEI Day, Vet. Rec. 1984, 114, 216.

A beautifully pragmatic trial by Chris Day. The fact that this trial was accepted by the Veterinary Record is a tribute in itself!

For further information, I would go to the following link at the Faculty of Homeopathy:

HOMEOPATHIC RESEARCH

Books on Veterinary Homeopathy

Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs - Don Hamilton DVM

and

The Homeopathic Treatment of Small Animals - Principles and Practice Christopher Day MRCVS

These are more than the veterinary equivalent of Hamish Boyd's work described above. They are a fount of information that will get the novice from ignorance to being able to prescribe effectively for simple conditions. They are also a must for all vets in practice as a reference work.

I think every vet student in the country should be given these books on graduation.

Introduction to Homeopathic Medicine Dr. Hamish Boyd FRCP, FFHom.

This is the book I always recommend to vets and interested clients. It is a well presented introduction to the subject in a scientific manner. It goes from introducing the subject to discussing what homeopathy has to offer, to discussing the material medica then on to a practical guide to using remedies in pathological prescribing.

Acupuncture

The best source of information on research in acupuncture is at the British Medical Acupuncture Society. Please follow this link:

ACUPUNCTURE RESEARCH

Books on Acupuncture

Dao of Chinese Medicine - D.K. Kendall

For me this is the definitive text on acupuncture. It rationally brings together eastern and western perspectives and shows that actually, they are very similar. Deke Kendall thinks the concept of meridians is false. He thinks the concept was initiated by mistranslation and perpetuated by western zeal.

Whether you're a beginner or a veteran of decades of experience, I urge you to read this book. You'll never think the same way again about TCM.

Four Paws Five Directions Cheryl Schwartz, DVM.

A wonderful first book for a practitioner interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. Do not be deceived by the apparent simplicity of Dr. Schwartz' approach. It is packed with more than enough information to get you up and running.

Chinese Medicine Ted J. Kaptchuk

Anyone wanting to really get to grips with Five Element Theory should read this book first. It takes the enquirer in a very readable fashion from nothing to a good grasp of the basics.

Nutrition

The BARF Diet - Dr.Ian Billinghurst

This is the bible to all those people looking for guidance in feeding raw food and bones to their dogs and cats. It takes the reader through basic nutrition, the short falls of processed tinned and dry food, raw food feeding for maintenance, pups and in old age. Dr. Billinghurst has recently also produced a book called 'Grow Your Pups with Bones'.