Evidence base

The evidence base for homeopathy

Although much more research into homeopathy is needed the balance of evidence so far suggests that homeopathy can be clinically effective, cost effective and safe. The balance of evidence also suggests that homeopathically prepared remedies are not the same as plain water and do indeed have some biological activity.

Research into any scientific topic is involved and often complex – homeopathy is no different. A wide range of research approaches are needed to try and answer different but equally important questions in homeopathy, such as how well it performs in practice, how homeopathic remedies compare with placebo or how such dilute medicines work.

When pieced together, the results from these various areas of research form what is known as the evidence base for homeopathy. Only by considering all the evidence gathered collectively in this way can we see the whole picture, enabling us to truly evaluate the role of homeopathy in healthcare today, to understand how to improve homeopathic practice for the future and to identify areas for further in-depth study.

Geoff Johnson MA VetMB MRCVS VetMFHom RSHom PCH, Principal of Wiveliscombe Homeopathic Surgery talks about homeopathy with animals, antibiotics and homeopathy beyond the placebo effect.

  • Clinical trials are experiments carried out on patients to compare the effects of treatments under highly controlled conditions. One type of clinical trial – the randomised controlled trial (RCT) ...

  • Basic homeopathy research has demonstrated that ultrahigh dilutions such as homeopathic medicines are able to cause biological effects that can be seen clearly under experimental conditions1. ...

  • The Homeopathy Research Institute For a wide range of accessible and digestible resources on research-related issues in homeopathy visit The Homeopathy Research Institute website   ...

  • Observational studies (such as case reports and clinical outcome studies) are designed to explore and describe what happens to patients under normal conditions, rather than during the artificial ...

  • No medical intervention is risk free, but homeopathy as a treatment option is generally considered to have an excellent safety record1. But what is the evidence supporting this belief? When ...

  • A systematic review is a summary of the total research evidence available on a particular subject, designed to provide more reliable information than single studies. Specific methods are used to ...

  • The ‘placebo effect’ can be described as a positive change seen after medical treatment which is caused solely by the patient’s psychological response to being given the treatment. In other ...

  • Homeopathy is arguably as effective for animals as it is for humans. A substantial number of vets in the UK have studied and use homeopathy, and like homeopaths, veterinary surgeons can choose to ...

 

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