The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7377 p657
26 November 2005

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Homoeopathy trial suggests benefit: more research needed

Positive outcomes have been reported from a study of patients treated with homoeopathic remedies for a range of chronic conditions (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2005;11:793). However, a professor of complementary medicine says the study's design may limit its conclusions.

David Spence, directorate of homoeopathic medicine, United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust, and colleagues conducted an observational study of 6,544 patients referred to an NHS outpatient clinic for homoeopathic treatment of a wide range of chronic conditions. The study was carried out over six years, with each patient attending an average of three or four appointments.

The aims of treatment were to enhance general health and wellbeing, to improve symptom control and to reduce the frequency and severity of acute exacerbations. Symptoms were evaluated as perceived change since the initial appointment. Conditions treated included eczema, myalgic encephalitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer and arthritis.

The researchers say that 50.7 per cent of patients rated their overall health change as better or much better and some degree of improvement was seen in 70.7 per cent of patients. In children, 65.8 per cent were rated as better or much better and 80.5 per cent showed some degree of improvement. “Although there are limitations to the inferences that can be drawn from this kind of observational study, it offers an important strand of evidence in favour of the effectiveness of homoeopathy in the management of a wide range of chronic diseases,” they conclude.

Commenting on the study, Edzard Ernst, professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, told The Journal: “Due to the nature and design of this observational study (eg, no control group) we don’t know whether the apparently positive outcomes reflect the natural history of the conditions treated, a placebo effect, other non-specific effects or a true specific effect of homoeopathic remedies.”