Does homeopathy have anything to contribute to hormesis?

Homeopathy is the best known medical analogue of hormesis, others include hormoligosis and paradoxical pharmacology. Homeopathy is based on the concept Similia similibus curentur ('Let like be cured by like'); the exploitation of secondary effects of drugs, the body's reaction rather than the primary pharmacological action. The most controversial aspect of homeopathy is its use of 'ultramolecular' dilutions in which a single molecule of the starting substance is unlikely to be present.

Homeopathic medicines for adverse effects of cancer treatments.

Background: Homeopathic medicines are used by patients with cancer, often alongside conventional treatment. Cancer treatments can cause considerable morbidity and one of the reasons patients use homeopathic medicines is to help with adverse effects.

Objectives: Evaluate effectiveness and safety of homeopathic medicines used to prevent or treat adverse effects of cancer treatments.

Evaluation of specific and non-specific effects in homeopathy: feasibility study for a randomised trial.

Objective: To determine the feasibility, in terms of acceptability to patients, physicians and other staff; data return and statistical power of a study to elucidate the relative contributions of specific and non-specific effects in homeopathic treatment of dermatitis.

Design: Randomised, controlled 4-arm trial, 2 arms double-blind.

Setting: Outpatient clinic, Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital.

Homeopathy and mainstream medicine: a dialogue of the deaf?

Various definitions of complementary and alternative medicine have been proposed. Homeopathy is unique among CAM therapies in originating in European Enlightenment thought. It is controversial and scientifically implausible yet popular, widespread and durable.

The importance of considering research design in a wider context.

This paper reflects on the importance of considering research design in relation to the question at hand, and argues that the "best" method maximises both rigor and appropriateness. It comments on some of the papers published in this supplement, and emphasises that different audiences will have different needs in terms of the level of evidence required. Suggestions are made how some of the problems associated with randomized trials of Complementary Therapies can be overcome.

Effectiveness gaps: a new concept for evaluating health service and research needs applied to complementary and alternative medicine.

Background: An effectiveness gap (EG) is an area of clinical practice in which available treatments are not fully effective. EGs have not been previously researched. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions, by definition, are not generally available through normal health care channels.

Providing Complementary and Alternative Medicine in primary care: the primary care workers' perspective.

Background: The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in primary care is growing, but still not widespread. Little is known about how CAM can/should be integrated into mainstream care.

Objectives: To assess primary care health professionals' perceptions of need and of some ways to integrate CAM in primary care.

Can homeopaths detect homeopathic medicines by dowsing? A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Dowsing is a method of problem-solving that uses a motor automatism, amplified through a pendulum or similar device. In a homeopathic context, it is used as an aid to prescribing and as a tool to identify miasm or toxin load. A randomized double-blind trial was conducted to determine whether six dowsing homeopaths were able to distinguish between Bryonia in a 12c potency and placebo by use of dowsing alone.

A randomized controlled trial of homeopathy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that homeopathy is effective in reducing the symptoms of joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Method: This was a 6-month randomized, cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre study set in a teaching hospital rheumatology out-patient clinic. The participants of the study were 112 patients who had definite or classical RA, were seropositive for rheumatoid factor and were receiving either stable doses of single non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for > or =3 months or single disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) with or without NSAIDs for > or =6 months.

The Constitutional Type Questionnaire: validation in the patient population of the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital.

In homeopathy the choice of a medicine is based on the total 'picture' presented by the patient. This picture includes 'constitutional type' which comprises personality, and general physical features. The Constitutional Type Questionnaire (CTQ) is designed to systematically assess constitutional types.

Can homeopaths detect homeopathic medicines? A pilot study for a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled investigation of the proving hypothesis.

Homeopaths believe that a medicine, which causes a particular symptom in a healthy volunteer, will cure a similar symptom in a sick patient. From this phenomenon, it is possible to deduce a hypothesis: homeopaths should be able to distinguish a homeopathic medicine from a placebo by taking both and observing their effects. If true, this would support an effect of homeopathic medicines different from that of placebo.

Homeopathic pathogenetic trials of Acidum malicum and Acidum ascorbicum.

Two homeopathic pathogenetic trials (HPTs, provings), of identical design were conducted: of Acidum malicum 12 cH and Acidum ascorbicum 12 cH. Each trial included 20 healthy volunteers. Both were of double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, four period crossover design, with two sequences.

Can homeopathically prepared mercury cause symptoms in healthy volunteers? A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To pilot a method for determining whether homeopathically prepared mercury causes more symptoms (a "drug proving") in healthy volunteers than placebo.

Methods: One hundred and eighteen (118) healthy volunteers ages 18 to 65 were recruited by local advertising. Subjects unfamiliar with homeopathy undertook a 1-week single-blind placebo run-in, a 1-week of double-blind, randomized treatment on either homeopathically prepared mercury 12C or placebo, and a third week of placebo run-out.

Inter-rater reliability of symptom repertorisation: a pragmatic empirical study.

Objective: To determine the extent to which two homeopaths agree on whether symptoms reported by patients in a proving are possibly associated with Mercurius solubilis.

Design: Blinded, inter-rater reliability study.

Participants: 104 subjects in a randomised, double-blind mercury proving.

A randomized controlled trial comparing topical piroxicam gel with a homeopathic gel in osteoarthritis of the knee.

Objective: : To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a homeopathic gel vs an NSAID (piroxicam) gel in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.

Method: : One hundred and eighty-four out-patients with radiographically confirmed symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee were entered into a pragmatic, randomized, double-blind controlled trial and treated with 1 g of gel three times daily for 4 weeks. Main outcome measures were pain on walking as a Visual Analogue Score (VAS) and a single-joint Ritchie index.

The costs of treating rheumatoid arthritis patients with complementary medicine: exploring the issue.

Objectives: To measure the marginal costs of providing complementary medicine services (mostly homoeopathy) in outpatient clinics for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to illustrate how parameters to which the cost of complementary medicine may be sensitive can be identified.

Design: Retrospective, observational costing study.

Setting: The outpatient clinic of the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital.

Clinical trials of homeopathy and placebo: analysis of a scientific debate.

Objective: Homeopathy is controversial, primarily because of the use of medicines diluted beyond the Avogadro limit. This article examines the scientific debate on whether homeopathy can have effects greater than placebo in humans.

Methods: Five rigorous English-language clinical studies published in high-impact journals that favored homeopathy were identified.

Independent replication of pre-clinical research in homeopathy: a systematic review.

Objective: To determine whether any pre-clinical research in homoeopathy has been independently replicated.

Search Strategy: CISCOM was searched using the key words 'homeopathy' and 'basic research'. Further references were obtained from reviews, bibliographies, citation tracking and contact with experts.

Attitudes to evidence on complementary medicine: the perspective of British healthcare purchasers.

Objectives: To determine the attitude of those who make decisions on the allocation of health-care resources (health-care purchasers/commissioners) towards the relative importance of different types of evidence on complementary medicine.

Design: Questionnaire study of GPs and Directors of Public Health.

Setting: General practices in the UK and Directors of Public Health of Health Authorities in the Greater London region.

The relationship between homeopathy and the Dr Bach system of flower remedies: a critical appraisal.

The relationship between homeopathy and the Dr Bach system of flower remedies is explored. A historical perspective is given, doctrinal similarities and dissimilarities between both systems are discussed and the relationship between remedies used in homeopathy as well as in Dr Bach's system of flower remedies is explored. It is concluded that although both systems are clearly different, some common ground exists and that both systems may have a complementary role which is perhaps insufficiently recognised.

Unreliability of IgE/IgG4 antibody testing as a diagnostic tool in food intolerance.

Background: Some clinicians link chronic disease in certain patients to 'food intolerance'. This is currently diagnosed by exclusion dieting, a time-consuming and tedious technique. It has been claimed that IgE/IgG4 antibody testing is a rapid and valid method of determining food intolerance.

Homoeopathic treatment during the menopause.

Nurses and midwives may not be directly involved in treating menopausal patients, nevertheless they are in a unique position to offer support and advice to patients concerned about the menopause. Many women want to know about ways of dealing with uncomfortable symptoms and fears associated with going through the menopause. Homoeopathic treatment is one form of therapy which can be used during the menopause, which takes into account both the physical symptoms and the emotional responses.

Complementary therapies and their role in nursing care.

This article aims to develop the nurse's knowledge of the range of complementary therapies available and how they can benefit patients. It relates to UKCC Professional Development categories Care enhancement and Patient, family, client and colleague support.