Status of Homeopathy Research

Homeopathy has the potential to play a valuable role in future healthcare provision, helping to meet the growing need for effective, affordable, patient-centred care according to the Homeopathy Research Institute (HRI).

Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the principle that 'like treats like', i.e. substances which can cause symptoms when given to healthy people, can be used in small doses to treat patients with similar symptoms. 

'There are two main types of treatment: individualised homeopathy involves a personalised prescription, selected according to the patient's specific presenting symptoms, usually following a consultation with a qualified practitioner; in non-individualised homeopathy the choice of homeopathic medicine is determined by the clinical diagnosis, based on the causative agent or common symptoms of the condition being treated, rather than a patient's specific presenting symptoms.

'Homeopathy is used widely around the world, with an estimated 32 million people in the UK (49% of the population) having used it.'

'Homeopathy research is conducted at universities, expert institutes and in clinical settings around the world (see Fig. 1 in the attached article), using the same methodological approaches used to assess conventional medical treatments and applying the latest laboratory techniques. The field has advanced significantly in recent decades: in experimental research, systematic reviews show that 72% of physico-chemical experiments are able to demonstrate specific properties of homeopathic medicines (see p.2 of the attached report) while 77% of biological experiments report measurable effects under controlled conditions (p.2-3 of the attached report)'.

For the full copy of the report -'Status of Homeopathy Research: From Experimental Research to Clinical Evidence', please click here.

Article sourced, with thanks, from the Homeopathy Research Institute 

Why is the work of the HRI essential?

'Homeopathy is a complex subject that is only just starting to be explored. From what we know so far, the evidence suggests that homeopathy could provide solutions to many of the challenges facing us today – from overuse of antibiotics to spiralling healthcare budgets – but to know for sure, we need more hard data.

'Despite its potential, research in homeopathy is not a government priority. For example, in the UK only 0.0085% of the total medical research budget is spent on the entire field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, of which homeopathy is only one example. Until this changes, the work of HRI is essential.'

Please support the work of the Homeopathy Research Institute - click here to show you how.