Editorials
Randomised controlled trials for homoeopathy
Who wants to know the results?
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Why should you read about a trial comparing
homoeopathic treatment to placebo? If you prescribe homoeopathic
medicines a trial will not influence your prescribing decisions because
most trials of homoeopathic medicines do not individualise treatment,
the hallmark of homoeopathic practice. If they do1 it is
difficult to apply the results to individual treatment decisions in
practice. Moreover randomisation and blinding of participants
substantially distorts the context of homoeopathic prescribing,
potentially weakening its effect. If you do not prescribe homoeopathic
medicines you will not use the results directly in your practice, so
why take any interest in such trials? One reason could be that every year 8.5% of adults in the United Kingdom and 4% in the United States
use a homoeopathic medicine.2 It is also possible to refer
patients to homoeopathic specialists in the NHS or refer to general
practitioners who prescribe homoeopathically within a practice or
primary care trust.
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Rapid Responses:
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- Three Questions
- David T Parry
bmj.com, 1 Mar 2002 [Full text] - scientific thinking
- Robert W Leckridge
bmj.com, 1 Mar 2002 [Full text] - Homeopathy and the NHS
- michael foley
bmj.com, 2 Mar 2002 [Full text] - Sensationalist cover! Did I buy The Sun or BMJ?
- mandi s martin
bmj.com, 3 Mar 2002 [Full text] - One Thing Only I Know, and That is That I Know Nothing.
- B. M. HEGDE
bmj.com, 3 Mar 2002 [Full text] - Evaluation Essential
- A P J Lake
bmj.com, 5 Mar 2002 [Full text] - The dilemma of the double-blinded placebo controlled trial solution
- Adrian W CHENG
bmj.com, 5 Apr 2002 [Full text]
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