The Statement That Homeopathy is Just a Placebo is 'seriously Flawed':Experts

Dispelling the myths surrounding homeopathy, a new research has revealed that claims made by scientists suggesting homeopathy does not have therapeutic effects are 'seriously flawed'.

A 2005 review, published in The Lancet, of six trials of conventional medicine and 8 studies of homeopathy had revealed that homeopathic medicines are just placebo.

Central Budget Allocates Rs.99.47 Bn Proposal for Rural Health Mission
The central budget for 2007-08 Wednesday proposes an increase in the allocation for the flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) from Rs.82.07 billion in 2006-07 to Rs.99.47 billion in 2007-08

George Lewith, Professor of Health Research at Southampton University claims that the conclusions are 'not' reliable.

"The review gave no indication of which trials were analysed nor of the various vital assumptions made about the data," the Lancet quoted Lewith, as saying.

"This is not usual scientific practice. If we presume that homeopathy works for some conditions but not others, or change the definition of a 'larger trial', the conclusions change.

Homeopathy and Hypnosis Come to Dentistry
Some dentists are full of pleasant surprises. They don't scrape and poke. They massage and hypnotise, look for disrupted energy flows and prescribe homeopathic remedies.

"This indicates a fundamental weakness in the conclusions: they are NOT reliable," he added.

The 8 larger higher quality trials of homeopathy were all for different conditions, if homeopathy works for some of these but not others the result changes, implying that it is not placebo.

Are Alternative Therapies A Reliable Alternative?
Director of public health for Sandwell Dr John Middleton has indicated that alternative or complimentary therapies need to be proved that they are as effective as they claim to be

The researchers have criticised the review for being based on loose assumptions. Doubts remain on the unpublished criteria used in the review, including the definition of 'higher quality'.

The review was led by Prof Matthias Egger of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Berne, who started with 110 matched clinical trials of homeopathy and conventional medicine, reduced these to 'higher quality trials' and then to 8 and 6 respectively 'larger higher quality trials'.

Global Homoeopathy Conference Underway in Agra
An international homeopathy conference is taking place in this Taj Mahal city, attended by over 80 delegates from India and eight countries.

It showed 'weak evidence for a specific effect of homoeopathic remedies, but strong evidence for specific effects of conventional interventions'.

The researchers claim that comparison with conventional medicine was meaningless: the original 110 trials were matched, but matching was lost after they were reduced to 8 and 6.

They claim that the review was based on a series of hidden judgments unfavourable to homeopathy.

The current evidence suggests that homeopathy is effective for a various conditions including allergies, upper respiratory tract infections and 'flu, but further research is required.

Source-ANI
SPH