[Homeopathic drug products and outpatient clinics: are they deceiving the public?] / I prodotti e gli ambulatori omeopatici non ingannano il pubblico?

After more than two centuries since the inception of homeopathy, it can now be stated that active ingredients of homeopathic drug products are approaching zero. Homeopathy has never been shown to be effective, and several Cochrane reviews failed to provide evidence for the effectiveness of homeopathy. In addition, according to the World Health Organization, when homeopathic medicine is used as an alternative to other effective treatments, it may cause harm resulting in increased mortality. On the basis of these considerations, it is of utmost importance that millions of Italian people taking homeopathic remedies be informed on the negative judgment by the scientific community, so that allocation of limited healthcare resources can be better redirected to increase patient access to treatments not otherwise available due to restrictions on healthcare budgets (e.g. hepatitis C medications).

Standards of education, regulation, and market control: perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine in Ontario, Canada.

This paper provides a contemporary analysis of the issues and questions surrounding the regulation and standardization of education with respect to two complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions, namely Chinese traditional medicine and homeopath in Ontario, Canada. Rather than taking a standard of education for granted, the assumption that standardizing professional education is a positive move is critiqued because it is claimed to ensure public safety and uniformity within the profession. It is argued that such an assumption fails to deconstruct the power relations involved with setting a standard of education and continues to ignore the fact that setting a standard of education in CAM is part and parcel of biomedical dominance, competition, turf wars and survival. At the end of this paper, some critical questions regarding setting standards of education by the health professions in general are raised.

Homeopathy: natural mind-body healing.

1. Homeopathy is an accepted form of health care in many countries worldwide. 2. Homeopathy is deeply healing, yet does so without causing side effects, tolerance, or addiction problems. 3. Homeopathic remedies are available over the counter in health food stores and some pharmacies. 4. Homeopathy is distinct from herbal medicine and does not interact with conventional treatments.

Summary consensus statement of the Review Board of the Swiss Complementary Medicine Evaluation Programme, (Programme Evaluation Komplementärmedizin, PEK) regarding the PEK process and products.

The international review board was set up as the scientific advisory body of the Swiss Complementary Medicine Evaluation Programme (PEK) in 2002. It has met several times and has given advice with respect to the most important aspects of the programme. It would have been the normal procedure for the review board to have had the opportunity to comment on the drafts of the final scientific products as well as the draft of the summary report, in order to advise on them, before the documents became publicly available and formed the basis for political decision making. But the responsible authorities changed this process. In the following, the review board comments both on this process and on the products.

The colour of the homeopathic improvement: the multidimensional nature of the response to homeopathic therapy.

Homeopathy differs from conventional medicine in many aspects. Little recognized to date is the unique, multidimensional nature of the response to homeopathic treatment. We discuss this 'colour' of the homeopathic response; altered temporal awareness, paucity of language, selective amnesia, lack of self-awareness, the holistic character of the improvement, and the development of acute illnesses, all in response to successful homeopathic treatment. We conclude that, beyond its biological effect, homeopathic treatment affects the awareness.

Homeopathic remedies as metaphors in family therapy. A narrative-based approach to homeopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine a metaphorical, narrative model to explain the outcome of an homeopathic, encounter involving the patient, practitioner and the homeopathic medicine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The transcript of a videotaped doctor-patient interaction from a European doctor-patient communication study (EUROCOM) was analysed using qualitative methods. RESULTS: Analysis demonstrates a narrative relationship between the protagonists in the therapeutic interaction, with the homeopathic medicine performing a metaphorical role. DISCUSSION: The results justify further investigation of the narrative and metaphorical properties of the therapeutic encounter in homeopathy.

Using a computer-based clinical management system to improve effectiveness of a homeopathic service in a fundholding general practice.

UNLABELLED: Problems which the development attempts to address. This study's overall objectives were to determine whether: * The aims of collaboration between General Practitioner (GPs) and a homeopath can be made explicit and service delivery optimised by using computer-based data collection in a multi-disciplinary primary care team that includes a homeopathic practitioner. * Outcomes of the homeopathic service can be evaluated in a practical way, which allows quality assurance through rapid audit cycles. METHOD: The primary care team (PCT) explored the problems of developing a rational and quality assured complementary therapy service in a series of meetings in an NHS practice where complementary therapists are members of the PCT. This led to the defining of data-collection structures and processes needed. The researchers designed and supervised their implementation and evaluation through a series of action research cycles. A database was designed which allowed the clinicians to track interventions and outcomes using the Measure Your Own Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP). Critical incidents were brought to fortnightly clinical meetings and methods were continually adapted as problems arose and new options emerged at six-weekly audit meetings. RESULTS: GPs tended to refer patients who do not fit easily into biomedical disease categories. Patients referred tend to self-rate themselves as experiencing notably poor wellbeing. MYMOP has to be used skillfully with homeopathic patients, especially where psychological distress is identified as one of their main complaints. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to introduce rigour and reflectiveness when providing a homeopathic service in general practice by assessing the needs of patient and practitioners, agreeing intake guidelines, developing referral processes, implementing audit cycles. Clear lines of communication can be established and a patient-centred outcome measure can be introduced into the treatment cycle.

Community hospital homeopathy clinic: audit of the first 12 months activity.

The aim of the study was to examine the activity of a new service providing a homeopathy clinic at a community hospital. This was initiated in a limited way and was served by a relatively inexperienced practitioner. A range of presenting complaints, treatments and outcomes are described. Funding has been maintained by the Health Authority and referrals have continued to be made by the local eligible General Practitioners. The outcomes have been quite good but the default rate has been disappointingly high.