Evidence-Based Study of Enlarged Adenoid Treated with Homoeopathic Medicine: A Case Report.

Background: Adenoid is a mass of lymphoid tissue seen in the posterior nasopharyngeal wall, generally seen in the pediatric age group, and it disappears as age advances till puberty. Patients with recurrent allergic rhinitis, otitis media, or persistent nasopharyngeal obstruction is associated with adenoid hypertrophy can be considered for adenoidectomy. Objective: To evaluate the potential role of Individualised Homeopathic medicine in managing allergic rhinitis and troublesome symptoms of upper respiratory tract in case of Enlarged adenoid. Method: An 8-year-old boy came with complaints of Allergic rhinitis, snoring, and recurrent upper respiratory tract infection. He had taken treatment for the same from modern medicine, but still, a recurrence of symptoms occurred. His radiological investigations showed grade II Adenoid Hypertrophy. The patient was advised surgical intervention, but their parents were unwilling to the same so the patient came for Homoeopathic Management. Individualized Homeopathic Medicine Calcarea carbonicum 200 C was prescribed to the patient. The patient's condition significantly improved during the course of his five years of treatment; his snoring has decreased, his allergic manifestations have diminished, and monthly check-ups have revealed that the patient's general and particular condition are improving. indicating the positive result of homeopathic medicine in the treatment of enlarged adenoid. Assessment of outcome is based on Radiological reports and modified Naranjo criteria. Result: Homoeopathic medicine Calcarea Carb 200 C is given to the patient based on the totality of symptoms. The incidence of allergic rhinitis has also declined following treatment. Furthermore, there has been a decrease in the grade of adenoid hypertrophy and a noticeable improvement in symptoms. Conclusion: This is a single case where evidence shows that complete patient recovery occurs with individualized Homoeopathic Medicine. this is single case study and more researches, observational studies and randomized control trials are required to ascertain homeopathy's efficacy in managing enlarged Adenoids.

Demarcating scientific medicine.

Scientific medicine and homeopathy are interesting case studies for the ongoing project of demarcating science from pseudoscience. Much of the demarcation literature formulates abstract criteria for demarcating science from pseudoscience generally. In service of a more localist approach to the demarcation problem, I reconstruct a specific demarcating difference, the like comparison criterion, invoked by nineteenth century adherents to an early model of scientific medicine. If it is to remain relevant today, I argue that the like comparison criterion must be updated in our current era of epidemiological, evidence-based medicine to recognize the importance of assessing study bias and mechanistic implausibility in contemporary medical science.

A systematic review of clinical and laboratory findings of lead poisoning: lessons from case reports.

Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment. The present review aimed to highlight hazardous pollution sources, management, and review symptoms of lead poisonings in various parts of the world. The present study summarized the information available from case reports and case series studies from 2009 to March 2020 on the lead pollution sources and clinical symptoms. All are along with detoxification methods in infants, children, and adults. Our literature compilation includes results from 126 studies on lead poisoning. We found that traditional medication, occupational exposure, and substance abuse are as common as previously reported sources of lead exposure for children and adults. Ayurvedic medications and gunshot wounds have been identified as the most common source of exposure in the United States. However, opium and occupational exposure to the batteries were primarily seen in Iran and India. Furthermore, neurological, gastrointestinal, and hematological disorders were the most frequently occurring symptoms in lead-poisoned patients. As for therapeutic strategies, our findings confirm the safety and efficacy of chelating agents, even for infants. Our results suggest that treatment with chelating agents combined with the prevention of environmental exposure may be an excellent strategy to reduce the rate of lead poisoning. Besides, more clinical studies and long-term follow-ups are necessary to address all questions about lead poisoning management.

[Homeopathy-a therapeutic option for medical practice? : An evaluation from the perspective of evidence-based medicine]. / Homöopathie ­ eine Therapieoption für die Praxis? : Bewertung unter dem Blickwinkel der evidenzbasierten Medizin.

Many publications declare homeopathy to be "controversial." However, based on the findings of extensive research on homeopathy, there has long been a broad scientific consensus that there is no reliable evidence of specific medical effectiveness. Overall, the evidence clearly denies effects beyond those of placebo and context. All the more must it be seen as a phenomenon that homeopathy is still the subject of medical and therapeutic practice. This may lie largely in the fact that the homeopathic scene appropriates medical research and the concept of evidence in a way that is suitable to maintain the appearance that there is still a scientifically relevant discourse to dispute. The following article aims to justify that this is not the case, and that homeopathy is, therefore, obsolete as a therapeutic option, even according to the principles of contemporary medical ethics.

HRI London 2019: 10 Years of Excellence in Homeopathy Research.

The Homeopathy Research Institute's (HRI's) 4th International Research Conference took place in the heart of London from 14 to 16 June 2019. With 352 attendees from 38 countries, this was HRI's largest and most international conference to date. HRI London 2019 will be remembered for the highest quality scientific programme so far, combined with a vibrant, positive atmosphere throughout, making it the perfect way to celebrate HRI's 10th Anniversary. Here we summarise the science presented during the intense 2.5-day programme.

Can Homeopathy, a Particularly Mild Therapeutic Approach, Survive and Grow in a World of Violence?

This short treatise addresses a philosophical question concerning the place of homeopathy in our modern world. The question raised is whether a therapeutic system as peaceful, mild, and non-violent as homeopathy can survive and grow within a society that often displays the opposite characteristics.Much of contemporary society is more interested in fast and impressive cures, even if these may also bring side effects; whereas homeopathy can offer solutions with a personalized approach that requires long hours of case study by the homeopath to find the correct personal remedy that aims to bring about positive results, which the therapy can produce in deep chronic diseases.The conclusion drawn is that homeopathy does not readily fit within a modern and violent society that prefers quick and invasive solutions to its clinical problems.

Recommendations for Designing, Conducting and Reporting Observational Studies in Homeopathy.

BACKGROUND: Randomized placebo-controlled trials are considered to be the gold standard in clinical research and have the highest importance in the hierarchical system of evidence-based medicine. However, from the viewpoint of decision makers, due to lower external validity, practical results of efficacy research are often not in line with the huge investments made over decades. METHOD: We conducted a narrative review. With a special focus on homeopathy, we give an overview on cohort, comparative cohort, case-control and cross-sectional study designs and explain guidelines and tools that help to improve the quality of observational studies, such as the STROBE Statement, RECORD, GRACE and ENCePP Guide. RESULTS: Within the conventional medical research field, two types of arguments have been employed in favor of observational studies. First, observational studies allow for a more generalizable and robust estimation of effects in clinical practice, and if cohorts are large enough, there is no over-estimation of effect sizes, as is often feared. We argue that observational research is needed to balance the current over-emphasis on internal validity at the expense of external validity. Thus, observational research can be considered an important research tool to describe "real-world" care settings and can assist with the design and inform the results of randomised controlled trails. CONCLUSIONS: We present recommendations for designing, conducting and reporting observational studies in homeopathy and provide recommendations to complement the STROBE Statement for homeopathic observational studies.

Equality, efficiency and effectiveness: going beyond RCTs in A. L. Cochrane's vision of health care.

A. L. Cochrane's Effectiveness and Efficiency frequently appears as a key reference in debates over, and a justification for, contemporary evidence-based medicine. Cochrane's concern in this text with the equality of care as the ultimate rationale for why effectiveness and efficiency of cure are needed has, however, largely disappeared from debate. In this article, we reconsider Cochrane's approach through the use of case studies of plural forms of medicine in the Czech Republic, namely traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and spa care. In addition to bringing equality back into the picture, we also identify four expansions to Cochrane's original vision arising from the difficulties of separating cure from care; the overlap between prevention and cure; the complex actions of some multi-faceted therapies; and recent reconceptualisations of the placebo effect. In conclusion, we suggest that instead of the widely used strictly vertical "evidence pyramid", a descriptor of the horizontal and additive ordering of evidence might be more appropriate. We also argue that in healthcare systems characterised by a multiplicity of approaches, if we want to truly benefit from this heterogeneity, we must take seriously each medical tradition's approaches to prevention, cure, care, as well as efficiency, efficacy and equality.

Integrative Medicine in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of Our Literature.

BACKGROUND: Surveys have reported that as high as 80% of plastic surgery patients utilize integrative medicine approaches including natural products (NPs) and mind-body practices (MBPs). Little is known regarding the evidence of benefit of these integrative therapies specifically in a plastic surgery patient population. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of studies in MEDLINE, PubMed, and EMBASE (inception through December 2016) evaluating integrative medicine among plastic surgery patients. Search terms included 76 separate NP and MBP interventions as listed in the 2013 American Board of Integrative Health Medicine Curriculum. Two independent reviewers extracted data from each study, including study type, population, intervention, outcomes, conclusions (beneficial, harmful, or neutral), year of publication, and journal type. Level of evidence was assessed according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Rating Levels of Evidence and Grading Recommendations. RESULTS: Of 29 studies analyzed, 13 studies (45%) evaluated NPs and 16 (55%) studied MBPs. Level II reproducible evidence supports use of arnica to decrease postoperative edema after rhinoplasty, onion extract to improve scar pigmentation, hypnosis to alleviate perioperative anxiety, and acupuncture to improve perioperative nausea. Level V evidence reports on the risk of bleeding in gingko and kelp use and the risk of infection in acupuncture use. After year 2000, 92% of NP studies versus 44% of MBP studies were published (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: High-level evidence studies demonstrate promising results for the use of both NPs and MBPs in the care of plastic surgery patients. Further study in this field is warranted.

A qualitative study exploring factors influencing clinical decision-making for influenza-like illness in Solapur city, Maharashtra, India.

The co-existence of different types of medical systems (medical pluralism) is a typical feature of India's healthcare system. For conditions such as influenza-like illness (ILI), where non-specific disease signs/symptoms exist, clinical reasoning in the context of medical pluralism becomes crucial. Recognising this need, we undertook a qualitative study, which explored factors underpinning clinical decisions on diagnosis and management of ILI. The study involved semi-structured interviews including clinical vignettes with 20 healthcare practitioners (working within allopathy, homeopathy and Ayurveda) working in the private healthcare sector in Solapur city, India. An inquiry was conducted into criteria influencing the diagnosis, treatment, referral to specialist care and role of treatment guidelines for ILI. Thematic analysis was used to identify aspects relating to ILI diagnosis, treatment and referral. The diagnosis of influenza was based largely on clinical symptoms suggestive of influenza in the absence of other diagnoses. Referral for laboratory tests was only initiated if illness did not resolve, generally after 2-3 consultations. Antibiotics were often prescribed for persistent illness, with antivirals rarely considered. Some differences between practitioners from different medical systems were observed in relation to treatment and referral in case of persistent illness. A combination of analytical and intuitive clinical reasoning was used by the participants and clinical decisions were based on both social and clinical factors. Clinical decision-making was rarely a linear process and respondents felt that broad guidelines on influenza that allowed doctors to account for the sociocultural context within which they practised medicine would be helpful.

Ultra-High Dilutions and Homeopathy: Can They Be Explained without Non-Local Theory?

We discuss questions related to the 'Benveniste Affair', its consequences and broader issues in an attempt to understand homeopathy. Specifically, we address the following points: 1.: The relationship between the experiments conducted by Benveniste, Montagnier, their collaborators and groups that independently tested their results, and 'traditional' homeopathy. 2.: Possible non-local components such as 'generalised entanglement' as the basis of the homeopathic phenomenon and experimental evidence for them. 3.: The capability of highly diluted homeopathic remedies to provoke tangible biological changes in whole organisms and cellular experimental systems. 4.: Aspects of the similia principle related to the above. 5.: Suggestions that can lead to experimental verifications of the non-local hypothesis in homeopathy.

THE MEDICO-SCIENTIFIC MARGINALISATION OF HOMEOPATHY: INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AND REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS.

The 2010 report of the United Kingdom Science and Technology Committee of the House of Commons and the 2015 report of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council have overtaken in significance the uncritical Swiss report of 2012 and have gone a long way to changing the environment of tolerance toward proselytising claims of efficacy in respect of homeopathy. The inquiry being undertaken in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration during 2015 may accelerate this trend. An outcome of the reports and inquiries has been a series of decisions from advertising regulators and by courts rejecting medically unjustifiable claims in respect of the efficacy of homeopathy. Class actions have also been initiated in North America against manufacturers of homeopathic products. The changing legal and regulatory environment is generating an increasingly scientifically marginalised existence for homeopathy. That new environment is starting to provide effective inhibition of assertions on behalf of homeopathy and other health modalities whose claims to therapeutic efficacy cannot be justified by reference to the principles of evidence-based health care. This has the potential to reduce the financial support that is provided by insurers and governments toward homeopathy and to result in serious liability exposure for practitioners, manufacturers and those who purvey homeopathic products, potentially including pharmacists. In addition, it may give a fillip to a form of regulation of homeopaths if law reform to regulate unregistered health practitioners gathers momentum, as is taking place in Australia.

[Alternative medicines and "Evidence-Based Medicine" a possible reconciliation?]. / Pratiques alternatives et " Evidence-Based Medicine " : une réconciliation possible ?

The contrast between the efficiency of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), a scientific fact, and the popularity of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) is a paradox of the art of healing. EBM is based on the paradigm of positivism and materialism while CAM are based on those of relativism and vitalism. These paradigms are diametrically opposed and the aim of an integrative medicine is aporetic. However, EBM is today in a dead end. The objective proof of a disease according to the rules of EBM is often lacking face to the expectations of patients demanding their illness to be taken into account. EBM and CAM have thus to coexist. Lessons can be drawn from CAM : patient expectations should be given a meaning and be integrated in his or her psychosocial context.

New approaches within the history and theory of medicine and their relevance for homeopathy.

Conventional sciences have brought forth a wealth of knowledge and benefits, but they have not always been clear and precise about their legitimate scope and methodological limitations. In contrast, new and critical approaches in modern sciences question and reflect their own presuppositions, dependencies, and constraints. Examples are quantum physics, theory and history of science, as well as theory and history of medicine, sociology, and economics. In this way, deprecative dogmatism and animosity amongst sciences ought to be lessened, while the field opens up for each science to redefine its appropriate place in society. This would appear to be a chance for homeopathy, as new approaches, especially within the social and economic sciences, suggest that being a follower of Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) may have advantages and privileges that conventional medicine seems to be lacking and whose relevance was overlooked during the rise of economic thinking in the last two centuries.

Homeopathy-A lively relic of the prescientific era.

Homeopathy was first postulated by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1796 and 220 years later homeopathy is the most popular and widespread alternative medicine. Partly, it is also part of the national healthcare and insurance systems but homeopathy is not without controversy within the medical and healthcare community. Its implausible basic assumptions, some of which contradict natural laws, do not lead us to expect that its remedies have any specific effect. In fact, there is no study or systematic review to date that reliably certifies homeopathy to have an effect beyond the placebo effect and other context effects. In this respect it must be disconcerting how widely homeopathy is applied and represented in therapeutic practice. It indeed claims a role within scientific (evidence-based) medicine but cannot substantiate this claim. It displays clear characteristics of pseudoscience [1]. This implies a lot of problems, such as misleading people and tackling medical ethics up to scientific publication practices. Furthermore, it turns out that quite a few people do not know exactly what homeopathy is, which may lead them to make wrong decisions for their personal health. This article summarizes the information about homeopathy and its problematic implications and serves as a general introduction to this topic and its unacceptable role in today's medicine.The medical irrelevance of the sham method of homeopathy has been proven with more than sufficient probability [2]. As a major testimonial, the statement "Homeopathic products and practices" of the European (EASAC 2017) can be regarded. The primary aim of this brief report is therefore not to take another look at homeopathy from a medical scientific perspective, but rather focus attention on the implications of the still continuous and largely uncritically accepted existence of this method in medical practice, in the medical scientific sphere and in the judgement of the general public.

Plausibility and evidence: the case of homeopathy.

Homeopathy is controversial and hotly debated. The conclusions of systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials of homeopathy vary from 'comparable to conventional medicine' to 'no evidence of effects beyond placebo'. It is claimed that homeopathy conflicts with scientific laws and that homoeopaths reject the naturalistic outlook, but no evidence has been cited. We are homeopathic physicians and researchers who do not reject the scientific outlook; we believe that examination of the prior beliefs underlying this enduring stand-off can advance the debate. We show that interpretations of the same set of evidence--for homeopathy and for conventional medicine--can diverge. Prior disbelief in homeopathy is rooted in the perceived implausibility of any conceivable mechanism of action. Using the 'crossword analogy', we demonstrate that plausibility bias impedes assessment of the clinical evidence. Sweeping statements about the scientific impossibility of homeopathy are themselves unscientific: scientific statements must be precise and testable. There is growing evidence that homeopathic preparations can exert biological effects; due consideration of such research would reduce the influence of prior beliefs on the assessment of systematic review evidence.