Homeopathy Week 11
Tutorial Activity
The main issue with Scientific Research methods is the incompatibility of Methods in which an outcome of evidence is reached. Both lectures this week commented on the Vital force, and the Vital reaction; how can this be extensively verified? Of course it is possible, as many reported research techniques have shown, however it seems that the two disciplines of Bio-medicine and Homeopathy do not communicate well. I think that if both sides could agree on varied forms of evidence, and how their differences are ‘not so different’ when explored in the world of science and physics, they could look outside the gold standard of a double blind meta-analysis, or similar, and would see encouraging evidence on both sides, and have an incentive to work together integratively to achieve great results.
I researched the National Health and Medical Research Councils – ‘Review of the Effectiveness of Homeopathy’, for this article. The draft research which began in 2012, was published in 2015. It’s finding’s contrarily stated that there encouraging evidence for the effectiveness of homeopathy in 2012, and that there is no evidence that homeopathy is more effective than placebo in treating various illnesses, in 2015. The NHMRC explains its format and rationale from the CEO. From the point of view of a CAM practitioner it is evident that current research methods aren’t designed to quantify, or validate the Vital force and it’s reactions.
Being curious to find support for the discussions supporting homeopathy in this week’s lectures I found an article which has researched and outlined possibilities for fairer methods of scientific research for Complementary Medicine the article is in BMC Medical Journals: ‘Researching complementary and alternative treatments – the gatekeepers are not at home’, Fønnebø V, Grimsgaard S, & Walach H,et al.
Some of the concepts supporting Homeopathy from this weeks lectures were:
- Cyber-kinetic feedback
- Hormesis
- Hormoligosis
- Similarity v’s survival in cell culture
- Avogadro’s law – Evidence of Ultra Molecular Dilutions – Traces of Zinc, Silica, and other Metals / Minerals being detected in potencies above Avogadro’s number, where previously thought not possible. Zinc Metalicum 30 C found Zinc in it. This was due to nanoparticles of metals and aggregates.
- Human Basophil Degranulation Test (Histamine at 10 to the 32nd is an offset of Histamine in the Human Body. This offset also signals Basophil cells to stop releasing Histamine when in balance / no longer required).
- Stable supramolecular structures, involving nanobubbles of atmospheric gases, and highly ordered water molecules around them, are generated during the vigorous mechanical agitation, step of preparation. These are destroyed by heating.
- Transition electron microscopy
- Systems strengthened by stress or disorder
- Not merely Robust health outcomes valued
- Randomised controlled trial have shown evidence of the effectiveness of homeopathy
- Anti reductionist theories
- Macroscopic quantum entanglement
(Dr Lex Rutton, will this medicine work for me, towards a scientific answer).
(Dr Peter Fisher, The implications of Theoretical and recent Research findings in Homeopathy’).
Following Points supporting Homeopathy in the NHMRC review 2012
CEO Statement about the NHMRC INFORMATION PAPER Evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy for treating health conditions 2012 – Draft Report
As part of the process, an initial contractor was employed to review the evidence in treating a variety of clinical conditions, with the aim of providing Australians with reliable evidence of its use. The contract was terminated in 2012 with the mutual agreement of NHMRC and the Contractor. The draft ‘ The Effectiveness of Homeopathy, a review of secondary evidence, was not endorsed by the expert Homeopathy Committee.
A second reviewer was contracted and provided an overview of published systematic reviews and a review of systematic literature. The second contractor submitted the NHMRC INFORMATION PAPER Evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy for treating health conditions 2015.
Findings from the NHMRC 2012 Report
Cancer Treatment Symptoms – Encouraging evidence of effect
- 1 good quality key review, and 3 other reviews, reporting 8 studies of varying quality of 664 Individuals
- Evidence available for Topical Calendula for prophylaxis of acute dermatitis during radiotherapy
Fibromyalgia – Encouraging evidence of effect
- 1 good quality key review, and 6 other reviews, reported on 5 moderate quality RCTs, of 265 individuals in 6 research papers.
Otitis Media – Encouraging evidence of effect
- 1 good quality recent review reporting on 6 experimental studies, in 7 papers over varying quality of 562 Children
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections – Encouraging evidence in Adults
- 1 good quality recent review of 6 poor to moderate experimental studies of 1327 Children, and 15 poor to moderate studies of 5050 Adults.
- Children – No convincing evidence
- Adults – Encouraging evidence including: cough, tonsillitis, and sinusitis
(NHMRC 2012) https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/Draft-annotated-2012-homeopathy-report.pdf
Findings from the NHMRC INFORMATION PAPER Evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy for treating health conditions 2015
- There is no reliable evidence that homeopathy is more effective than placebo for the above
Insights from the Article ‘Researching complementary and alternative treatments – the gatekeepers are not at home’ by Fønnebø V, Grimsgaard S, & Walach H,et al
This article explores the influences of factors such as: financial, sponsorships, methods of practices, and comparative standards of efficacy in determining research methods and validity of findings for CAM medicines.
The authors state: “We propose a five-phase strategy for assessing CAM built on the acknowledgement of the inherent, unique aspects of CAM treatments and their regulatory status in most Western countries. These phases comprise’:
- Context, paradigms, philosophical understanding and utilization
- Safety status
- Comparative effectiveness.
- Component efficacy
- Biological mechanisms.
(Fønnebø V, Grimsgaard S, & Walach H,et al)
The summary states: ‘Using the proposed strategy will generate evidence relevant to clinical practice, while acknowledging the absence of regulatory and financial gatekeepers for CAM. It will also emphasize the important but subtle differences between CAM and conventional medical practice’.
https://bmcmedresmethodol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2288-7-7 Other Links – Lecture Videos
Dr Peter Fisher, Clinical Director and Director of Research, Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, UK, Cutting Edge to Clinical Effectiveness: ‘The implications of Theoretical and recent Research findings in Homeopathy’.
Dr Peter Fisher, ‘the implications of theoretical and recent research finding in homeopathy’.
Dr Lex Rutton, will this medicine work for me, towards a scientific answer.
Teacher feedback
wow Heather, this is an incredibly detailed response to the Activity Forum!
I just wanted to follow up with a few extra resources regarding the NHMRC 2015 Report …
Firstly, here is a neat video of Rachel Roberts, from the Homeopathic Research Institute, who has been a great advocate for the Australian Homeopathic community in our response to the NHMRC Report.
Plus some other interesting links:
This is from the ‘Your Health Your Choice’ Consumer Campaign Website
And finally some FAQ’s on the NHMRC Report into Homeopathy