Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of non-individualised homeopathic treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis

Mathie, Robert T.; Ramparsad, Nitish; Legg, Lynn; Clausen, Jürgen; Moss, Sian; Davidson, Jonathan; Messow, Claudia‐Martina; McConnachie, Alex

doi:10.1186/s13643-017-0445-3

Cited by 113 publications

(200 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…In total, 61 systematic reviews and meta‐analyses were included in qualitative synthesis (Altunç et al, ; Banerjee et al, ; Baranowsky et al, ; Barnes et al, ; Bellavite et al, ; Boehm et al, ; Bornhöft et al, ; Catalá‐López et al, ; Cooper & Relton, ; Cucherat et al, ; Davidson et al, ; De Silva et al, ; Ernst & Barnes, ; Ernst & Pittler, ; Ernst, ;Györik & Brutsche, ; Heirs & Dean, ; Holdcraft et al, ; Jonas et al, ; Kassab et al, ; Kleijnen et al, ; Levi et al, ; Linde al., ; Linde & Melchart, ; Linde et al, ; Long & Ernst, ; Loo & Tang, ; Mathie et al, ; Mathie et al, ; Mathie et al, ; Mathie, ; McCarney et al, ; McCarney et al, ; Meehan et al, ; Milazzo et al, ; Morrison et al, ; Owen & Green, ; Peckham et al, ; Perry et al, ; Pilkington, Kirkwood, Rampes, Fisher, & Richardson, ; Pilkington, Kirkwood, Rampes, Fisher, & Richardson, ; Reid et al, ; Rostock & Saller, ; Subhranil & Munmun, ; Schneider et al, ; Shang et al, ; Smith, ; Sterne et al, ; Stevinson & Ernst, ; Struijs & Kerkhoffs, ; Terry et al, ; Thandar et al, ; van der Wouden et al, ; Vernon et al, ; Wiesenauer & Lüdtke, ). Data about the efficacy of homoeopathy are shown in Table .…”

Section: Resultsunclassified

“…Twenty‐five reviews demonstrated that homoeopathy efficacy is comparable to placebo (Altunç et al, ; Catalá‐López et al, ; Cooper & Relton, ; De Silva et al, ; Ernst, ; Ernst & Barnes, ; Ernst & Pittler, ; Györik & Brutsche, ; Heirs & Dean, ; Mathie et al, ; McCarney et al, ; Meehan et al, ; Milazzo et al, ; Reid et al, ; Subhranil & Munmun, ; Shang et al, ; Smith, ; Sterne et al, ; Thandar et al, ; van der Wouden et al, ; Vernon et al, ), twenty reviews did not come to a definite conclusion (Banerjee et al, ; Davidson et al, ; Ernst, ; Kleijnen et al, ; Linde et al, ; Long & Ernst, ; Loo & Tang, ; Mathie et al, ; Mathie, ; McCarney et al, ; Morrison et al, ; Owen & Green, ; Perry et al, ; Pilkington et al, ; Pilkington et al, ; Rostock & Saller, ; Stevinson & Ernst, ; Struijs & Kerkhoffs, ; Terry et al, ), and sixteen reviews concluded that homoeopathy has some effect beyond placebo (Baranowsky et al, ; Barnes et al, ; Bellavite et al, ; Boehm et al, ; Bornhöft et al, ; Cucherat et al, ; Holdcraft et al, ; Jonas et al, ; Kassab et al, ; Levi et al, ; Linde & Melchart, ; Linde et al, ; Mathie et al, ; Peckham et al, ; Schneider et al, ; Wiesenauer & Lüdtke, ).…”

Section: Resultsunclassified

“…Selection and eligibility process, as well as reasons for study exclusion after full‐text assessment were summarised in a flow chart (Figure ) (Moher, Liberati, Tetzlaff, & Altman, ). Data from reviews eligible for qualitative synthesis are summarised in Table (Altunç, Pittler, & Ernst, ; Banerjee, Mathie, Costelloe, & Howick, ; Baranowsky et al, ; Barnes, Resch, & Ernst, ; Bellavite, Marzotto, Chirumbolo, & Conforti, ; Boehm, Raak, Cramer, Lauche, & Ostermann, ; Bornhöft et al, ; Catalá‐López et al, ; Cooper & Relton, ; Cucherat, Haugh, Gooch, & Boissel, ; Davidson, Crawford, Ives, & Jonas, ; De Silva, El‐Metwally, Ernst, Lewith, & Macfarlane, ; Ernst & Barnes, ; Ernst & Pittler, ; Ernst, ; Györik & Brutsche, ; Heirs & Dean, ; Holdcraft, Assefi, & Buchwald, ; Jonas, Linde, & Ramirez, ; Kassab, Cummings, Berkovitz, van Haselen, & Fisher, ; Kleijnen, Knipschild, & ter Riet, ; Levi, Brody, McKee‐Cole, Pribitkin, & O'Reilly, ; Linde & Melchart, ; Linde al., ; Linde et al, ; Long & Ernst, ; Loo & Tang, ; Mathie, ; Mathie et al, ; Mathie, Frye, & Fisher, ; McCarney, Linde, & Lasserson, ; McCarney, Warner, Fisher, & Van Haselen, ; Meehan, Eisenhut, & Stephens, ; Milazzo, Russell, & Ernst, ; Morrison, Lilford, & Ernst, ; Owen & Green, ; Peckham et al, ; Perry, Terry, & Ernst, ; Pilkington, Kirkwood, Rampes, Fisher, & Richardson, ; Reid, Chalder, Cleare, Hotopf, & Wessely, ; Rostock & Saller, ; Schneider, Klein, & Weiser, ; Shang et al, ; Smith, ; Sterne, Egger, & Smith, ; Stevinson & Ernst, ; Struijs & Kerkhoffs, ...…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reinterpreting homoeopathy in the light of placebo effects to manage patients who seek homoeopathic care: A systematic review

Antonelli

Donelli²

2018

Health Soc Care Community

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Homoeopathy is widespread, and users claim to benefit from it. However, clear evidence of its efficacy over placebo is not available to date. As a consequence, a social separation between homoeopathy users and mainstream medicine exists, exposing these patients to many risks. Our primary objective is to assess homoeopathy efficacy by systematically reviewing existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses and to systematically review trials on open-label placebo (OLP) treatments. A secondary objective is to understand if homoeopathy as a whole may be considered as a placebo treatment. PubMed/Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on homoeopathy efficacy, and 61 studies were included. Same databases plus Journal of Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (JIPS) were also systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on OLP treatments, and 10 studies were included. Databases were searched up to 24 February 2018. Two authors independently screened all retrieved articles and selected studies eligible for inclusion. The quality of reviews of included studies was evaluated with a dedicated NIH tool in the first review, whereas the risk of bias of trials of included studies was assessed with the specific Cochrane tool in the second review.Qualitative syntheses show that homoeopathy efficacy can be considered comparable to placebo, and that OLP treatments may be effective in some health conditions. Placebo effects like placebo itself, treatment context, physician-patient relationship, and other nonspecific factors can define the idea of placebo treatments, which may be effective in some conditions. If homoeopathy efficacy is comparable to placebo, and if placebo treatments can be effective in some conditions, then homoeopathy as a whole may be considered as a placebo treatment. Reinterpreting homoeopathy as a placebo treatment would define limits and possibilities of this practice. This perspective shift suggests a strategy to manage patients who seek homoeopathic care and to reconcile them with mainstream medicine in a sustainable way. K E Y W O R D S complementary and alternative medicine, homoeopathy, open-label placebo, patientphysician relationship, placebo effects, placebo treatment

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Section: Resultsunclassified

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reinterpreting homoeopathy in the light of placebo effects to manage patients who seek homoeopathic care: A systematic review

Antonelli

Donelli²

2018

Health Soc Care Community

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“…One part of the group gets the verum (remedy) and the other part the placebo [3,4]. But it is not possible to find people who need the same remedies at the same time, even if they have similar symptoms.…”

Section: Homeopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore homeopathy is accused to be of being a humbug, a placebo. Many publications describe very critical [1,2] and many publications describe successful homeopathy [3,4]. For years many theories have…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homeopathy—A Regulation Therapy Healing Hypo- or Hyper-functions of Pathological Pathways by Magnetic Photons according to the Resonance Principle

Karin¹

2017

JLS

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Since Lenger's detection of magnetic photons in homeopathic remedies by magnetic resonance the mystery of homeopathy comes to a solution. Homeopathy is a regulation therapy curing hypo-and hyper-functions of pathological pathways. It reacts according to the principle of resonance. The fundamental principles of homeopathy as proving, symptom picture, curing according to the Law of Similars and the production of homeopathic remedies over the Avogadro number by repeated dilution and succussion are explained to have the same frequencies so that the resonance principle can work. Pathological pathways are cured by using their highly potentized substrates, inhibitors and enzymes, given daily or each second day. This is in contradiction to the normal applied homeopathy. The efficacy of homeopathy now has a scientific base and is completely explained by applying biochemical and biophysical laws.

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Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children

Hawke

Driel

Buffington³

et al. 2018

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

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Background Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are common and may lead to complications. Most children experience between three and six ARTIs each year. Although these infections are self limiting, the symptoms can be distressing. Many treatments are used to control symptoms and shorten the duration of illness. They often have minimal benefit and may lead to adverse effects. Oral homeopathic medicinal products could play a role in the treatment of ARTIs for children if evidence for effectiveness is established. Objectives To assess the effectiveness and safety of oral homeopathic medicinal products compared with placebo or conventional therapy to prevent and treat acute respiratory tract infections in children.

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Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of non-individualised homeopathic treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis

Cited by 113 publications

References 28 publications

Reinterpreting homoeopathy in the light of placebo effects to manage patients who seek homoeopathic care: A systematic review

Reinterpreting homoeopathy in the light of placebo effects to manage patients who seek homoeopathic care: A systematic review

Homeopathy—A Regulation Therapy Healing Hypo- or Hyper-functions of Pathological Pathways by Magnetic Photons according to the Resonance Principle

Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children

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