Vitalforce

Did you know

Celebrities such as Paul McCartney, David Beckham, Twiggy, Caprice, Susan Hampshire, Tina Turner, Louise Jameson, Gaby Roslin, Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Nadia Sawalha, Jennifer Aniston, Jade Jagger, Roger Daltry, Annabel Croft and Meera Syal, as well as The Queen and Prince Charles, are all users of homeopathy.

In a survey conducted by One Poll, 78 per cent said they would like to access both conventional and complementary treatment.

In April 2007, Mintel published research on complementary medicines which showed that public interest in the UK was growing. Over-the-counter homeopathic treatments, such as arnica cream, had seen a 24 per cent growth over a five year period from 2002-2007.

Homeopathy is the most frequently used CAM therapy in five out of 16 surveyed countries in Europe and among the three most frequently used in 11 out of 16 surveyed countries.

In India, alternative treatments, including homeopathy, are well established and integrated into the healthcare system, with 94 per cent of people saying that they have faith in alternative remedies, and 62 per cent trusting homeopathy.

In 2000, a House of Lords Select Committee report on Complementary and Alternative Medicine listed homeopathy as a “group one” therapy, along with osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture and herbal medicine. Group one therapies are recognised as having their own diagnostic approach and treatment methods.

People with long-term chronic illness are most likely to use CAM, most commonly seeking treatment for musculoskeletal problems, stress relief, anxiety and depression.

Research evidence:

1. Up to date research evidence shows that of the 134 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of homeopathy published in peer-reviewed journals, 59 are positive (that is, demonstrating that homeopathy has an effect beyond placebo), eight trials are negative, and the remaining 67 are inconclusive. This is despite the fact that researchers in the field suggest RCTs are not the best research tool to test homeopathy or any other individualised treatment. 
2. New research models are being developed to better reflect homeopathic clinical practice. In 2005, the largest service evaluation of homeopathic treatment reported that 70 per cent of 6,500 follow-up patients experienced improvement in their health. Eczema, asthma, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, depression and chronic fatigue improved.
3. A study over one month in 2007, looking at a total of 1,602 patients seen at follow-up appointments in all five UK homeopathic hospitals, found that eczema was currently the most common referral to homeopathy by doctors. Other commonly treated complaints were chronic fatigue, menopausal disorder and osteoarthritis.
4. Dr David Reilly and his team at Glasgow University have conducted four double blind placebo controlled trials, carried out over a period of 18 years, specifically designed to examine the evidence for the hypothesis that any benefits of homeopathy are due to the placebo effect. All four trials involving a total of 252 patients have produced similar, positive results demonstrating that homeopathy has an effect greater than placebo and that these results are reproducible.