Are the Therapeutic Effects of Homeopathy attributed to the Consultation, the Homeopathic Remedy, or Both? An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Principal Investigator:

Sarah Brien, Msc PhD
Senior Research Fellow, University of Southampton, United Kingdom

Co-Principal Investigator(s):

Laurie LaChance, MPH, PhD
Assistant Research Scientist, School of Public Health, University of Michigan

George Lewith, MA, DM, FRCP, MRCGP
Senior Research Fellow, Hon Consultant Physician, University of Southampton

Funding sources:

Samuel Institute

Time period for subject recruitment (start/end dates):

Data collection proposed in 2004
September 1, 2005
April 30, 2007

Abstract:

Systematic reviews suggest that homeopathy has a greater effect than placebo, however the mechanisms of its action are unknown. The clinical effects of homeopathy could be attributed to the specific effects of the remedy and/or to the contextual effects of the consultation process; these factors have not been critically evaluated. We have developed a model that will attempt to separate the consultation effects from the specific effects due to the remedy. We propose to investigate this design in a chronic condition, rheumatoid arthritis, where previous research has evaluated both classical and complex homeopathic interventions. The following protocol describes the study design. The aims of this pilot are to assess the feasibility of the study design, identify effect sizes of the consultation, the complex treatment, and the individualized remedy, as well as possibly efficacy, for the two types of homeopathic treatment and the homeopathic consultation.

Top of page