Recently in a “discussion” with a homeopath, I’ve been asking for documentation that homeopathy actually works. In the references I got, even the studies that claim even a small effect of homeopathic medicine, also point out methodological weaknesses and flaws of the studies. If this is the best studies homeopaths can point to, it’s nothing short of pathetic.
The title of the studies are in bold, to find the study just google the title and you’ll find it on pubmed. You should also read the whole article if available (especially the findings, conclusion and discussion parts are fun).
Homeopathy for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or hyperkinetic disorder
MAIN RESULTS: The forms of homeopathy evaluated to date do not suggest significant treatment effects for the global symptoms, core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity, or related outcomes such as anxiety in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Evidence of clinical efficacy of homeopathy. A meta-analysis of clinical trials. HMRAG. Homeopathic Medicines Research Advisory Group
CONCLUSIONS: There is some evidence that homeopathic treatments are more effective than placebo; however, the strength of this evidence is low because of the low methodological quality of the trials. Studies of high methodological quality were more likely to be negative than the lower quality studies.
A critical overview of homeopathy
some randomized, placebo-controlled trials and laboratory research report unexpected effects of homeopathic medicines.However, the evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy for specific clinical conditions is scant, is of uneven quality, and is generally poorer quality than research done in allopathic medicine
Clinical trials of homeopathy. British Medical Journal
CONCLUSIONS: At the moment the evidence of clinical trials is positive but not sufficient to draw definitive conclusions because most trials are of low methodological quality and because of the unknown role of publication bias
Are the clinical effects of homeopathy placebo effects? A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials
INTERPRETATION: The results of our meta-analysis are not compatible with the hypothesis that the clinical effects of homeopathy are completely due to placebo. However, we found insufficient evidence from these studies that homeopathy is clearly efficacious for any single clinical condition.
The conclusions on the effectiveness of homeopathy highly depend on the set of analyzed trials
CONCLUSIONS: Our results do neither prove that homeopathic medicines are superior to placebo nor do they prove the opposite. This, of course, was never our intention.
Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy
INTERPRETATION: there was weak evidence for a specific effect of homoeopathic remedies, but strong evidence for specific effects of conventional interventions. This finding is compatible with the notion that the clinical effects of homoeopathy are placebo effects.
A randomised, controlled, triple-blind trial of the efficacy of homeopathic treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome
CONCLUSIONS: There is weak but equivocal evidence that the effects of homeopathic medicine are superior to placebo. Results also suggest that there may be nonspecific benefits from the homeopathic consultation. Further studies are needed to determine whether these differences hold in larger sample
How healthy are chronically ill patients after eight years of homeopathic treatment?
Our findings demonstrate that patients who seek homeopathic treatment are likely to improve considerably, although this effect must not be attributed to homeopathic treatment alone.
“The aim of this study, however, was not to test the effectiveness of homeopathic drug treatment”
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