Homeopathy users, particularly those who also report visiting homeopathic practitioners, tend to use a greater variety of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) modalities than do users of supplements and other types of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM).

Homeopathy is a 200-year-old system of medicine based around ideas developed in the 1790s by a German doctor called Samuel Hahnemann.

One of its central principles is that ‘like cures like’ – that a substance that causes certain symptoms can also help to remove those symptoms.

A second central principle is based around a process of dilution and shaking (succussion). In homeopathic treatment the more a substance is diluted in this way, the greater its power to treat symptoms.

In spite of continued scepticism from some conventional scientists and doctors, interest in, and use of, homeopathy in the US has increased in recent years, as demonstrated by a recent Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report.

The current study analysed data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey which included a number of questions about participants’ use of CIM and was completed by more than 34,500 adults.

Self-treatment a popular choice

Researchers divided respondents into four groups – those who used homeopathic products during the preceding 12 months, those who used supplements but did not use homeopathy, those who used other forms of CIM but not homeopathy or supplements, and those who did not use CIM.

Around 2% of respondents reported using homeopathy – a relatively low number compared to the 10% of the population who report using homeopathic remedies the UK – but in line with the findings of the CDC report above.

Users were more likely to be white, female, married, highly educated, aged 30 to 44 and live in western US than were CIM users who did not use homeopathy. Since women in the main still provide most of the healthcare within families this is not an entirely unexpected finding. They also were more likely to report using other types of CIM, except for chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, and to have used several different types of CIM.

While two-thirds of those who used homeopathy ranked it among their top three CIM therapies, 19% of these reported seeing a homeopathic practitioner during the preceding year. One third of homeopathy users – both those who did and did not consult practitioners – reported using homeopathy to address specific health conditions, most commonly head and chest colds.

Those who did see a practitioner were significantly more likely to report that homeopathy was very important to maintaining their health and that it had helped their health problem ‘a great deal.’

“Our data suggest that the likelihood of people using these products for serious conditions without input from a healthcare professional is low, and data from other groups suggest that most CIM use is in addition to, not in place of, conventional treatment,” write the researchers.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Traumeel and Zeel given by intra-articular (IA) injections – injected directly into the joint space of a painful, inflamed arthritic joint – were shown in a recent study to be safe and effective treatments for moderate to severe pain associated with knee osteoarthritis when compared to a placebo injection.

Traumeel (TR14) and Zeel (ZE14) are FDA approved homoeopathic treatments used together for the treatment of inflammatory and degenerative conditions of the musculoskeletal system, including osteoarthritis and/or rheumatic joint diseases, and for the relief of symptoms including pain, swelling and joint stiffness.

Traumeel is a combination remedy that consists of12 botanical and 1 mineral substance. Zeel is also a combination remedy that includes plant, animal and mineral components.

Significant reductions in pain

In the multi-centre, placebo-controlled trial, 232 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic knee osteoarthritis were randomised to three weekly injections of either Tr14 and Ze14 or saline. The researchers led by Carlos J. Lozada, MD, professor of clinical medicine and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, were trying to assess what improvements, if any, there would be in knee pain stiffness and the function of the knee after walking.

By day 15, patients experienced significant reductions in pain and knee function and did not report any related serious adverse events from the treatments.

The results of the study says Dr. Lozada. “…represents an additional option in the management of osteoarthritis, especially for those patients who cannot tolerate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are not candidates for corticosteroid treatment, or do not respond to other therapies.”

Positive research data

Traumeel and Zeel injection solutions have been available throughout the world for more than 60 years to help manage the pain of osteoarthritis. In the last 10 years, more than 1.5 million ampules of Traumeel and Zeel have been sold in the US.

Studies indicate that Traumeel injections are as effective for pain as conventional treatments including narcotic painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications. It is considered a viable alternative to NSAIDs in the management of musculoskeletal injuries.

According to the manufacturers Traumeel inhibits the release of free radicals and other inflammatory substances and helps speed the healing process. Its anti-inflammatory effects have been demonstrated in animal trials.

Clinical studies show that Zeel interacts with the immune system to reduce pain, stiffness and inflammation in arthritic joints.  A study of human whole blood cultures demonstrated that certain plant extracts contained in Zeel® Injection Solution (e.g. Rhus toxicodendron, Arnica montana) stimulates lymphocytes (white blood cells) to release the transforming growth factor β which helps repair joints.

The study looked at symptoms in peri-menopausal and menopausal women. The peri-menopause is the period before menopause when menstrual cycles start to become irregular. A woman is only considered ‘menopausal’ when her periods have ceased completely for a year. Throughout both periods symptoms such as depression and hot flashes are common.

Writing in the medical journal PLoS One , the Mexican researchers compared the effect of individualised homoeopathic treatment with conventional fluoxetine (Prozac) treatment in 133 women with moderate to severe menopausal depression.

The women were given 6 weeks of either homeopathic treatment, fluoxetine or a placebo. At the end of that period the results showed that homeopathy and fluoxetine were both more effective than placebo BUT only homeopathy was more effective than placebo. In addition only homeopathy was effective for hot flashes. The research found that that individualized homeopathic treatment was so dramatically effective in treating the symptoms of menopause that the results were considered “clinically significant.”

Other studies also show benefits

This is not the first study to show that homoeopathic remedies can improve symptoms of depression.

A larger study involving 3981 men women and children treated with individualised homoeopathy also showed clinically relevant and long-term improvements in their mental health.

Another trial from Brazil individualized homoeopathic treatment was found to be at least as effective as conventional fluoxetine.

In many countries the prescription of homoeopathic medicines is restricted to medically qualified doctors.  In these countries homoeopathy is often taught as part of core medical training and is integrated into a doctor’s general practice.  In France, for example, 40% of doctors prescribe homoeopathy and over 80% of the population has used homeopathy. As a consequence, research teams in France along with other pro-homeopathy countries such as Mexico (where the current study came from), Germany, and Switzerland, lead the way in today’s most exciting clinical research on homeopathy.

Avoiding adverse effects

Conventional treatment with either hormone replacement (HRT) or mood altering drugs can have unwanted adverse effects. HRT  brings uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, nausea and breast tenderness but also more serious risks including thromboembolic disease (VTE and pulmonary embolism), stroke, cardiovascular disease, breast and endometrial cancer, and gallbladder disease and, because any reduction in symptoms often reappears when treatment stops, it has been argued provides no overall quality of life benefits.

Prozac can produce symptoms like hives, joint pain, dry mouth, restlessness, mood changes, and in rare cases heart, liver and lung problems. It is also associated with a higher risk of suicide and is not suitable for use in pregnancy

As a result many women are seeking a more natural, holistic way of dealing with the changes as no single conventional treatment appears to resolve all of the problems. Because homoeopathic diagnosis looks at the totality of a person’s life and symptoms before prescribing a treatment it may be better able to address the discomforts of menopause.

According to the Society of Homeopaths, skin conditions are one of the most common problems seen by homoeopaths and there are a number of homoeopathic remedies with a long tradition of use in treating skin ailments.

A recent survey by Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy found that over one quarter of Britons believe that their skin reacts to changes in their lifestyle.

Of the changes in lifestyle that their skin most reacts to most, 34% names illness, 33% lack of sleep and 27% named changes in their diet.

These statistics come on top of the one in ten people affected by conditions such as mild eczema (see our article here) and mild acne in the UK and this year’s campaign will be raising awareness of how homoeopathy can be used to help relieve symptoms.

Homoeopathy has much to offer those suffering from skin complaints.

For example, in Japan, scientists studied 17 atopic eczema patients whose skin disease was resistant to the usual conventional medical treatments.  These patients then received homoeopathic treatment.  All patients reported over 50% improvement overall in their skin conditions;15 of the 17 patients had their itching improve; 10 out of 13 patients with sleep disturbances improved.  Importantly, 5 out of the 17 patients (almost one-third) were able to stop using their steroid ointments.

In another German study, 225 children with severe and longstanding atopic eczema were given homoeopathic treatment alongside their conventional dermatology treatment.  The children were then followed for two years. The researchers found that the patients’ eczema severity scores improved significantly. Notably, the patients were able to reduce their use of conventional drugs for their skin problems.

With acne, homoeopaths consider this common skin problem to be related to internal hormonal process which leaves the skin vulnerable to spots, pimples and blackheads. Acne requires individualised treatment at the inner level rather than treating it at the skin surface by local applications.

In addition to knowing that your homoeopath will be able to support you in overcoming your skin condition with remedies and lifestyle advice, you can be confident that homoeopathy is safe for all your family and during pregnancy.

To promote Homeopathy Awareness week the Society of Homeopaths has also produced a series of short animations. If you are new to homoeopathy these provide information about the benefits of homoeopathy in a simple and engaging way. You can find these on YouTube, here.

• Click here for more information about Homeopathy Awareness Week.

The study which included 449 physically active participants aged 18-40 years who had a mild to moderate ankle sprains was published in the online in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with Traumeel ointment, Traumeel gel or 1% diclofenac gel, and instructed to apply two grams of product topically three times a day for 14 days, with six weeks of follow up.

Results show that after seven days of treatment, topical Traumeel ointment and gel was shown to be as effective as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) diclofenac gel in terms of reducing pain and restoring normal function of the joint.

At six weeks, all patients reported total pain relief and normal functioning. Over the short term of this study both the homoeopathic and conventional remedies were well tolerated by the users.

Diclofenac gel is a current ‘gold standard’ therapy for ankle sprains and other types of musculoskeletal pain, but its long-term use can bring serious side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding and increased cardiovascular disease risks.

Traumeel is a homoeopathic combination remedy that comes in several different forms: tablets, gel, ointment, and even in injectable form (though this is rarely used outside of Europe).

Not just ankle pain

Several studies have shown that Traumeel tablets work just as well as diclofenac for several types of pain.

For example, a 2004 study showed that injectable Traumeel worked just as well as diclofenac injections for treating tennis elbow (epicondylitis) pain.

When comparing Traumeel ointment with diclofenac gel for tendinopathy in a 2005 study researchers concluded “The results suggest that Traumeel ointment is an effective alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs therapy for the acute symptomatic treatment of patients with tendinopathy.”

Other studies showed that Traumeel helps fight the pain associated with musculoskeletal injuries, fibromyalgia, dental extraction and tonsillectomy.

In China, it is common to use traditional herbal remedies combined with chemotherapy to treat colorectal cancer, but  no systematic review has been published in English and this has hindered further research and discussion.

Now, in a review in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine, researchers from Hong Kong have pooled together the results of currently available  randomised controlled trials to better understand the use of Chinese herbal medicine as an adjunctive therapy for colorectal cancer. They searched seven medical databases and found 20 trials that were deemed to be of sufficient quality to enable a proper assessment of the outcomes.

The data showed that when herbal therapy was added to conventional treatments the result was significantly improved one and three year survival rates and a significant slowing of the progression of the disease when compared to those not taking the herbs.

They also found that the combined therapy significantly enhanced the immune system and reduced the side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea and vomiting, appetite loss and diarrhoea.

Homoeopathy as a protective therapy

At the same time another trial of homoeopathic remedies has appeared in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies.

The Indian researchers looked at the effects of potentised Cholesterinum used intermittently with another homoeopathic remedy, Natrum sulphuricum on ‘carcinogen-induced hepatotoxicity’ in mice.

What this means is the the researchers were trying to see is  if these two homoeopathic remedies could reduce damage done to the liver by cancer causing agents – in this case p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (p-DAB), and phenobarbital (PB) – in the animals’ diet.

The researchers performed a full panel of tests on the animals looking for biomarkers (natural substances in the blood that indicate how well, or not, the body is working) of liver toxicity. What these tests showed was that each of these homoeopathic combination stimulated the immune response, and helped protect the liver, combined however they had a greater anticancer effect.

News and discussion about the use of complementary therapies in cancer (rather like news about the health risks of  GM  foods) often gets buried because much of the research is being done in non-English speaking countries and our prejudices are such that Western medicine believes that any study not in conducted in the English-speaking West has no value.  But such studies also challenge our own preconceptions and the agendas of some very powerful corporations.

It would seem, for our health’s sake, this is a conversation that we should be having.

Studies in this area tend to be small, and yet some have intriguing successes.

For instance in one 2011 study, published in the journal Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers prospectively studied the clinical efficacy of an alternative cancer treatment “Psorinum Therapy” in treating stomach, gall bladder, pancreatic and liver cancers.

In total the study included 158 total subjects (44 with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 42 with gastric adenocarcinoma, 40 with gallbladder adenocarcinoma, and 32 with hepatocellular carcinoma); 25% were diagnosed with stage III and 71% with stage IV disease.

These patients were treated with Psornium-6X and supported with a range of allopathic and individualised homoeopathic remedies.

Conventional methods were used to control of infection, pain, electrolytic balance, bleeding, nutritional deficiencies were taken, and blood transfusion, abdominal or plural paracentesis, analgesic, bronchodilator, stenting of the hepato-pancreato-biliary system, and bypass were done as and when required to improve the survival and the quality of life of the participants.

The supportive homoeopathic remedies used included Chelidonium majus, Carduus marianus, Baryta carbonica, Conium maculatum, Carbo animalis, Bryonia alba, Medorrhinum, Thuja occidentalis, Cholesterinum, and Lycopodium clavatum.

Less frequently used homeopathic medicines for the purpose of the supportive care were mother tincture of the Berberis vulgaris, mother tincture of the Calendula officinalis, mother tincture of the Hamamelis virginiana, mother tincture of the Symphytum officianale, mother tincture of the Syzygium jambolanum, Gelsemium 200c, Cantharides 200c, Sulphur 200c, Arsenicum album 200c, and Causticum 200c.

In this study the authors reported a complete tumour response in 33.33% of those diagnosed with stage III disease and 10.71% of those with stage IV. Partial response occurred in 41.03% and 33.93% respectively.

Five-year survival rates were 38.64% (pancreatic), 38.1% (gastric), 37.5% (gallbladder), and 43.75% (liver).

The average survival rates for these cancers are 5-22% (pancreatic, depending on type, ie localised, metastatic etc), 10-25% (gastric), 15-40% (gallbladder, depending on localised or metastatic), 4-27% (liver, again depending on whether it is localised or metastatic)

A closer look

Earlier this year a further study took a closer look at three patients from the larger study, refuelling one of the most acrimonious debates in healthcare.

The case-study report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine looked at three cases of cancer, one gallbladder, one periampullary (pancreas), and one liver – were given Psorinum-6x orally at a dose of 0.02 mL/kg body weight/day on an empty stomach for a complete course duration of 2 years. Although this was their primary treatment they also received allopathic and individualised homoeopathic supportive treatment as detailed above.

Very sick people

All three patients were diagnosed at Stage IV, according to guidelines laid down by the American Joint Committee on Cancer.

Further their Karnofsky performance status (an indication of how disabled they were by their disease) was between 20% and 50% — indicating they were very sick and in need of frequent special care.

Their Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (another indication of disability) score status was between 3 and 4, indicating they were mostly or totally bed bound and incapable of self care.

In other words these were very sick people.

In these cases, conventional cancer treatments could not be initiated due to the advanced stage of their disease, poor general health performance status, and their financial constraints.

One patient experienced complete remission and the other two experienced partial remission. All three patients remained alive and maintained a stable quality of life for at least 2 years. The patients reported no adverse side-effects from Psorinum-6x.

More research needed

The authors of the original study say they cannot rule out effects of the allopathic treatment in their results.

In the current case study report the authors make a plea for more basic research and well-designed clinical trials to be conducted for further investigation of this homoeopathic cancer treatment in order that it might be integrated into the mainstream of oncology treatments.

This study is just the sort of study we need more of in homoeopathy although it’s size is a limiting factor. More and larger studies of this type would be most welcome.  And yet to even talk about homoeopathic treatment of cancer is to risk being shouted down by sceptics and cynics.

No consistent cure

The fact remains there is no consistent, reliable cure for cancer – this is in part because cancer is not a single disease but many, as a recent landmark study into breast cancer has shown. In addition, most studies look at survival rates, usually over a period of 2-5 years. If a patient survives for 5 years and dies in year 6 that is a success for the drug manufacturer, but it is patently not the same as a cure.

Success of any treatment depends on the individual (i.e. their overall health. level of support and socioeconomic status) well as the type and stage of cancer. One size fits all treatments are doomed to fail.

This is why we throw our support those who call for research into cancer causes such as the Cancer Prevention Society.

A much greater scandal than the use of homoeopathy in cancer is that conventional science has so wilfully refused to investigate the benefits of homoeopathy as a treatment option. The justification is usually that cancer patients are very sick and should not be put through long clinical trials with uncertain outcomes. And yet long clinical trials with uncertain outcomes are exactly what cancer patients are put through every day in the name of conventional medicine.

Such treatments have become part of what one doctor recently dubbed “futile care”.

If you would like to read more about homoeopathy in cancer care you may find this review in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine helpful.

Animal studies have previously shown that certain homoeopathic remedies can produce physiological changes in sleep patterns. So researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a small study to see if they could find the best way to detect similar physiological changes in human subjects

The study involved 54 young adults (ages 18-31) who were suffering from insomnia due to excessive coffee drinking and also had cynical hostility or anxiety sensitivity (but not both) as determined by a personality standardised personality test.

Each participant was supplied with an at-home polysomnographic monitor that provided feedback brainwave activity and other physiological changes during sleep such as eye and jaw movement and airflow.  Sleep was monitored on successive pairs of nights once a week for a total of eight recordings (nights 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23).

On night 8 participants received a placebo pellet and on night 22 they received a 30C doses of either Nux vomica or Coffea cruda depending on their personality type. Subjects completed daily morning sleep diaries and their mood and well being was monitored throughout.

The homoeopathic remedy was shown to increase overall sleep time as well as non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep time.

Sleep cycles

Sleep happens in repeated cycles throughout the night. Each cycle is comprised of several stages:

• NREM consists of three stages of sleep, each deeper than the last.These account for around 80% of any sleep cycle.
• REM is when you do most active dreaming. Your eyes actually move back and forth during this stage, which is why it is called Rapid Eye Movement sleep. This stage accounts for around 20% of any sleep cycle.

During NREM sleep, particularly in the deep stages the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle, and appears to strengthen the immune system. This as opposed to REM sleep where the brain is busy busily replenishes neurotransmitters that organise neural networks essential for remembering, learning, performance and problem solving.

Thus NREM sleep is necessary for a healthy body and REM sleep is necessary for a healthy mind.

Individualised treatment

There are different types of insomnia – for instance we can have difficulty falling asleep or difficulty maintaining sleep. It can be a disorder in itself or it can be secondary to other problems such as stress, change in the environment or diet, hormonal changes or illnesses.

Many conventional approaches to insomnia are very generalised. Homoeopathy provides a method by which practitioners can treat insomnia in a generalised way but also in a constitutional way to treat the underlying causes of insomnia. Both have shown good results.

A number of small studies have been carried out to investigate both how well homoeopathic treatment can help with insomnia, and  whether homoeopathic medicines influence sleeping patterns. Both have shown good results.

In 2010 a double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) compared individualised homoeopathic treatment of chronic primary insomnia with giving patients a placebo.In this study the group receiving homoeopathic treatment had a statistically significant improvement in their sleep during the four weeks after treatment began – a result which was not seen in the placebo group.

An earlier study at the University of Arizona, also found that the homoeopathic medicines Nux vomica 30c and Coffea cruda 30c were able to alter the sleep patterns of college students with a history of coffee induced insomnia.

Other research studies have also found that insomnia secondary to  fibromyalgia, menopause and ADHD can also improve with homoeopathic treatment.

• See also our feature How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep.

If you care about your health, and value your right to choose homoeopathy here is what you need to know – and how you can help.

The Medicines Act is being simplified, which is a good thing because much duplication is being removed. However, as a result there are some key elements which could adversely affect everyone’s access to homoeopathic medicines if the all of the proposals go through.

If the current proposals by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are endorsed by Government this is what would happen:

You would no longer able to get homoeopathic medicines by phone or online

To get any unlicensed homoeopathic medicine a face-to-face consultation would be required at a registered pharmacy.  There are literally thousands of unlicensed homoeopathic remedies and these make up the majority of homoeopathic prescriptions, while there are only 50 licensed homoeopathic medicines.  This will also mean you cannot legally buy unlicensed homoeopathic medicines online or over the phone as you currently do.

Homoeopaths would not be able to dispense or prescribe medicines to you

Homoeopathic practitioners would not be able to dispense unlicensed homoeopathic medicines to their patients. This is because homoeopaths are not recognised by this law as being supplementary prescribers and it will be illegal for homoeopathic pharmacies to supply them with the essential (unlicensed) medicines required for their patients.

You would have to get your homoeopathic medicines personally at a handful of licensed homoeopathic pharmacies in Britain

Hundreds of thousands of people who currently have prescriptions filled for unlicensed homoeopathic medicines will be unable to obtain their urgent medicines.  The estimated 6 million users of homoeopathy in Britain cannot be expected to be supplied medicines face-to-face by less than five licensed premises.

What you can do to stop this from happening

The Society of Homeopaths is asking everyone to write to their MP, or better still go and see your MP – especially if your MP sits on the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments or is involved with Health or Pharmacy.

All that needs to be done is for a small change to be made to Section 10 of the proposed new Medicines Act which will allow greater freedom to dispense remedies to practitioners and could also overcome the face-to-face issue which is unworkable.

It is anticipated that the new Medicines Act will be put before the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments for approval in late May/early June for implementation in July, taking action now is critical!

Write to your MP

Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

First of all you can identify the name of your MP by clicking here. You can also find out which MPs sit on which committees by clicking here.

If you are emailing make sure you put ‘Medicines Act consolidation 2012’ in the subject line, or if you are sending a letter you can head it ‘RE: Medicines Act consolidation 2012’.

There are some key points you should try to make. It is not necessary or recommended to include all the text suggested below.  It is more important that you personalise your letter with your own views and experiences.

• I’m deeply concerned that a draft proposal set out by the MHRA as part of its consolidation and review of the Medicines Act 1968 could have a significant impact on my ability as a patient to access homoeopathic medicines in the UK.

• In its current form section 10 of the proposal would only allow unlicensed homoeopathic medicines to be bought directly from a pharmacist face-to-face, in effect outlawing the purchase of these medicines over the telephone or via online ordering. This would mean I would be deprived of the medicines that I have found to be so beneficial to my health.

• There are only five homoeopathic pharmacies in the UK, so most homoeopathic medicines are ordered from these specialist pharmacies either by phone or via the Internet. The enforcement of section 10 in its current form will have serious consequences for the six million people in the UK who choose to use this form of complementary medicine.

• If not revised the proposal would also have serious consequences for more than 2,000 homoeopathic practitioners, many of whom would find it impossible to treat patients like myself because they can no longer obtain the appropriate homoeopathic  medicine.

• I understand that it is central to government health policy to increase patient choice. Section 10 will eliminate choice for people like me who want to be treated with homoeopathy.

• I would like to call on your support in getting the Health Minister to make a small change to the proposed language of the revised Medicines Act to ensure that I have continued access to a full range of homoeopathic medicines and that my right to choose homoeopathic treatment is maintained.

It doesn’t need to take you very long – in fact, try to keep the letter short (a page or less), and emphasise any points that are relevant to the particular MP – but your support is so crucial in helping to keep homoeopathic medicines freely available to everyone.

Sign the petition

Whether you are in the UK or other countries,  please also take a moment to sign the Avaaz petition here.

The Swiss government has produced the most comprehensive governmental report ever written on homoeopathy, looking at the evidence from randomized double-blind and placebo controlled clinical trials.

The report also looked at other data including evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and a wide body of preclinical research including fundamental physio-chemical research, botanical studies, animal studies, and in-vitro studies with human cells.

We first reported on this in November 2011 when the initial report was published in German. The report has now been published in English in book form.

After assessing the pre-clinical basic research and high quality clinical studies, the Swiss Government’s Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Report concludes there is sufficient evidence to recommend homoeopathy for its effectiveness, safety and economy compared with conventional treatment.

The data further confirms that homoeopathic high-potencies seem to induce regulatory effects and specific changes in cells or living organisms and that 20 of the 22 systematic reviews of clinical research testing homoeopathic medicines detected at least a trend in favour of homoeopathy.

World renown homoeopath Dana Ullman, writing in the Huffington Post noted that:

“The Swiss government has a long and widely-respected history of neutrality, and therefore, reports from this government on controversial subjects need to be taken more seriously than other reports from countries that are more strongly influenced by present economic and political constituencies.

“When one considers that two of the top five largest drug companies in the world have their headquarters in Switzerland, one might assume that this country would have a heavy interest in and bias toward conventional medicine, but such assumptions would be wrong.

“The Swiss government’s inquiry into homoeopathy and complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments resulted from the high demand and widespread use of alternatives to conventional medicine in Switzerland, not only from consumers but from physicians as well.

“Approximately half of the Swiss population have used CAM treatments and value them. Further, about half of Swiss physicians consider CAM treatments to be effective. Perhaps most significantly, 85% of the Swiss population wants CAM therapies to be a part of their country’s health insurance program.”

Copies of the report can be purchased from the following web-site here where sections of it can also be read online.