Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 516
Since 2001, the Faculty of Homoeopathy and the British Homoeopathic Association have pursued an innovative strategy aimed at encouraging and supporting more and better research in homoeopathy by its practitioners.
These include: (1) running a UK-wide series of short courses in research methods (from which a regional infrastructure for homoeopathic research/discussion can emerge) – during the period March 2002 to July 2003, a total of 103 CAM practitioners (95 Faculty of Homeopathy members, eight non-Faculty) have attended one of these courses; (2) recommending appropriate clinical research and study design in homoeopathy, and from a fresh view of the existing evidence base; (3) facilitating research collaborations among homoeopathic practitioners and with university researchers – several research projects are under detailed discussion and/or active development.
New clinical research in homoeopathy will benefit from researchers addressing key issues that include: (1) asking research questions and using trial designs and outcomes that are relevant and appropriate to homoeopathic prescribing; (2) informing ‘definitive’ research via suitable developmental/pilot work; (3) reasonably interpreting the published data. These, and other matters of importance have been conveyed in recent reviews, creating the prospect of an enlightened future of research development in homoeopathy.
