Study of 1,153 French Homeopathy Patients with Chronic Pain Shows 50% Reduced Usage of Painkillers

A long term study approved by the French National Data-Protection Commission and The French National Council of Physicians has shown that homeopathy patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain had a 50 percent reduced use of conventional pain medication, while patients with acute musculoskeletal pain had a 38 percent reduced use.

The researchers acknowledged that musculoskeletal disorders are a leading reason for medical consultation in primary care. The researchers also noted that this nationwide observational study was conducted over one year and that long-term usage of conventional pain medications are known to have numerous minor and serious side effects, as distinct from homeopathic medicines which have a long-time history of safety. Because homeopathic medicine in France is only practiced by MDs, the researchers asserted that maintaining the present reimbursement schedule for homeopathic treatment keeps health care costs down.

The researchers of this study were a diverse and prestigious group of professors of epidemiology, biostatistics, and medicine from the University of Paris, the Pasteur Institute, University of Bordeaux, University of Pierre and Marie Curie, McGill University, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

At present, homeopathic medicine is the leading natural treatment offered by physicians in Europe, where approximately 40 percent of French physicians and 20 percent of German physician prescribe homeopathic medicines regularly (Ullman, 2007). Further, approximately 30 percent of the European population has used homeopathic medicines at some time.

Learn more: Read Dana Ullmans’ article.

Homeopathy Effective for Childhood Migraines

A new study has demonstrated homeopathy’s effectiveness in treating childhood migraines. Homeopathy has traditionally been very effective in the treatment of migraine headaches suffered by patients of all ages. The  new observational and nonrandomized multicenter study of 59 physicians in 12 countries used primarily homeopathic remedies treating children with migraine headaches.

The results of this study demonstrate the interest of homeopathic medicines for the prevention and treatment of migraine attacks in children. A significant decrease in the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks was observed and, consequently, reduced absenteeism from school.

The full study was published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, February 2013. Here’s more information:

Outcome measures: The frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine attacks in the 3 months prior to inclusion were compared with those during the 3-month follow-up period. Pertinent data were collected using questionnaires completed by the doctor and the patient or his/her parent/guardian. The secondary outcome measure was the impact of homeopathic medicines on education, measured as absence from school.

Results: The frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks decreased significantly during the 3-month follow-up period (all p<0.001). Preventive treatment during this time consisted of homeopathic medicines in 98% of cases (mean=2.6 medicines/patient). Children spent significantly less time off school during follow-up than before inclusion (2.0 versus 5.5 days, respectively; p<0.001). The most common preventive medicines used were Ignatia amara (25%; mainly 9C), Lycopodium clavatum (22%), Natrum muriaticum (21%), Gelsemium (20%), and Pulsatilla (12%; mainly 15C). Homeopathy alone was used for the treatment of migraine attacks in 38% of cases. The most commonly used medicines were Belladonna (32%; mainly 9C), Ignatia amara (11%; mainly 15C), Iris versicolor (10%; mainly 9C), Kalium phosphoricum (10%; mainly 9C), and Gelsemium (9%; mainly 15C and 30C).

New Research From Aerospace Institute of the University of Stuttgart Scientifically Proves Water Memory and Homeopathy

A simple experiment by researchers and professors at the prestigious Aerospace Institute of the University of Stuttgart in Germany is confirming Dr. Jacques Benveniste’s 1988 assertion that water has an imprint of energies to which it has been exposed. In spite of Jacques Benveniste’s experiment to show that homeopathy works being replicated many many times at various research labs and universities around the world, skeptics have continued to attempt to debunk it albeit unsuccessfully.

This new experiment and support from professors here offer another intriguing view and explanation of how homeopathy works since it proves water has a “memory”.

The Oasis HD Channel in Canada describes the fascinating results of this new experiment-

A Strong Testimonial For Homeopathy

Homeopathy has helped millions of people overcome serious chronic diseases. It is a 200 year old system that has stood the test of time both in terms of efficacy and safety.

In this video, patient and British Homeopathic Association Trustee Lauren Vaknine talks about how homeopathy has helped her live a normal life. She believes that without homeopathy she would have ended up in a wheelchair due to her Rheumatoid Arthritis which she was diagnosed with at the age of 2.

The British Homeopathic Association which is the sister organisation of the Faculty of Homeopathy exists to promote homeopathy practised by doctors and other healthcare professionals. As a charity founded in 1902, the organization a long-established reputation for providing authoritative information and supporting research and training in homeopathy.

Homeopathy Research and Clinical Experts Gather At British Parliamentary Sponsored Meeting

Academics, scientist and politicians from all over the world attended a unique and positive Homeopathy Research Institute reception at the British House. A 2 million GBP fund-raising appeal was launched for the Homeopathy Research Institute.

The event was sponsored by British Member of Parliament David Tredineck who is the chair of the Parliamentary Group for Integrated Healthcare with the aim of promoting scientific research in homeopathy.

The well attended event had experts in homeopathy research and experienced clinicians discussing research and other homeopathy related issues with other members of parliament and heads of various government agencies.

There were many pro-homeopathy presentations by experts on homeopathy and even professors of medicine. The host, David Trednick MP made an impassioned speech about the value of homeopathy.

Prince Charles Congratulates Homeopathy School’s Success

The School of Homeopathy in England held an historic event in Stroud to celebrate their 30th Anniversary. Many of the world’s leading homeopaths came to show support and give presentations and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales sent his warmest congratulations:

“I did just want to send my warmest possible congratulations in celebration of the Stroud School of Homeopathy’s 30th Anniversary. It seems to me this most noteworthy of events takes on an even greater resonance, coming as it does at a time when, sadly, we have been witnessing the relative decline of some homeopathic services in different parts of the United Kingdom.

It makes the achievements of the School even more significant – from being one of the first in this country to offer an on-site, four year programme, to developing an extensive clinical supervision process and, in addition, creating a home-study programme which reaches students in over sixty countries.

It seems remarkable all this has happened in spite of the apparently ceaseless attacks on homeopathy, and on the individuals attempting to build credibility around its patient outcomes, and I can only wish you every possible success in the years to come.”

Mani Norland, the School of Homeopathy’s Principal says, “This incredible event was our way of celebrating the School’s achievement of 30 years at the forefront of UK homeopathic education. This is one of the largest most exciting events ever held in homeopathy. Never before have so many influential homeopaths come together to present at one free online event – it is truly world class! We are honoured and proud to be given the added endorsement from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. We feel it was a great gift to give the profession and a fitting way to mark the year for us.”

The School (which is the longest running in the UK) was founded in 1981 and quickly developed to be one of the first to offer an on-site four year programme. It has worked closely with the Society of Homeopaths during a long development towards an accreditation process.

Dr. Oz: “Alternative Medicine Empowers Us”

In a show on Alternative Medicine Dr. Oz on the The Dr. Oz Show came out dramatically in favour of consumers using alternative medicine. He had a Scripp’s clinic cardiologist on who recommends and discusses alternative health therapies with her patients.

He also discussed why “your doctor is afraid of alternative medicine” and mainstream America is using alternative health. On the show he asserts that 40 per cent of Americans use alternative health.

After a doctor on the show who represented the skeptic movement was rebuked for using research over 10 years old to come to the conclusion that alternative health modalities including acupuncture doesn’t work, the skeptics are attempting to attack and immolate Dr. Oz. In the end, Dr. Oz said that alternative health is a grassroots movement and empowering to consumers of health care.

The Dr. Oz show is the most watched health show in the world.

You can watch the show here.

Interviews with A Top Research Scientist in Homeopathy- Dr. Iris Bell

The National Center for Homeopathy features new interviews with Dr. Iris Bell MD, Phd who comes with top credentials in research science.

“Dr. Bell graduated with an AB degree in biology from Harvard University, magna cum laude. She then received her PhD in Neuro- and Biobehavioral Sciences and her MD from Stanford University. After completing her psychiatry residency at the University of California – San Francisco, Dr. Bell served as a faculty member at the University of California – San Francisco and, later, at Harvard Medical School. She is board-certified in psychiatry, with added qualification in geriatric psychiatry.

She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, as well as over a dozen book chapters, and a monograph on environmental chemical sensitivity. She has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and numerous private foundations on topics ranging from nutrition in dementia and depression to the neurobiology of environmental illness to individual difference predictors of excellent outcomes during classical homeopathic treatment.

Dr. Bell is currently Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, Medicine, Family & Community Medicine, and Public Health as well as Director of Research for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. She also directs an NIH-funded T32 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Training Grant for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows.

In this interview, research scientist and Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Dr. Bell continues to discuss research in homeopathy.  Dr. Bell answers the key questions “Is there evidence that homeopathy works?” and “Is homeopathy biologically active?”.

Dr. Bell also highlights the key differences between the “properties” of homeopathic medicine and conventional medicine. She says, “The evidence coming from multiple laboratories, multiple technologies and multiple investigators overwhelming demonstrates that homeopathy demonstrates biological activity.  Further, plausibility is addressed by ground breaking research in material science.”

Click here to listen to the interviews.

Another Nobel Prize Winner Speaks Out For Homeopathy

Nobel Prize winner Brian Josephson PhD, an emeritus professor at Cambridge University, England has joined Luc Montagnier in making strong statements in favour of homeopathy. In the New Scientist he writes:

Regarding your comments on claims made for homeopathy: criticisms centered around the vanishingly small number of solute molecules present in a solution after it has been repeatedly diluted are beside the point, since advocates of homeopathic remedies attribute their effects not to molecules present in the water, but to modifications of the water’s structure.
Simple-minded analysis may suggest that water, being a fluid, cannot have a structure of the kind that such a picture would demand. But cases such as that of liquid crystals, which while flowing like an ordinary fluid can maintain an ordered structure over macroscopic distances, show the limitations of such ways of thinking. There have not, to the best of my knowledge, been any refutations of homeopathy that remain valid after this particular point is taken into account.

A related topic is the phenomenon, claimed by Jacques Benveniste’s colleague Yolène Thomas and by others to be well established experimentally, known as “memory of water.” If valid, this would be of greater significance than homeopathy itself, and it attests to the limited vision of the modern scientific community that, far from hastening to test such claims, the only response has been to dismiss them out of hand. (21)

See the full article on Huffington Post

Anecdotal Information Is Essential to Your Health

Editorial:

Skeptic organizations are decrying the use of anecdotal information as a means of validating a therapy or invalidating certain conventional drugs and vaccines. Yet anecdotal information is the most important consumer and clinician tool for knowing what works, does not work and what is harmful in a real time not academic or laboratory setting.

And more importantly the body of information on side effects from drugs  is for the most part based on anecdotes from patients and consumers- not laboratory evidence.

The MILLIONS every day who use homeopathy have depended on its profound clinical results. Seeing family, children, pets and even herds of animals respond so well to homeopathic remedies have made it one of the most rapidly growing health modalities in the world.

Homeopaths have built an important body of knowledge in the treatment of chronic disease by listening carefully to their patients. This includes honestly evaluating their results- what works and what does not work- and, over time, seeing the best approaches. It also has included the importance of referring patients to conventional medical doctors and working in combination with them.  Clinically, the safety and effectiveness of homeopathic remedies have been proven in a 200- year old record with both scientific studies and clinical results.  And yes, for the most part homeopathic treatment works on an individual basis, but there are times when it does not.

But now, there comes along a group of fundamentalist   “skeptic” organizations funded by pharmaceutical companies recruiting academics who have no medical clinical experience to say that anecdotal information is not relevant to medicine and is, in fact, detrimental to it. They are saying, “Give me the evidence” only through scientific laboratory data and the double blind test. They also want you to believe that this narrow drug company sponsored view is science. Many scientists and medical clinicians would disagree with them and their approach. For instance, most surgical techniques have been developed over years of feedback from clinical information and, of course, not from double blind studies.

This is a drug company dream made into reality! Why is that?

Well, the body of information on side effects from drugs is, for the most part, based on anecdote and not on laboratory evidence.

It has been shown again and again that both the safety and efficacy of drugs has not been determined by double blind studies- the only “evidence” that skeptics want you to believe is important. Many drugs that have successfully undergone double blind studies have been many years later determined to be harmful by clinical results and patient reports, (anecdotes!).

It is rather strange that the organization that is the most opposed to validating anecdotal evidence and is fighting homeopathy the most is  “Sense about Science” (and similar organizations that have now opened around the world). “Sense about Science” is almost entirely funded by the conventional pharmaceutical and medical industry- to the tune of 250,000 GBP and counting.

Luckily, authorities responsible for drug safety don’t listen to the denials of drug companies themselves, or these drug-company sponsored skeptics, but rather to the public and their suffering as a result of taking a particular conventional drug. They have also seen the effectiveness and safety of homeopathic remedies validated through scientific testing, clinical results and demand.

It was for this reason that in England, the “Evidence Check Report” on homeopathy, which was primarily based on recommendations from two well known pharmaceutical company- sponsored skeptics, was not accepted by Parliament and strongly opposed by many members of Parliament who saw through the canard. The Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) is now linking to that report as if it was passed without further investigation, which gives you an idea of their bias.

Eventually, a conventional drug is proved to be harmful by a body of anecdotal information. Skeptics and drug companies would like you to believe that this is primarily “in your head”, or in the head of the victim, or caused by the “placebo effect”.  This is why for many years drugs that are harmful are kept on the market. The FDA estimates that Vioxx killed or injured over 55,000 people in the United States by the time it was finally pulled from the market.  The leading cause of liver failure in children in the United States is Tylenol, but we have yet to hear a peep out of skeptic groups about these problematic situations. Why? Because of their unquestioning support of the pharmaceutical industry and the very large research industry, including University researchers that get all their funding from pharmaceutical companies.

Homeopathy will continue to be strong in spite of some mainstream press outlets who have decided to pick up the battle cry of pharmaceutical company advertisers and skeptics- “evidence only and forget what happens in the clinic”.

There are many good laboratory studies showing it works, validating its clinical value and intelligent approach to the human condition and suffering- making it a number one choice for the millions who use it daily.

But if you value the positive results both in yourself, friends, family and colleagues, homeopathy at this time needs to your support to protect it from the substantial interests working against it.

And if you have had some positive effects from homeopathy, it is important for you to get involved and be a voice of reason in all the shouting going on against it. Make your voice heard.

A special thank you to the number of homeopathic clinicians, medical doctors, including medical specialists, who contributed to this editorial.