Data Collection during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from Experience, Resulting in a Bayesian Repertory

Abstract

Background A novel pandemic disease offered the opportunity to create new, disease-specific, symptom rubrics for the homeopathic repertory. Objective The aim of this study was to discover the relationship between specific symptoms and specific medicines, especially of symptoms occurring frequently in this disease. Materials and Methods Worldwide collection of data in all possible formats by various parties was coordinated by the Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis. As the data came in, more symptoms were assessed prospectively. Frequent analysis and feedback by electronic newsletters were used to improve the quality of the data. Likelihood ratios (LRs) of symptoms were calculated. An algorithm for combining symptom LRs was programmed and published in the form of an app. The app was tested against 18 well-described successful cases from Hong Kong. Results LRs of common symptoms such as ‘Fatigue’ and ‘Headache’ provided better differentiation between medicines than did existing repertory entries, which are based only on the narrow presence or absence of symptoms. A mini-repertory for COVID-19 symptoms was published and supported by a web-based algorithm. With a choice of 20 common symptoms, this algorithm produced the same outcome as a full homeopathic analysis based upon a larger number of symptoms, including some that are traditionally considered more specific to particular medicines. Conclusion A repertory based on clinical data and LRs can differentiate between homeopathic medicines using a limited number of frequently occurring epidemic symptoms. A Bayesian computer algorithm to combine symptoms can complement a full homeopathic analysis of cases.

Case Reporting in Homeopathy—An Overview of Guidelines and Scientific Tools

“…Rutten et al developed an innovative mathematical model that uses Bayes' theorem and homeopathic symptoms as prognostic factors to establish the relationship between specific homeopathic symptoms and the effectiveness of a specific HMP. 17 In this way, based on good case reports, homeopathic symptoms in materia medica and repertories can be systematically checked, confirmed, or rejected. This approach has recently been used, for example, to create a homeopathic repertory for the treatment of COVID-19 patients on the basis of casuistics.…”

“…This approach has recently been used, for example, to create a homeopathic repertory for the treatment of COVID-19 patients on the basis of casuistics. 17 This is based on case collections, a promising research model for the future to improve the validity and prescription safety of homeopathic materia medica and repertories. This innovative approach has many methodological advantages but requires basic statistical and methodological knowledge and interest on the part of the practitioner.…”

Challenges to Data Collection: Digital Divide Causing Double Marginalization of the Bagri Community in Sindh, Pakistan

“…Previous research studies have dealt with challenges to data collection, and marginalization of vulnerable communities during the pandemic (Walker, Bailey, Churchill, and Peckham, 2021;Rutten et al, 2021). Many researchers have demonstrated how digital divide turned into marginalization of vulnerable communities (Barry, 2013;Wamuyu, 2017).…”

“…This response clearly indicates that coresearchers need to take a side, which would affect research validity. In relation to this trend,Rutten et al (2021) observe that lockdowns during the pandemic have affected ways of collecting data and conducting research.The coresearchers' bias is also manifested in the recurrent use of many negative lexicons that form the coresearchers' discourses about the Bagri community often resulting in discrimination against the community and posing challenges to data collection. The coresearchers usually deploy words and terminologies that typically characterize their biased views of the Bagri community.…”

Is Homeopathy More Effective Now Than a Hundred Years Ago?

“…Data collections of COVID-19 treatments showed that only a few medicines, mostly those that were also used during the 'Spanish' flue, were frequently used, while more than a hundred were proposed, among others based on repertorisations. [2][3][4] This rectifies further exploration of the accessibility of homeopathic data and especially the effectiveness of the homeopathic repertory. Does the repertory indicate medicines that work and not medicines that do not work?…”