Research on Homeopathy: State of the Art

Abstract

In this paper, we review research on homeopathy from four perspectives, focusing on reviews and some landmark studies. These perspectives are laboratory studies, clinical trials, observational studies, and theoretical work. In laboratory models, numerous effects and anomalies have been reported. However, no single model has been sufficiently widely replicated. Instead, researchers have focused on ever-new models and experiments, leaving the picture of scattered anomalies without coherence. Basic research, trying to elucidate a purported difference between homeopathic remedies and control solutions has also produced some encouraging results, but again, series of independent replications are missing. While there are nearly 200 reports on clinical trials, few series have been conducted for single conditions. Some of these series document clinically useful effects and differences against placebo and some series do not. Observational research into uncontrolled homeopathic practice documents consistently strong therapeutic effects and sustained satisfaction in patients. We suggest that this scattered picture has to do with the fourth line of research: lack of a good theory. Some of the extant theoretical models are reviewed, including placebo, water structure, silica contamination, energy models, and entanglement models. It emerges that local models, suggesting some change in structure in the solvent, are far from convincing. The nonlocal models proposed would predict that it is impossible to nail down homeopathic effects with direct experimental testing and this places homeopathy in a scientific dilemma. We close with some suggestions for potentially fruitful research.

Generalized Quantum Theory: Overview and Latest Developments

“…Starting from the algebraic formulation of physical quantum theory and discarding from its axioms elements appearing to be special to physics, a formalism was obtained which is applicable far beyond the realm of physics and still rich enough to attribute a well defined formal meaning to the notions of complementarity and entanglement beyond physics. Meanwhile, quite a few applications demonstrating a partial structural isomorphy to quantum physics in rather diverse situations have been worked out in more or less detail (see Atmanspacher et al 2002Atmanspacher et al , 2004Atmanspacher et al , 2006Atmanspacher et al , 2008aRömer 2004Römer , 2006Römer , 2007Römer , 2008Römer and Walach 2008;Walach and Römer 2009;von Lucadou et al 2007;von Lucadou and Römer 2010;Walach 2002Walach , 2005.…”

A review of use of enantiomers in homeopathy

“…The observed variability of 30th potency effect is an example of the variable effects observed in homeopathic research and discussed by Walach et al [44]; however, the potency chord responses in the replications showed a consistent decrease in toxicity compared with placebo. This suggests that the fluctuation in potency effect is a property of potency itself and not the biosensor assay method.…”

“…In other words, if replications of experiments, say, with Vibrio fischeri are performed using single potencies (also called simplexes), then as has been the case in previous research in homeopathy, we would expect to see evidence of the variability of outcome described by Walach et al [44] and also recently by Endler et al [51].…”

“…The problem of reproducibility of experiments in homeopathy is described by Walach et al [44]. Obstacles to reproducibility are discussed by Baumgartner [46].…”

Role of Homeopathy in Integrative Cancer Care

“…However, RCTs of individualized homeopathic treatment have to be of a much better quality in order to withstand the critics who equate homeopathy at best with placebo effect [26][27][28]. Conclusion and interpretation vary depending often on what one is willing to accept as scientific information [29] and further, as a result of bias in the scientific community against homeopathy, it is often easier to publish negative results on homeopathy in the peer-reviewed literature than positive ones [30]. Lack of mechanistic insights has often plagued homeopathy studies, such as the unexplained findings that homeopathic dilutions of anti-IgE antibodies cause human basophil degranulation [31] and homeopathic dilutions of histamine inhibit basophil activation [32].…”