Homeopathy's Position in the Context of Integrative Medicine

Emphasis on ‘whole-person medicine’ has always been intrinsic to the clinical practice of homeopathy. Reflecting this holistic approach to an individual patient's treatment, with its inter-professional ethic of health care, many practitioners and institutions of homeopathy are now seeing themselves within the overarching category of “integrative medicine”. It is a topic that is developed articulately in an article in the current issue of the journal.[1] In a mirror to this maturing position, Homeopathy is now witnessing submissions of manuscripts in that explicit context. The journal now, therefore, welcomes articles on integrative medical care in which homeopathy is a substantial component. We are extending peer review also to manuscripts in which homeopathy is evaluated prominently beside other whole-person therapies such as acupuncture and herbal medicine or within the perspective of AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha, homeopathy).

The current issue of the journal contains a further two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from Dr Subhranil Saha's prolific research group in West Bengal. The first of these articles reports a study of individualised homeopathic medicines for lower back pain in lumbar spondylosis: the trial did not detect a significant effect for the primary outcome, due perhaps to its premature stop date.[2] In the second RCT, homeopathic medicines performed significantly better than placebos in reducing the severity of atopic dermatitis in adults.[3] Two review articles also feature in the list of contents: the first of those emphasizes the important contribution that well-informed homeopathy can make in the management of menopausal symptoms in an integrative health care setting[4]; the second review presents a set of recommendations for designing, conducting and reporting clinical observational studies in homeopathic veterinary medicine.[5] This noteworthy issue of the journal continues with a comprehensive evaluation of selected plant-derived homeopathic medicines for their action against cervical cancer in a study that used both in-vitro and impressive in-silico (computer modelling) methods[6] and with an elegant veterinary case report article on the use of homeopathy to promote ovarian follicular development in two pythons.[7]

Publication History

Article published online:
19 October 2023

• References

• 1 Swayne J. A broader vision for homeopathy: medicine needs healing, and homeopathy has a role to play. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 280-285
• 2 Prakash A, Bhowmik NC, Singh S. et al. Individualized homeopathic medicines for low back pain in lumbar spondylosis: double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 240-250
• 3 Mandal S, Ghosh S, Das AD. et al. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of individualized homeopathic medicines in atopic dermatitis in adults: a replication trial with 6 months' follow-up. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 251-261
• 4 Macías-Cortés E. Menopause: questions and answers for improving homeopathic clinical practice. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 214-225
• 5 Weiermayer P, Frass M, Fibert P, Klein-Laansma C, Ulbrich-Zürni S. Recommendations for designing, conducting and reporting clinical observational studies in homeopathic veterinary medicine. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 226-239
• 6 Singh T, Aggarwal N, Thakur K. et al. Evaluation of therapeutic potential of selected plant-derived homeopathic medicines for their action against cervical cancer. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 262-274
• 7 Balbueno MCS, Martins JA, Coelho CP. Action of Folliculinum 6cH on folliculogenesis in the snake Python regius (Shaw, 1802) – two case reports. Homeopathy 2023; 112: 275-279