When reading through the scientific studies of homeopathy we are often faced with some scientific jargon. The biggest confusion I come across is when we are looking at the concepts of efficacy and effectiveness.
When you are testing whether a treatment is “effective”, it means you are looking to see whether people get better compared to if they did nothing at all. You go to a homeopath, you feel better. You have had a positive effect from the homeopathic process.
When studying effectiveness, there are usually a large number of people followed over a long time period to see how they do over time. Good quality studies compare the homeopathy group to a no treatment group. Other types of studies, “comparative effectiveness studies” will compare homeopathy to other forms of treatment for the same condition or circumstance. This will measure whether homeopathy is just as effective as another form of treatment. The analysis may then turn to whether the treatment is more cost effective or has fewer adverse events.
The evidence is indeed very strong that homeopathy is effective. There are two main studies (Spence http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16296912 , Witt http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2630323/ ) that have confirmed this and many smaller studies which provide evidence. Thus, as homeopaths, we can confidently state that homeopathic treatment is effective. Patients get better.
Efficacy looks at the particular effect of a medical intervention – in our case, the effect of the homeopathic remedy itself. This is usually done by comparing the substance or treatment to a placebo substance or treatment. There is some evidence that homeopathic remedies show efficacy (for a good list, see our friends at www.extraordinarymedicine.org ) but the trials are small and not well reproduced so the scientific evidence is not conclusive on what (if any) effect the remedies themselves have on our patients.
We continue to search and study. As clinicians, we refine our methods and learn new techniques to improve the lives of our patients. As researchers, we try and shed light on what parts of our treatment are effective. This will make for better practice and better outcomes in the future.
For some other research resources see:
http://www.incamresearch.ca/index.php?id=117,0,0,1,0,0
David Brulé, Homeopath and Homeopathic Researcher