Homeopathic Research and Evidence Flashcards
6 cards from real Homeopathy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Homeopathic Research and Evidence flashcards as text
What is the 'placebo effect' and why is it central to evaluating homeopathic research?
Answer: An improvement due to expectation rather than the treatment itself, which homeopathy must demonstrate exceeding
The placebo effect is health improvement resulting from expectation, belief, or therapeutic encounter rather than the specific treatment, and homeopathy must demonstrate effects beyond this to be validated scientifically.
In homeopathic research, what is a 'systematic review'?
Answer: A comprehensive synthesis of all available clinical trials using a defined, reproducible methodology
A systematic review pools and synthesizes data from multiple individual trials using explicit, reproducible methods to produce the highest level of evidence about a treatment's effectiveness.
Which major US government health institute (NCCIH) previously funded research on homeopathy?
Answer: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
The NCCIH (formerly NCCAM) has funded research into homeopathy and other complementary therapies, though its funding for homeopathy has decreased in recent years.
What is 'publication bias' and why does it matter for homeopathic evidence?
Answer: Positive results are more likely published than negative results, potentially inflating apparent efficacy
Publication bias means studies with positive findings are more likely to be published, which can make a treatment look more effective in systematic reviews than it actually is.
What is the main challenge of designing RCTs for individualised homeopathy?
Answer: Each patient receives a different remedy, making standardized treatment arms impossible
Individualised homeopathy prescribes a unique remedy per patient, which conflicts with the RCT requirement that all patients in a treatment arm receive the same intervention.
The concept of 'high-dilution research' in homeopathy attempts to demonstrate:
Answer: Biological effects of ultra-diluted substances at the cellular or molecular level
High-dilution research investigates whether ultra-dilute solutions (beyond Avogadro's limit) can produce measurable biological effects on cells, enzymes, or living systems, seeking a plausible mechanism for homeopathy.