ArticlePDF Available

Editorial - Special Dossier: "Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy'"

DOI:10.1590/1806-9282.64.02.93
Authors:
Marcus Zulian Teixeira at University of São Paulo, School of Medicine
Marcus Zulian Teixeira
  • University of São Paulo, School of Medicine
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation

Abstract

In July 2017, to demystify the fallacy – or post-truth – asserting “there are no scientific evidence for homeopathy”, the Technical Chamber for Homeopathy, Regional Medical Council of the State of São Paulo (Cremesp, Brazil) published the Dossiê Especial: “Evidências Científicas em Homeopatia”, available online and in printed editions of the scientific journal of the São Paulo Homeopathic Medical Association (APH), Revista de Homeopatia. After this publication, in view of the request of homeopathic physicians and institutions from other countries, the Technical Chamber for Homeopathy (TC-Homeopathy, Cremesp) produced an English edition of the dossier (Special Dossier: “Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy”), which is also available online at the Revista de Homeopatia webpage. Encompassing nine reviews on several lines of homeopathic research (and two randomized clinical trials developed by members of the TC-Homeopathy), containing hundreds of scientific articles published in various journals, this dossier highlights, to the scientific and medical class, as well as to the general public, the state of the art of homeopathic research.
Content uploaded by Marcus Zulian Teixeira
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Marcus Zulian Teixeira on Apr 02, 2018
Content may be subject to copyright.
Volume 64
Number 2
February 2018
ISSN 0104-4230
ISSN 1806-9282 (On-line)
www.ramb.org.br
SECTIONS
Editorial
Special Dossier: “Scientic Evidence for
Homeopathy” 93
Gui dE l in E s i n focus
Asthma and occupation: Diagnosis using
serial peak ow measurements 95
Poi nt o f vi E w
The ORBITA trial: A point of view 100
lEt t E r t o t h E E d i t o r
Heat-not-burn and electronic cigarettes:
Truths and untruths about harm reduction 104
uPd at E a r t i c l E
Yellow fever 106
ARTICLES
ori G i n a l a r t i c l E s
Use of illicit drugs by adolescents and young
adults of an urban settlement in Brazil 114
Individualized threshold for tumor
segmentation in 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging:
The key for response evaluation of
neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy in
patients with rectal cancer? 119
Combination of topical agents and oxybutynin
as a therapeutic modality for patients with
both osmidrosis and hyperhidrosis 127
Associations among body composition,
inammatory prole and disease extent in
ulcerative colitis patients 133
Impact of written information on control and
adherence in type 2 diabetes 140
Assessing cardiovascular risk in ATM
heterozygotes 148
Assessment of the prevalence of vertical
hepatitis B transmission in two consecutive
generations 154
Subcutaneous emphysema, a different
way to diagnose 159
Maternal attachment and breastfeeding
behaviors according to type of delivery
in the immediate postpartum period 164
Comparative study of computed tomography
(CT) and pathological diagnosis toward
mediastinal lymph node metastasis in
esophageal carcinoma 170
Postoperative local incision analgesia for
acute pain treatment in patients with
hepatocellular carcinoma 175
Assessment of the prescription of red blood
cell concentrates in the pediatric age group 181
rEv i E w a r t i c l E s
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in
posttransplantation liver: Review article 187
Pseudomyxoma peritonei in a pediatric
patient: A case report and literature review 195
Special doSSier: “Scientific evidenceS for homeopathy”
reV assoc MeD Bra 2018; 64(2):93-94 93
EDITORIAL
Special Dossier: “Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy”
dossiê especial: “evidências científicas eM hoMeopatia”
Marcus Zulian Teixeira
1*
1MD, PhD, Coordinator and Researcher of the Elective Discipline of Fundamentals of Homeopathy (MCM0773), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. Member of the Technical Chamber
for Homeopathy, Regional Medical Council of the State of São Paulo (Cremesp). Guest Editor, Revista de Homeopatia, São Paulo Homeopathic Medical Association, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Article received: 10/23/2017
Accepted for publication: 10/24/2017
*Correspondence:
Serviço de Clínica Médica Geral, HC-FMUSP
Address: Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 255, 4º andar, bloco 6
São Paulo, SP – Brasil
Postal code: 05403-000
marcus@homeozulian.med.br
mzulian@usp.br
http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.64.02.93
In July 2017, to demystify the fallacy – or post-truth – as-
serting “there are no scientific evidence for homeopathy”,
the Technical Chamber for Homeopathy, Regional Med-
ical Council of the State of São Paulo (Cremesp, Brazil)
published the Dossiê Especial: “Evidências Científicas em
Homeopatia”,
1
available online and in printed editions
of the scientific journal of the São Paulo Homeopathic
Medical Association (APH), Revista de Homeopatia.2,3
After this publication, in view of the request of homeo-
pathic physicians and institutions from other countries,
the Technical Chamber for Homeopathy (TC-Homeopathy,
Cremesp) produced an English edition of the dossier (Spe-
cial Dossier: “Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy”), which
is also available online at the Revista de Homeopatia webpage.
4
Encompassing nine reviews on several lines of ho-
meopathic research (and two randomized clinical trials
developed by members of the TC-Homeopathy), contain-
ing hundreds of scientific articles published in various
journals, this dossier highlights, to the scientific and
medical class, as well as to the general public, the state of
the art of homeopathic research.
content of the portuguese edition
http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/issue/view/41/
showToc
•
“Editorial: Aos que clamam pelas evidências científi-
cas em homeopatia” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.
php/aph/article/view/402).
•
“Homeopatia: um breve panorama desta especialida-
de médica” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/
article/view/393).
•
“Panorama mundial da educação médica em terapêu-
ticas não convencionais” (http://aph.org.br/revista/
index.php/aph/article/view/392).
•
“Fundamentação científica do princípio de cura ho-
meopático na farmacologia moderna” (http://aph.
org.br/revista/index.php/aph/article/view/391).
•
“A solidez da pesquisa básica em homeopatia” (http://
aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/article/view/394).
•
“Efeito de ultradiluições homeopáticas em modelos
in vitro: revisão da literatura” (http://aph.org.br/
revista/index.php/aph/article/view/396).
•
“Efeito de ultradiluições homeopáticas em plantas:
revisão da literatura” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.
php/aph/article/view/386).
•
“Pesquisa clínica em homeopatia: revisões sistemáticas
e ensaios clínicos randomizados controlados” (http://
aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/article/view/397).
•
“Estrogênio potencializado no tratamento homeopá-
tico da dor pélvica associada à endometriose: Um es-
tudo de 24 semanas, randomizado, duplo-cego e pla-
cebo-controlado” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.
php/aph/article/view/390).
•
“Estudo clínico, duplo-cego, randomizado, em crianças
com amigdalites recorrentes submetidas a tratamento
homeopático” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/
aph/article/view/398).
•
“O medicamento homeopático provoca efeitos adver-
sos ou agravações medicamento-dependentes?” (http://
aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/article/view/401).
•
“O medicamento homeopático provoca sintomas em
voluntários aparentemente sadios? A contribuição
Teixeira MZ
94
reV assoc MeD Bra s 2018; 64(2):93-94
brasileira ao debate sobre os ensaios patogenéticos
homeopáticos” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/
aph/article/view/404).
content of the english edition
http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/issue/view/42/
showToc
•
“Editorial: To those who demand scientific evidence
for homeopathy” (https://aph.org.br/revista/index.
php/aph/article/view/405).
•
“Homeopathy: a brief description of this medical
specialty” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/
article/view/406).
•
“Medical education in non-conventional therapeutics
in the world (homeopathy and acupuncture)” (http://
aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/article/view/407).
•
“Scientific basis of the homeopathic healing principle
in modern pharmacology” (http://aph.org.br/revista/
index.php/aph/article/view/408).
•
“The soundness of homeopathic fundamental
research” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/
article/view/409).
•
“Effects of homeopathic high dilutions on in vitro
models: literature review” (http://aph.org.br/revista/
index.php/aph/article/view/410).
•
“Effects of homeopathic high dilutions on plants:
literature review” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.
php/aph/article/view/411).
•
“Clinical research in homeopathy: systematic reviews
and randomized clinical trials” (http://aph.org.br/
revista/index.php/aph/article/view/412).
•
“Potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of en-
dometriosis-associated pelvic pain: A 24-week, rando-
mized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study” (http://
aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/article/view/414).
•
“Randomized, double-blind trial on the efficacy of
homeopathic treatment in children with recurrent
tonsillitis” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/
article/view/413).
•
“Do homeopathic medicines cause drug-dependent
adverse effects or aggravations?” (http://aph.org.br/
revista/index.php/aph/article/view/416).
•
“Do homeopathic medicines induce symptoms in
apparently healthy volunteers? The Brazilian
contribution to the debate on homeopathic
pathogenetic trials” (http://aph.org.br/revista/index.
php/aph/article/view/417).
Despite the ongoing difficulties and limitations op-
posing the development of research in homeopathy – part-
ly due to methodological aspects, and partly to lack of
institutional and financial support –, the experimental
and clinical studies described in this dossier, which ground
the homeopathic assumptions and confirm the efficacy
and safety of this approach to therapeutics, provide un-
questionable proof for the availability of scientific evidence
for homeopathy, against the false and prejudiced opinion
that is widely divulgated.
With the publishing of the present dossier, prepared
with the support of Technical Chamber for Homeopathy,
Cremesp, we hope to dispel doubts and sensitize our
colleagues as to the validity and relevance of homeopathy
as adjuvant treatment complementary to all other med-
ical specialties according to ethical and safe principles.
Our overall goals are to broaden the understanding of
human disease, increase the therapeutic resources, con-
tribute to the definition and effectiveness of medicine in
chronic diseases, minimize the adverse effects of modern
drugs and strengthen the patient-doctor relationship,
among other aspects. In this way, we will be able to work
together, since “The physician’s high and only mission
is to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed”
(Samuel Hahnemann, Organon of medicine, § 1).
references
1.
Conselho Regional de Medicina do Estado de São Paulo. Homeopatia:
Câmara Técnica de Homeopatia do CREMESP lança dossiê “Evidências
Científicas em Homeopatia”. Notícias. 13/09/2017. Available from: https://
www.cremesp.org.br/?siteAcao=NoticiasC&id=4644.
2.
Câmara Técnica de Homeopatia do Conselho Regional de Medicina do Estado
de São Paulo (CREMESP, Brasil). Dossiê Especial: Evidências Científicas em
Homeopatia. Rev Homeopatia (São Paulo. Online). 2017; 80(1/2). Available
from: http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/issue/view/41.
3.
Câmara Técnica de Homeopatia do Conselho Regional de Medicina do
Estado de São Paulo (CREMESP, Brasil). Dossiê Especial: Evidências
Científicas em Homeopatia. Rev Homeopatia (São Paulo. Printed). 2017;
80(Supl 1/2). Available from: http://www.bvshomeopatia.org.br/revista/
RevistaHomeopatiaAPHano2017VOL80Supl1-2.pdf
4.
Câmara Técnica de Homeopatia do Conselho Regional de Medicina do
Estado de São Paulo (CREMESP, Brasil). Special Dossier: Scientific Evidence
for Homeopathy. Rev Homeopatia (São Paulo. Online). 2017; 80(3/4).
Available from: http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/issue/view/42.
... Homoeopathy is a specific physiological stimulus therapy, in which the product is chosen according to particular needs (Teixeira & Carneiro, 2017;Teixeira, 2018). Possible causes of a decreased animal development, as well as environmental aspects involving animal production, needs further research (Costa, Araújo, & Freitas, 2009). ...
Addition of homoeopathy in the diet of Japanese quails increases egg weight
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2021
This study aims to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of different homoeopathic products on the diet of laying quails. We used 200 Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) distributed in a completely randomized design consisting of the adoption of four experimental diets, with eight replicates of five quails each. The treatments were control (without additives), calcium carbonate (vehicle used in the products), Fertsigo®, and Ovosigo®. We determined the performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical profile of quails. The data were submitted to Tukey test at 5% probability. There was a significant effect of the homeopathic products Fertsigo® and Ovosigo® on the variables egg weight, yolk, albumen, and shell percentage. It did not affect the performance and blood biochemical profile (p > 0.05). The addition of the homoeopathic product Ovosigo® and FertSigo® in diets of Japanese quails at the laying phase is recommended because they resulted in the better weight of the egg and its components. Thus, the application of homoeopathy in the production of quails is a viable practice, since it is easy to manage, has a reduced cost, and exerts positive effects on the performance of quails.
“Genomic Homeopathy” proposal: use of auto-isotherapic of DNA as a modulator of gene expression in chronic diseases
Article
Full-text available
The vitalist philosophical conception considers vital force dystonia as the primary cause of diseases, while the return to health status would occur by vital rebalancing. The homeopathic model expands understanding of the etiopathogenic dynamics, and also considers the manifestation of chronic miasmas (manifest psora) as a fundamental cause of chronic diseases in general, while health restoration would occur through modulating this miasmatic manifestation (latent psora). According to the biomedical etiopathogenic process, the primary cause of diseases is the expression of genes responsible for the respective physiological disorders, considering the manifestation of disease-promoting epigenetic alterations as a fundamental cause of chronic diseases in general. The return to health status would occur through modulating these epigenetic manifestations and consequent inhibition of pathological gene expression. Due to presenting similar characteristics and properties, we have suggested in recent studies the philosophical-scientific correlations between vital force and genome (exome plus epigenome) and between chronic miasms and disease-promoting epigenetic alterations, meaning that the genome would be the biological representation of organic vital force, and disease-promoting epigenetic alterations would be the biological representation of chronic miasms. The properties and functions of the telomere-telomerase complex expand understanding of the gene expression mechanism at the chromosome level (DNA molecule or genomic unit), and reiterate the philosophical-scientific correlations between the vital principle and the genome in view of its recognized role as a biomarker of cellular vitality, biological aging and the health-disease process. In this context, telomere length would indicate the organic vital force state and could be used in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases according to the vitalist approach, expanding the spectrum and scope of classical homeopathic semiology. In accordance with these hypotheses, the isopathic use of auto-sarcode of DNA (auto-isotherapic of DNA) could act on the imbalance of the vital principle or genome and in the chronic miasmas or disease-promoting epigenetic alterations as homeopathic therapeutic modulator of gene expression in the management of chronic diseases.
"Similitude in Modern Pharmacology": two decades of studies contributing to the scientific basis of the homeopathic healing principle
Article
Full-text available
When Samuel Hahnemann systematized homeopathy and the effects of drugs on the state of human health, he described the primary action of drugs and the following secondary and opposite reaction of the body. Seeking to apply this secondary action or vital reaction of the body as therapeutic method, he postulated the “principle of cure by similars”, i.e. the prescription to ill individuals of drugs that cause similar symptoms in the healthy (similia similibus curentur). In modern pharmacology, this secondary action (vital reaction) of the body is known as rebound effect or paradoxical reaction. It has been observed after discontinuation of several classes of palliative drugs, namely those that act according to the “principle of cure by contraries” (contraria contrariis curentur). Since 1998, we have been bridging the gap between homeopathic and conventional pharmacology through the systematic study of rebound effect of modern drugs, scientifically confirming the homeopathic postulate (primary action of the drug followed by secondary and opposite reaction of the body) and the homeopathic healing principle. Following the homeopathic premises, conventional drugs can be employed according to the principle of therapeutic similitude provided they cause primary symptoms (therapeutic, adverse and side effects) similar to the symptomatic manifestations of sick individuals. Since 2003, we are proposing the use of the rebound effect of modern drugs in a curative manner, administering to patients, in ultra-diluted doses, drugs that cause a set of similar adverse events. Since 2021, these two decades of studies are made available in three free-access digital books.
Impact of the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices on Brazilian Public Homeopathy Services
Article
  • Dec 2021
Background Homeopathy has been experiencing a period of expansion in Brazil due to its practical relevance in the face of new global and national health demands, culminating in the launch in 2006 of the National Policy for Integrative and Complementary Practices (NPICP) by the Ministry of Health of Brazil, which standardized and regularized the position of homeopathy within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Aims To understand the impact of the guidelines proposed by the NPICP on homeopathy services in the SUS, specifically in the south-east region of Brazil, according to the perceptions of their managers. Methods This is a descriptive, exploratory research study with a qualitative approach, conducted in homeopathy services in the south-east region of Brazil, through semi-structured interviews and with data processed using content analysis. Results The data show the importance of the NPICP in regulating and offering homeopathy in the services studied. However, the NPICP's objective of promoting and fully developing integrative and complementary practices has not been achieved because it has failed to translate strategies into actions. Conclusions Though important to the development of homeopathy services in any given location, policies stated in the NPICP were revealed to have limited impact on the implementation and development of new services. Without further legislation, training programs and appropriate budget allocation, new services will be unable to thrive and their users unable to benefit from a more comprehensive approach to healthcare.
"New Homeopathic Medicines" proposal: a database made available in three free-access bilingual digital books
Article
Full-text available
Homeopathy employs the so-called ‘principle of similars’ as therapeutic method - which consists in administering medicines that cause certain primary symptoms in healthy individuals to treat similar symptoms in sick individuals (similia similibus curantur) – in order to induce a secondary and healing reaction of the body against its own disorders. This secondary (vital, homeostatic or paradoxical) reaction of the body is based on the ‘rebound effect’ of modern drugs, a type of adverse event that occurs following discontinuation of several classes of drugs prescribed according to the ‘principle of contraries’ (contraria contrariis curantur). Since 1998, we have been bridging the gap between homeopathic and conventional pharmacology through the systematic study of the rebound effect of modern drugs, scientifically confirming the homeopathic postulate (primary action of the drug followed by secondary and opposite reaction of the organism) and the homeopathic healing principle. Following the homeopathic premises, conventional drugs can be employed according to the therapeutic similitude principle provided they cause primary symptoms (therapeutic, adverse and collateral effects) similar to the symptomatic manifestations of sick individuals. Since 2003, we are proposing the use of the rebound effect of modern drugs in a curative manner, administering to patients, in ultra-diluted doses, the drugs that cause a set of similar adverse events. Entitled “New Homeopathic Medicines: use of modern drugs according to the principle of similitude”, this proposal are been made available in a database composed of three free-access bilingual digital books.
Pseudoskeptical and pseudoscientific strategies used in attacks on homeopathy
Article
Full-text available
Homeopathy is often attacked in several countries by groups of individuals who call themselves "sceptics", who autocratically and systematically disparage and deny any scientific evidence which underlies the homeopathic model. In fact, this posture defines them as "pseudosceptics", because the true sceptic doubts, investigates and accepts the existing evidence with an agnostic and neutral posture, with an open mind and free from prejudice. In unmasking these impostors, Marcelo Truzzi and Marcoen Cabbolet describe several "tell-tale signs" through which the conduct of these pseudosceptics disguised as pseudoscientists can be notably recognized. After the publication of the Special Dossier "Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy" in Brazil (2017), pseudosceptics made unfounded and fallacious criticisms of it in the media and social networks, in which the use of these pseudosceptical and pseudoscientific strategies to undermine the vast body of evidence presented is clearly demonstrating. Knowledge of the "tell-tale signs of pseudoscepticism" can be of great use in the differentiation between the true and the false scepticism.
Clinical research protocol to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of individualized homeopathic medicine in the treatment and prevention of the COVID-19 epidemic
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2020
In addition to the recognized application in chronic diseases, individualized homeopathy can also act in a resolutive or complementary way in acute cases, including epidemic diseases. However, to achieve this intent, it presents a specific semiologic and therapeutic methodology that must be followed and respected, with the risk of not presenting the desired efficacy and safety. In the case of epidemic diseases, which due to the virulence of their agents causes a common symptomatological picture in most susceptible individuals, the individualized homeopathic medicine (homeopathic medicine of the epidemic genius) should present similarity with the set of characteristic symptoms and signs of the patients affected in the different stages of each epidemic outbreak. Studies show the efficacy and safety of this prophylactic and/or therapeutic practice in several epidemics of the past. Therefore, after the survey of possible homeopathic drugs individualized from the epidemic genius of each epidemic, its prophylactic and/or large-scale therapeutic application should be supported by previous clinical trials that demonstrate its efficacy and safety, in line with the ethical and bioethical aspects of research involving human beings. Fulfilling these premises of good clinical practice, we developed the current protocol with the objective of investigating, in a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial, the effectiveness and safety of possible individualized homeopathic drugs of epidemic genius of COVID-19, in adjuvant and complementary treatment of patients affected by the disease. If effectiveness and safety are confirmed, and only in this condition, the medicine may be used in a generalized and collective manner in the treatment and prevention of the current epidemic.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.