Homeopathy is used by 6.8% of Australian adults (1) and has an evidence base (randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses) for the treatment of childhood diarrhoea (2), ear infections (3;4), fibromyalgia (5), menopause (6), and endometriosis (7). Homeopaths acknowledge that this body of evidence is small but growing and that much more research needs to happen. However, despite Australia having some of the highest rates of complementary medicine (CM) utilization in the developed world (8) - 53% of Australians have accessed CM, and 36% of Australians have consulted a CM practitioner (1) - just 0.14% of the 2012 Australian medical research budget was allocated to CM (9).
In March 2015 the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) published an Information Paper on homeopathy, commonly referred to as The Australian Report, which concluded there are no health conditions for which there is reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective. But four years later, after untold damage to homeopathic medicine worldwide NHMRC CEO Prof. Anne Kelso stated contrary to some claims the review did not conclude that homeopathy was ineffective (10). The Australian Report containing numerous examples of serious procedural and scientific misconduct was NHMRC’s second attempt – a first report written in 2012 concluding encouraging evidence for the effectiveness of homeopathy in five medical conditions was never disclosed to the public... (11).
Confused? Lawyer Teresa Nicoletti speaks on the challenge to the NHMRC's 2015 public Australian Report.
Confused? Lawyer Teresa Nicoletti speaks on the challenge to the NHMRC's 2015 public Australian Report.
References
1. Steel, A., McIntyre, E., Harnett, J., Foley, H., Adams, J., Sibbritt, D., Wardle, J., & Frawley, J. 2018. Complementary medicine use in the Australian population: Results of a nationally-representative cross-sectional survey. Scientific reports [online]. 8(1), 17325. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6251890/
2. Jacobs J, Jonas WB, Jiménez-Pérez M, Crothers D. 2003. Homeopathy for childhood diarrhea: combined results and metaanalysis from three randomized, controlled clinical trials. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal [online]. Mar;22(3):229-34. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12634583/
3. Jacobs J, Springer DA, Crothers D. 2001. Homeopathic treatment of acute otitis media in children: a preliminary randomized placebo-controlled trial. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal [online]. Feb;20(2):177-83. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11224838/
4. Sinha MN, Siddiqui VA, Nayak C, Singh V, Dixit R, Dewan D, Mishra A. 2012. Randomized controlled pilot study to compare Homeopathy and Conventional therapy in Acute Otitis Media. Homeopathy [online]. Jan;101(1):512. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22226309/
5. Bell IR, Lewis DA 2nd, Brooks AJ, Schwartz GE, Lewis SE, Walsh BT, Baldwin CM. 2004. Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo. Rheumatology (Oxford) [online]. May;43(5):577-82. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14734789/
6. Colau JC, Vincent S, Marijnen P, Allaert FA. 2012. Efficacy of a non-hormonal treatment, BRN-01, on menopausal hot flashes: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Drugs in R&D [online].
Sep 1;12(3):107-19. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22852580/
7. Teixeira MZ, Podgaec S, Baracat EC. 2017. Potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology [online]. Apr;211:48-55. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28187404/
8. Andrews G, Adams J, Segrott J, Lui C. 2012. The Profile of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Users and Reasons for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use. In: Adams J, Andrews G, Barnes J, Magin P, Broom A, editors. Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine: An International Reader. London: Palgrave Macmillan; 2012. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259742121_The_profile_of_complementary_and_alternative_medicine_users_and_reasons_for_complementary_and_alternative_mediicne_use
9. Australian Homeopathic Association. 2017. The National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Research Integrity. Hobart [online]. Available from: http://www.nhmrchomeopathy.com/
10. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/CEO-statement-signed.pdf
11. Homeopathy Research Institute. 2021. The Australian Report. Kensington, London [online]. Available from: https://www.hri-research.org/resources/homeopathy-the-debate/the-australian-report-on-homeopathy/
1. Steel, A., McIntyre, E., Harnett, J., Foley, H., Adams, J., Sibbritt, D., Wardle, J., & Frawley, J. 2018. Complementary medicine use in the Australian population: Results of a nationally-representative cross-sectional survey. Scientific reports [online]. 8(1), 17325. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6251890/
2. Jacobs J, Jonas WB, Jiménez-Pérez M, Crothers D. 2003. Homeopathy for childhood diarrhea: combined results and metaanalysis from three randomized, controlled clinical trials. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal [online]. Mar;22(3):229-34. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12634583/
3. Jacobs J, Springer DA, Crothers D. 2001. Homeopathic treatment of acute otitis media in children: a preliminary randomized placebo-controlled trial. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal [online]. Feb;20(2):177-83. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11224838/
4. Sinha MN, Siddiqui VA, Nayak C, Singh V, Dixit R, Dewan D, Mishra A. 2012. Randomized controlled pilot study to compare Homeopathy and Conventional therapy in Acute Otitis Media. Homeopathy [online]. Jan;101(1):512. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22226309/
5. Bell IR, Lewis DA 2nd, Brooks AJ, Schwartz GE, Lewis SE, Walsh BT, Baldwin CM. 2004. Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo. Rheumatology (Oxford) [online]. May;43(5):577-82. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14734789/
6. Colau JC, Vincent S, Marijnen P, Allaert FA. 2012. Efficacy of a non-hormonal treatment, BRN-01, on menopausal hot flashes: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Drugs in R&D [online].
Sep 1;12(3):107-19. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22852580/
7. Teixeira MZ, Podgaec S, Baracat EC. 2017. Potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology [online]. Apr;211:48-55. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28187404/
8. Andrews G, Adams J, Segrott J, Lui C. 2012. The Profile of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Users and Reasons for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use. In: Adams J, Andrews G, Barnes J, Magin P, Broom A, editors. Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine: An International Reader. London: Palgrave Macmillan; 2012. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259742121_The_profile_of_complementary_and_alternative_medicine_users_and_reasons_for_complementary_and_alternative_mediicne_use
9. Australian Homeopathic Association. 2017. The National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Research Integrity. Hobart [online]. Available from: http://www.nhmrchomeopathy.com/
10. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/CEO-statement-signed.pdf
11. Homeopathy Research Institute. 2021. The Australian Report. Kensington, London [online]. Available from: https://www.hri-research.org/resources/homeopathy-the-debate/the-australian-report-on-homeopathy/
