Is homeopathy a viable treatment option?

Introduction

Homeopathy is a form of complementary and alternative medicine based on the principle of treating "like with like" using highly diluted substances. It has been used for various conditions, including ADHD, menopausal symptoms, and cancer. This synthesis aims to evaluate the viability of homeopathy as a treatment option based on recent research findings.

Key Insights

ADHD Treatment:
- Homeopathy does not show significant treatment effects for ADHD symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity.
Menopausal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors:
- No significant difference in hot flash severity was found, although there was a positive trend in the single remedy group. There was a significant improvement in general health scores in both homeopathy groups.
Cancer Treatment:
- Prostate Cancer: Homeopathic remedies did not affect cell viability or gene expression but significantly slowed tumor progression and reduced tumor incidence and mortality in animal models.
- General Cancer Care: Insufficient evidence supports the clinical efficacy of homeopathic therapy in cancer care. However, some studies suggest that homeopathy may improve quality of life and prolong survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer .
- Pediatric Oncology: Homeopathy is frequently used in pediatric oncology in Germany, with high patient satisfaction and prolonged treatment duration compared to other CAM treatments.

Conclusion

The current body of research provides mixed results on the efficacy of homeopathy. While it does not appear to be effective for treating ADHD, it may offer some benefits in improving general health and quality of life for menopausal symptoms and cancer patients. However, the evidence is not robust enough to conclusively support homeopathy as a viable standalone treatment option. Further large-scale, rigorous studies are needed to validate these findings.

Is homeopathy a viable treatment option?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Homeopathy for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or hyperkinetic disorder.

Homeopathy shows little evidence for its efficacy in treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Homeopathy for menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors: a preliminary randomized controlled trial.

Homeopathy may be of value in treating menopausal symptoms and improving quality of life for breast cancer survivors, especially those not on tamoxifen.

Can Homeopathic Treatment Slow Prostate Cancer Growth?

Homeopathic remedies show no direct anticancer effects but significantly slow prostate cancer progression and reduce cancer incidence and mortality in Copenhagen rats injected with MAT-LyLu prostate cancer cells.

Efficacy of homeopathic therapy in cancer treatment.

Homeopathic therapy has insufficient evidence to support its clinical efficacy in cancer care.

Homeopathic Treatment as an Add‐On Therapy May Improve Quality of Life and Prolong Survival in Patients with Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo‐Controlled, Double‐Blind, Three‐Arm, Multicenter Study

Additive homeopathy significantly improves quality of life and prolongs survival in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer compared to placebo.

Is There a Role for Homeopathy in Cancer Care? Questions and Challenges

Homeopathy may have some beneficial effects in cancer care, improving quality of life, reducing symptom burden, and possibly improving survival in patients.

Use of Homeopathy in Pediatric Oncology in Germany

Homeopathy is the most frequently used complementary and alternative medicine treatment in pediatric oncology in Germany, with high patient satisfaction compared to other CAM treatments.

Influence of adjunctive classical homeopathy on global health status and subjective wellbeing in cancer patients - A pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Adjunctive classical homeopathic treatment significantly improves global health status and subjective wellbeing in cancer patients when added to conventional therapy.

A review on the current status of homeopathy in the clinical management of cancer.

Homeopathy shows potential in improving cancer patients' lives by providing symptom relief, increasing survival time, and boosting their immunity, as an add-on to conventional therapy.

Homeopathy for cancer?

Homeopathy is a therapeutic method using substances based on the "like cures like" principle, which suggests that if a remedy causes a symptom in a healthy volunteer, it can be used to treat that symptom in a patient.

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