01 December 2005
The growth of a lie and the end of "conventional" medicine.
Cosimo Loré, Domenico MastrangeloMed Sci Monit 2005; 11(12): SR27-31 :: ID: 434225
Abstract
Throughout its over 200-year history, homeopathy has been proven effectivein treating diseases for which conventional medicine has little to offer. However, given its low cost,homeopathy has always represented a serious challenge and a constant threat to the profits of drug companies.Moreover, since drug companies represent the most relevant source of funding for biomedical researchworldwide, they are in a privileged position to finance detractive campaigns against homeopathy by manipulatingthe media as well as academic institutions and the medical establishment. The basic argument againsthomeopathy is that in some controlled clinical trials (CCTs), comparison with conventional treatmentsshows that its effects are not superior to those of placebo. Against this thesis we argue that a) CCTmethodology cannot be applied to homeopathy, b) misconduct and fraud are common in CCTs, c) adverse drugreactions and side effects show that CCT methodology is deeply flawed, d) an accurate testing of homeopathicremedies requires more sophisticated techniques, e) the placebo effect is no more "plausible" than homeopathy,and its real nature is still unexplained, and f) the placebo effect is nevertheless a "cure" and, assuch, worthy of further investigation and analysis. It is concluded that no arguments presently existagainst homeopathy and that the recurrent campaigns against it represent the specific interests of thepharmaceutical industry which, in this way, strives to protect its profits from the "threat" of a safer,more effective, and much less expensive treatment modality.
Keywords: Placebo Effect, Homeopathy, Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic, Scientific Misconduct
Editorial
01 May 2024 : Editorial
Editorial: First Regulatory Approval for Adoptive Cell Therapy with Autologous Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) – Lifileucel (Amtagvi)DOI: 10.12659/MSM.944927
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e944927
In Press
11 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Enhancement of Frozen-Thawed Human Sperm Quality with Zinc as a Cryoprotective AdditiveMed Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.942946
12 Mar 2024 : Database Analysis
Risk Factors of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Population-Based Study: Results from SHIP-TREND-1 (St...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943140
12 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Preoperative Blood Transfusion Requirements for Hemorrhoidal Severe Anemia: A Retrospective Study of 128 Pa...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943126
12 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and 3 (TIMP-3) as New Markers of Acute Kidney Injury Afte...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943500
Most Viewed Current Articles
17 Jan 2024 : Review article
Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Women: Addressing COVID-19 and the Omicron VariantDOI :10.12659/MSM.942799
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e942799
14 Dec 2022 : Clinical Research
Prevalence and Variability of Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E in Patients with Elevated Tryptase LevelsDOI :10.12659/MSM.937990
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937990
16 May 2023 : Clinical Research
Electrophysiological Testing for an Auditory Processing Disorder and Reading Performance in 54 School Stude...DOI :10.12659/MSM.940387
Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940387
01 Jan 2022 : Editorial
Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952