Robert T. Mathie
Specific effects of homeopathy: The challenge of explanatory research
Homeopathy, 2006, 95 (4), 197-198
Development of clinical research in homeopathy faces many challenges. These include meeting the need for more pilot trials and greater focus on medical conditions for which conventional medicines are inadequate or ineffective. Suitable study design for such work must be selected on the basis of a precisely asked research question: an explanatory trial aims to find out whether a particular medicine has any efficacy in treating a highly defined group of patients, and would be placebo-controlled; a pragmatic trial aims to find out the effectiveness of treatment in everyday practice for a particular condition, and would involve comparison with standard medical care or no treatment.
