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Chalice asked in HealthAlternative Medicine · 1 decade ago

Does anyone know of any double-blind experiments to prove the effectiveness of homeopathy?

I've never heard of any, and I think they're the only way to prove beyond dispute that homeopathy works. Does anyone know of any?

Update:

Zambiti, how can double-blind studies be manipulated?! That's the reason why they're double-blind, so bias isn't possible!

No I've no intention of using homeopathy myself because I don't currently have any personal need for any kind of medication - I'm just curious about it.

Update 2:

"If a specific herb or oil or whatever works for you, do you really need a scientist to tell you its effective?"

Actually yeah, I do, because I prefer to understand what's going on, otherwise how can you recommend it to other people? "It worked for me" is no recommendation whatsoever.

Update 3:

Yeah you already showed me that link in my other q Alex F, but those experiments were meta-analyses, I'm looking for double-blind. Does anyone on here actually know what a double-blind experiment entails? because it doesn't look like it.

I do know that the results of experiments can be warped when they're reported second hand; I was asking if anyone knew of any ACTUAL experiments that had taken place, not just retrospective reports of experiments.

6 Answers

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  • Halema
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    There are no double-blind studies proving homeopathy works. If you understood just how the product is made, you would know that there is absolutely NOTHING medicinal in homeopathy. It is based upon the "energy" of the plant's extracts, diluted to such a degree that nothing is left, except energy. Because it works on the energies of the plant, modern medicine feels that it is a hoax, taking your money for a placebo effect. This is also the very same reason why you can take homeopathy with medical RX's because it won't interfere with anything. However, homeopathy works, just ask anyone who has tried it and has been healed.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I don't know personally of any double blind studies, there could have been some done in other countries where homeopathy is more mainstream.

    I do know that I don't believe in those studies really. I spent some time in research, and don't trust it - too easily manipulated, too many factors that aren't considered.

    I prefer 1st hand accounts of success. I don't believe there is any way to prove anything beyond dispute these days. We've become a society of skeptics and disavow-ment. For every study that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sky is blue, there will be one that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sky is green. If it came down to life and death, I would choose 1st hand experiential knowledge over a study any day.

    What is your interest in proof? Do you intend to use homeopathy or deciding whether or not to? Just curious.

  • 1 decade ago

    A lot of other people have made comments about the double blind studies method not being very accurate to show the efficacy of medicine, and that normal medicine is so biased against homeopathy that there's no way it would end up wanting to show it works (or say fund trials). I agree with that sentiment, and if you'd like to have a further discussion on the matter I would be happy to provide one.

    However, I don't really think that is what you're asking for.

    This is one of the best available examples for what you want. When lancet did their first version of this, they in their summary said it showed homeopathy works, but in the 2nd due to industry pressure they switched positions and said it shows homeopathy does not work.

    Here's the link!

    http://www.boiron.com/

    Hope that answers your question!

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Double blind experiments now-a-days mean jack, as already stated.

    Homeopathy has been used successfully for centuries. Of course, different things work for different people. If a specific herb or oil or whatever works for you, do you really need a scientist to tell you its effective?

  • 1 decade ago

    I am not sure of where you would get info on that subject.

    Try this site and pick the brain of members. Its free.

    Many members are pure homeopathic or alternative health members.

    www.askwaltstollmd.com

  • 1 decade ago

    allergy desensiitizing studies.

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