This sudy made me speachless. I best show the abstract in its full and unadulterated beauty:
Background
Studies have shown homoeopathy to effectively control blood sugar levels and improve quality of life (QOL), though a standard treatment protocol is required.
Objective
This study intended to assess the homoeopathic practice, prescription habits, experience, and perception of Indian Homeopathic Practitioners (HPs) in treating DM.
Methodology
A web-based cross-sectional with a snowball sampling method was conducted between 30th July 2021 and 18th August 2021. A questionnaire to record clinical attributes of Indian HPs in the management of DM was formed after the consensus of the subject experts and pilot testing for feasibility.
Results
Participants were 513 HPs with mean age [Standard Deviation (SD)] of 40.44 years (11.16) and a mean duration of the homoeopathic medical practice of 14.67 years [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 13.71–15.63]. The majority of HPs made classical homoeopathic prescription (201, 39.2%) though the success in the management of DM was better among HPs who prescribed more than one potentized medicine [vs classical prescription, Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.34, p = 0.032]. As perceived by the HPs, homoeopathic treatment resulted in a major improvement in QOL of the diabetic patients (418, 81.5%) with very few adverse effect (100, 19.5%). The blood sugar level was controlled better when homoeopathy was given alongside conventional medicine (348, 67.8%).
Conclusion
The clinical experience of HPs in this study has shown that homoeopathic treatment can benefit DM patients in preventing complications and improving QOL. It further reported that homoeopathy can be an important adjuvant to conventional treatment in managing DM.
Let’s be clear: there is no reliable evidence that DM – a life-threatening disease – can be effectively treated with homeopathy. And let’s be blunt: HPs who claim otherwise are in my view criminal.
I should mention that some of the patients had type 1 diabetes. Many HPs felt that “there was a lack of awareness about the effectiveness of homoeopathy in DM among the general population”. The data show that in 7% the HPs discontinued conventional ant-diabetic drugs completely, and in 73% they reduced them.
It seems that the general population is well advised to ignore homeopathy and its alleged effectiveness for DM. I would even go one step further and postulate that:
if patients rely on homeopathy to treat their diabetes, they risk their lives!
10 Responses to Indian homeopathic practitioners treat patients with diabetes mellitus (DM)
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Not only in India, but also in Germany.
There recommendation is to use Globuli as Adjuvant long befor DM outbreak.
But globuli are pure sucrose. They ignore the use of Zylit-globuli.
Details in German
https://www.apotheken.de/gesundheit/gesund-leben/ratgeber/10648-homoeopathie-bei-diabetes-mellitus
Hahnemann and early “classical” homeopaths must be spinning in their homeopathic graves, at the thought of homeopathic treatment as an ADJUVANT.
I was prepared for nonsense. My speechlessness had been not only parked, but clamped in the suspension of disbelief category.
Then I read this.
“As perceived by the HPs, homoeopathic treatment resulted in a major improvement in QOL…”
I might have to resort to a SCAM to get over this…
Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to India. Lots of homeopaths (as well as other SCAMers) around the world claim that they can improve diabetes patients’ health one way or another. A cursory search here in the Netherlands turns up dozens of homeopaths who claim that they can help diabetes patients. Sure, in almost all cases, their primary advice appears to be lifestyle-related, but many homeopaths also suggest that their useless sugar crumbs can help lowering blood glucose levels and reduce diabetes-related complications. This is indeed an untrue and even dangerous proposition for reasons already laid out in Edzard’s piece.
Do any of them claim to improve or cure Type 1 Diabetes by using homeopathy INSTEAD of conventional treatment, rather than as an ADJUNCT to conventional treatment?
yes, that is certainly implied.
Well, that’s honest homeopathy, in accordance with Hahnemann’s dicta. But it will kill people.
Hahnemann was a honest killer. Only, he diluted some things…
@DavidB
I’m not certain what claims they made with regard to type 1 diabetes, but they certainly make medical claims about type 2 – claims that are already not allowed, such as that their treatments are effective against some common sequelae of type 2 diabetes.
However, I don’t recall any of these homeopaths claiming that their treatment could be used instead of regular treatment, so they’re not that stupid.
As mentioned, I just had a very superficial look at what some Dutch homeopaths said. Maybe it’s a good idea to make a more in-depth investigation of what they do and don’t claim.
From the study, Table 3:
What is STG on DM published by CCRH?
STG: Standard Treatment Guidelines in Homoeopathy
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy,
Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India
(I’ve not providing the URL because the server certificate has expired.)
CCRH: Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy
“The [Ministry of AYUSH] rejected the NHMRC’s 2016 study on homeopathy, which was regarded as the most rigorous and reliable investigation into homeopathy to date. In 2017, the ministry set up a committee at the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH) to counter claimed western propaganda against homeopathy; the committee was ill-received.[19][97][76]”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Ayush