Homoeopathic drug proving researches (1996–2018): A scoping review

Abstract

Background: A systematic review on homoeopathic pathogenetic trials (HPTs) from 1945 to 1995 was published in 2007, and the basic question whether the effect produced by homoeopathic drugs in healthy human volunteers is equivalent to placebo or otherwise remained unanswered. There is a need to take up another review of HPTs conducted in the last two decades, to assess the changes in the methodologies adapted and to assess whether the effects produced in apparently healthy volunteers is due to homoeopathic medicines in high dilutions or not. Objective: To seek, collect, review and describe HPTs published during 1996–2018. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search, both electronic and manual, was done using search terms ‘homoeopathic drug proving’ and ‘homoeopathic pathogenetic trial’ with time constraint of 1996–2018 in English language. As per the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the papers were selected for extraction of data in the predefined extraction form. Results: One hundred and forty-seven eligible records (74 peer-reviewed [PR] and 73 non-peer-reviewed [NPR]) of HPTs of 214 drugs were identified and subjected to the extraction of data. Majority of the drug proving records were contributed by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy which included 86 records (24 PR and 62 NPR) with the data of 24 and 63 drugs, respectively, and by Riley, one book (NPR) with data of 68 drugs. Heterogeneity was encountered in all aspects – design, conduct, participants and outcome reporting.Conclusion: This preliminary study is the basis for data recovery and for the forthcoming program of systematic review and meta-analysis, which may include the HPTs published in other languages.