The Veterinary Record has published what the British Homeopathy Association is calling the first ever systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in veterinary homeopathy.

The review was conducted by Dr Robert Mathie, research development adviser to the association, and Dr Jürgen Clausen from the Carstens Foundation, Germany.

They found 18 placebo-controlled RCTs of veterinary homeopathy, published in the peer-reviewed literature, that were eligible for detailed assessment. Of these, only two were judged to provide reliable evidence. The remainder were unclear or had a high risk of bias.

The two studies which were judged reliable were:

  • CAMERLINK, I., ELLINGER, L., BAKKER, E. J. & LANTINGA, E. A. (2010) Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy 99, 57-62.
    According to the authors, this study showed that homeopathy is effective for the prevention of diarrhoea in piglets.

  • HEKTOEN, L., LARSEN, S., ØDEGAARD, S. A. & LOKEN, T. (2004) Comparison of homeopathy, placebo and antibiotic treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows - methodological issues and results from a randomized-clinical trial. Journal of Veterinary Medicine. A, Physiology, pathology, clinical medicine 51, 439-446. In this study, homeopathy was shown to be ineffective. 

Dr Mathie said: "Up to now, debates about the efficacy or effectiveness of veterinary homeopathy have been polarised by the absence of any systematic review of the subject. Our work clarifies the nature of the current RCT evidence."

Mr Mark Elliott, immediate past president of the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons, said: "This important study affirms that reliable evidence does exist and that more research should be done, particularly in light of current concerns about antibiotic resistance in production animals."

It seems a remarkable admission, that the entire veterinary homeopathy edifice rests upon one study in piglets. However, if that study did prove the efficacy of homeopathy, it would of course be an order of magnitude more remarkable than today's admission. 

So, no pressure then, Camerlink et al!

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