An exploratory study of the contextual effect of homeopathic care. A randomised controlled trial of homeopathic care vs. self-prescribed homeopathic medicine in the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections in children

Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the contextual effect of homeopathic consultation by investigating the effect of homeopathic care compared to self-treatment with self prescribed homeopathic medicine in the prevention of childhood upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). Methods Randomised parallel group trial with 208 children below the age of 10. The children were randomly assigned to receive either homeopathic care (HC: individual homeopathic consultations with any homeopathic medicine in any potency being prescribed) or one of three self-prescribed homeopathic medicines (SPH) in C-30 administered twice weekly, for 12 weeks. Results There were no significant differences in clinical effects between SPH and HC for primary outcomes. Mean URTI scores over 12 weeks were 39.0 in the HC group and 43.9 in the SPH group (p = 0.782, difference − 5.0 points (95% C.I.; − 20.5 to + 10.5)). The mean number of days where the parents rated their child as ‘ill with URTI’ was 10.0 in the HC group and 13.7 in the SPH group (p = 0.394). There was a trend in favour of HC for other outcomes. Conclusions In this innovative and exploratory study, there was no evidence for a clinically relevant effect of homeopathic care vs. a homeopathic medicine given by the childʹs parents and based on a pre-agreed homeopathic treatment protocol.